PAPERS RESPECTING PURCHASE OF ELECTRIC

E.—No. 7,

4

Butcher and Brodie, R.E., who have been employed in working the line ; and I am to add that the Government are prepared to take over the telegraph on such day as may be convenient to the Military Authorities. I have, &c, W. R. Gray, Major, The Assistant Military Secretary, Head Quarters. A.D.C.

No. 4<. Copy of a Letter from the Assistant Military Secretary to the Private Secretary. (No. 4,780.) Head Quarters, Sir,— Wellington, 10th August, 186G. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the Bth instant, in reply to tho letter addressed by the Major-General Commanding to His Excellency the Governor on the 10th May last, respecting the transfer of the Military Electric Telegraph to the Colonial Government, and am directed by the Major-General Commanding to acquaint you, for the information of His Excellency, that the sum of £1,940 does not represent the present value of the line of telegraph (exclusive of cost of labour) and of the reserve stores, even deducting one-third of the original cost, as the Colonial Government proposes, for depreciation of the material, to which alone that deduction can bo considered applicable. The Major-General is of opinion that it is very desirable, with a view of saving correspondence, that some person on behalf of the Colonial Government should, as suggested in the Major-General's letter above quoted, meet the Dejmty Quartermaster-General, and that they should, after examination of the actual cost of the line and other matters, arrange, subject to the approval of the Colonial Government and of the Major-General, the general condition and details of effecting the transfer. The Major-General has no doubt but that it will be in this manner readily arranged, and that he will be able to recommend for acceptance by Her Majesty's Government the terms thus agreed on. Had the Major-General received any intimation that it was the wish or intention of the Colonial Government to have an inspection of the telegraph made, ho would have directed the Deputy Quarter-master-General to facilitate the inspection, and to afford full information to tho person appointed to make it. As so long a time has elapsed since the Major-General received orders for the discontinuance of all Imperial expense for telegraphic purposes, he trusts His Excellency will be good enough to cause this matter to be now expedited, in order that he may be able to report on the subject by the next mail to the Secretary of State for War. I have, &c, Geo. Dean Pitt, Lieut.-Colonel, The Private Secretary, Government House, Wellington. Assistant Military Secretary.

No. 5. Copy of a Letter from the Private Seceetaey to the Assistant Militaey Seceetaey. (No. 40.) Private Secretary's Office, Sir,— Wellington, llth August, 1866. Referring to your letter of the 10th instant, No. 4,780, I have the honor, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, to acquaint you for the information of the Major-General Commanding, that Mr. Whitaker has been requested to act on behalf of the Colonial Government, and to meet the Deputy Quartermaster-General for the purpose of arranging—subject to the approval of the Government—the terms and details for the transfer of the Military Electric Telegraph to the Colonial Government. I have, &c, W. R. Gray, Major, The Assistant Military Secretary. A.D.C.

No. 6. Copy of a Letter from the Assistant Militaey Secretaey to the Peivate Seceetaey. Sib, — Head Quarters, Wellington, 15th August, 1866. Referring to your letter of the llth instant, No. 40,1 have the honor, by direction of the Major-General Commanding, to forward for the information of His Excellency the Governor, the enclosed Memorandum of Conditions of Transfer of the Military Electric Telegraph, Auckland Province, from the Imperial to the Colonial Government, which have been agreed to by the Deputy Quartermaster-General and Mr. Whitaker. I am to add that, in the opinion of the Major-General, the terms are equitable, and should they meet with His Excellency's approval, the Major-General would suggest a transfer with as little delay as possible, and requests that he may be informed of the name of the person nominated by the Government to take over the line from the Quartermaster-General's Department. I have, &c, George Dean Pitt, The Private Secretary, Wellington. Lieutenant-Colonel.