PAPERS RELATING TO IMMIGRATION.
D.—No. 3
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No. 17. Mr. Coopeb to His Honor J. D. Osmond. (Telegram.) Government Buildings, 6th January, 1871. In reply to your letter of the sth ultimo, it is necessary that the Provincial Council should concur in setting apart land for railways. See 17th section of " The Immigration and Public Works Act 1870." G. S. Cooper.
No. 18. His Honor J. D. Osmond to the Hon. W. Gisboene. Sik, — Superintendent's Office, Napier, Bth February, 1871. Eeferring to your letter requesting me to inform you to what extent this Province desires to avail of the provisions of the Immigration and Public Works Act in getting out immigrants, and also as to the terms upon which they should be brought, —as the Provincial Council will shortly be in. session, I •will defer replying to your letter until the question has received the consideration of that body. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. J. D. Ormoxd, Superintendent.
No. 19. His Honor J. D. Oemond to the Hon. W. Gisboene. Sib, — Superintendent's Office, Napier, Bth February, 1871. As the Provincial Council of this Province will necessarily meet at no distant date, I am aniious to receive definite replies from you to questions brought under your notice in former correspondence, and to which I now again have the honor to draw your attention. In my telegram of the 2nd December, and in my letter of the sth of the same month, I described and sent tracings of certain blocks of land which I stated the Provincial Council would be ready to set aside for railway works and immigration, as required by the Public Works Act. It is not necessary for me to repeat what I have already stated in those communications as to the character of those lands, their extent and position : those questions are already fully gone into. What lam anxious for, is to be informed by you whether the Government are satisfied that the blocks named by me are sufficient security for the purposes named, and how far the Government are prepared to proceed with the public works indicated by me, on the Provincial Council sotting aside the land in question. With respect to the Nuhaka and Mahia lands, I should rather desire to see them devoted to immigration pm-poses, and think the more suitable portions of those blocks might be offered for special settlement on such terms as would induce their colonization, whilst the remainder might be set apart for the promotion of general immigration to the Prorince. I shall be obliged if you will favour me with a reply at an early date in order that the necessary action may be taken by the Provincial Council at its approaching Session. I have, &c, J. D. Ormond, The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. Superintendent.
No. 20. Mr. Blackett to the Hon. "VV. Gisbokne. Land reserves for railway and immigration purposes:— Proposed Reserves. Foot of Ruahine Ranges ... ... ... ... 20,000 acres. Part of Nuhaka Block ... ... ... ... 14,000 „ Mahia Block ... ... ... ... ... 15,000 „ Total ... ... ... ... 49,000 „ 1. Mr. Ormond desires to know whether the blocks reserved are sufficient security for the purposes named. 2. Whether the Government are prepared to proceed with the public works indicated by him should the Provincial Council agree to reserve the lands, viz., commencement of railway works, Napier to Paki Paki, as early as possible. Also, that railway plant for this portion of the work be procured and sent out from England. 3. Suggests that the Nuhaka and Mahia Blocks be devoted to immigration purposes. Remarks on above. 1. The portion of the railway line within Hawke's Bay Province will be about eighty miles long, which, at £4,000 per mile (assumed cost), would require £320,000. The whole of land reserved at £1 an acre would represent a length of about twelve miles. 2. As the railway line through Hawke's Bay Province will be one included in Third Schedule of Railways Act, the sanction of the General Assembly will be required before any action can be taken towards their construction, and as it is most probable that the lines in this Schedule will be constructed under guarantee of interest, it will not be necessary or advisable to order any of the plant required for them.