CONSTRUCTION OE RAILWAYS.

D.—No. Ga

9

The petition itself is signed by 255 landowners, &c, of Onehunga, and by masters of steam and other vessels frequenting the Manukau ; and the prayer of it is against carrying out a recommendation of the Provincial Council of Auckland to extend the Onehunga branch of the AVaikato Eailway to the Bluff. I have, &c, The Hon. Dr. Pollen, Auckland. J. D. Jackson.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure 1 in No. 18. Petition. To His Excellency Sir Geoege Feeguson Bowen, G.C.M.G., &c, &c, Governor of New Zealand, and tho Executive Council thereof, The humble Petition of the undersigned Landowners, Traders, and Residents of the Town of Onehunga, and Shipowners and Masters of Vessels frequenting the Port of Manukau. Humbly Showeth, — 1. That your petitioners, being deeply interested in the prosperity of the town of Onehunga, view with alarm and regret the passing of the following resolution by the Provincial Council of Auckland, viz., " That the Onehunga branch of the Waikato Eailway should be continued to the Bluff," which, if carried into effect, will seriously injure the trade and materially depreciate the value of property in this neighbourhood. 2. Your petitioners are of opinion that this resolution was passed without full information or due consideration of the facts, and being entirely unaware of any intention to bring such a scheme before the Provincial Council, were thereby prevented from expressing their views by petition, and showing that the proposed plan was most damaging to the interests of the town, and totally unnecessary for the requirements of the port. 3. Your petitioners would draw attention to the fact that the Government Wharf being amply sufficient for the present or a largely increased traffic, is quite equal to any accommodation that could be obtained at the Bluff, and being most centrally situated with regard to the town, is also within a very short distance of the terminus of the Onehunga Branch Eailway as at present laid out, and from which a tramway for goods traffic could be easily laid down. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that your Excellency, with the advice of your Executive Council, will be pleased not to give effect to the recommendation of the said resolution of the Provincial Council. And your petitioners will, as in duty bound, ever pray. Jno. Bycboft. (And 254 others.)

Enclosure 2 in No. 18. Abdeess No. —.—Session XXA TL, 1870. (Extract from the Journals of the Auckland Provincial Council, Thursday, Bth December, 1870.) Resolved, 1. That the resolution of this Council with reference to the continuation of Onehunga Eailway to Bluff, passed on the 25th of November last, be rescinded. Resolved, 2. That, in the opinion of this Council, the proposed railway to Onehunga should have an extension of the line made from the present site of the railway terminus opposite the Police Office to the new Government wharf at Geddes Point, where all the steamers frequenting the Manukau now lie. Resolved, 3. That an address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to forward these resolutions to His Excellency the Governor, in accordance with the terms of section 6 of " The Immigration and Public AVorks Act, 1870." G. Maueice O'Eoeke, His Honor the Superintendent. Speaker.

No. 19. The Hon. W. Gisborne to the Hon. Dr. Pollen. Sie, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 3rd January, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th December ultimo, No. 549, transmitting a letter from Mr. Jackson, covering a petition from certain landowners at Onehunga to His Excellency the Governor, relative to a proposed extension of the Onehunga branch of the Waikato Eailway to the. Bluff, and reporting that a Ministerial crisis had occurred after the resolution complained of was adopted by the Provincial Council, and the question having been subsequently reconsidered, the resolution was formally rescinded. In reply, I have to request you to be good enough to inform the petitioners of the rescission of the resolution by the Provincial Council. I have, &c, The Hon. Dr. Pollen, Auckland. W. Gisbobnb. 3