CONSTBUCTION OF RAILWAYS.

43

D.—No 6b

No. 40. The Hon. J. Vogel to His Honor W. Bollestox. Slß,— Wellington, 13th September, 1870. In reply to your letter of yesterday's date, in which you ask whether, having regard to the intelligence which has recently arrived from Europe, the Government is prepared to enter into any arrangements with the Province of Canterbury, by which, in the event of the Provincial Government being able to proceed with any of the railways indicated in your previous letter, the Colonial Government would take the works over, whenever it considered that the altered state of the money market justified it in raising funds under the Loan Act; and whether the Colonial Government would then reimburse the Province for its outlay, provided such outlay, together with the cost of finishing the works, if incomplete, did not exceed the cost authorized by the provisions of the Eailways Act. I have the honor to reply that I have no time before your departure from Wellington for bringing your letter under the careful consideration of the Cabinet, and that therefore the only answer I can give to your question is the following : — It will be matter for much regret to the Government if the state of the money market is such as to preclude them from going on with the railways authorized by the Eailways Act of this Session ; but if you have command of ready money, and can, without fastening any liability upon the Colony, see your way to proceed with the construction of any line or lines authorized by the Act, I am sure the Government will, when they are able to do so, entertain the idea of taking over the works, as authorized by the Act, provided they approve of those works. If this meets your views, obviously it will be better that you should enable the Government to form an opinion upon the nature of the works and the form of the contract which you propose, and that you should embody in the contract a clause enabling the General Government to take over the works. You must understand that it is impossible the Government can at present give you any pledge, inasmuch as they have not had your plans approved of by their own Engineer, and inasmuch as if the Government were now to give a pledge they might as well take charge of the works at once. In any case, the result would much depend upon whether or not the money was to be obtained at a reasonable rate of interest. If there is any further information I can give you, I shall be most happy to do so. I have, &c, His Honor W. Eolleston, Superintendent, Canterbury. Julius Vooel.

No. 41. His Honor W. Eolleston to the Hon. W. Gisborite. Superintendent's Office, Sib, — Christchurch, Canterbury, 10th November, 1870. 1 have the honor herewith to enclose copy of resolutions passed by the Provincial Council recommending the construction of certain railways in this Province, in addition to the railways authorized by " The Eailways Act, 1870." I Lave, &c, W. BoLLESTON, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent. Enclosure in No. 41. Eesolutions passed. 1. That, in view of the proposed extension of railway communication throughout the Colony, under the provisions of " The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870," this Council is of opinion that in the Province of Canterbury, in addition to the railways authorized by " The Eailways Act, 1870," the following lines should be undertaken —viz., the extension of the Southern Line from the Eakaia to the Temuka, and from Timaru to the Waitaki, and the extension of the Northern Line to the Eiver Hurunui. 2. That at the above works the following sections should be proeeded with so as to be completed^ within two years from the present date —viz., the extension of the Northern Line to the Eiver Waipara and of the Southern Line from the Eakaia to the Eiver Ashburton, including a railway bridge across that river, and from Temuka to the Orari. 3. That it is desirable the branch railway from the Eolleston Station, on the Southern Line, to Southbridge, should be proceeded with as speedily as possible, under the provisions of the Immigration and Public Works Act, and that the sum of £7,000 should be contributed out of the Provincial chest towards the cost of this work. 4. That lines of tramway or railway to branch from the Northern and Southern Trunk Lines respectively should be constructed, under the provisions of the above Act, to the coal deposits in the Malvern Hills and to Oxford. 5. That information regarding the above lines of railway, the country to be traversed by them, and the probable traffic receipts, be forwarded, together with a copy of these resolutions, to the Colonial Government, through His Honor the Superintendent, requesting that the necessary surveys, plans, and estimates of cost may be proceeded with without delay.