PAPERS RELATING TO THE

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D.—No. 6r.

Napier to Wellington and the West Coast, —It is resolved, that this Council undertakes to set aside and appropriate by Act, in terms of the 17th and 20th clauses of " The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870," such parts of the waste lands of the Crown situate within the Province of Hawke's Bay as may be required for the construction of the railways above referred to ; and further undertakes, that, on the completion of the purchase of the lands known as the Seventy-Mile Bush, such portion of those lands as may be required shall be included in such appropriation for the purposes aforesaid." The resolution was agreed to unanimously. Geo. T. Fannin, Clerk of Council.

WELLINGTON. No. 6. The Hon. W. Fitzherbert to the Hon. W. Gisborne. Sir, — Superintendent's Office, AVellington, llth July, 1871. I have the honor to forward you herewith copy of a memorandum of railway works recommended by the Provincial Council of Wellington to be undertaken by the General Government; and I beg to state that it expresses the wishes of the Provincial Council, and has my entire approval. I have, &c, W. Fitzherbert, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent.

Enclosure in No. 6. Memorandum of Railway AVorks recommended by the Provincial Council of Wellington to be undertaken by the General Government. A main line of railway from AVellington to Patea, passing through AVairarapa, Manawatu Gorge, and AVanganui, having been surveyed by the General Government, this Council recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the said line, and is of opinion that the following portions of the line should be immediately proceeded with : — 1. Wellington to Masterton. 2. AVanganui to AVaitotara. 3. Wanganui to the Village of Marton, or to such point nearest to Marton as the line may run. This Council is also of opinion that it will greatly facilitate and encourage the more speedy settlement of large areas of valuable bush country, and he of high value to the operations of defence, if the intermediate portions of the aforesaid main line are opened up as soon possible by means of a light tramroad, preparatory to the formation of the permanent way, which would by this means be formed when required with far greater ease, economy, and despatch, through labourers being already settled along the line of way, through the saving in cost of transit of materials and supplies, and through the expenditure on the tramroad being really only a prior instalment of tho necessary labour on the permanent way.

NELSON. No. 7. His Honor Oswald Curtis to the Hon. W. Gisborne. Sir, — Superintendent's Office, Nelson, 7th July, 1871. I have the honor to transmit herewith copies of three resolutions passed by the Provincial Council of Nelson, recommending that the following works should be executed under the provisions of " The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870" :— A railway from Nelson to Foxhill. A railway from Cobden to the Brunner coal mine. A railway from AVestport to the Mount Rochfort coal field. In my letter to you of the 13th April last, I have already expressed my concurrence with the Provincial Council as regards the two first named undertakings, and as the necessary surveys are now in course of execution by order of the Hon. Minister for Public Works, it would be superfluous to add to what I have already written on the subject. With reference to the proposed lino from Westport to the Mount Rochfort coal field, I forward or your information a copy of a report by Mr. Henry Wrigg, of a hasty examination of the country by him in 186S, and I further refer you to the same gentleman's report upon the proposed line from Nelson to Cobden and Westport, of which I. also furnish you with a copy.* By the accompanying copy of the report of the Select Committee, upon which the resolution of the Council in favour of the construction of a railway from Westport to Mount Rochfort was founded, you will observe that the impression appears to have prevailed in the mind of the Council, that, on more complete exploration, a less expensive route than that indicated by Mr. Wrigg may be discovered and, also, that by the adoption of the wire tramway, or other less costly means of conveying the coal to the port, a large reduction may be made from Mr. AVrigg's estimate, which, including rolling stock, amounts to about £120,000.