A.—No. 1

Kaipara to Rivershead, or to Auckland, the contract to be proceeded with, and the question of diversion to be left for future consideration. Hawke's Bay railway (continuation) —Pakipaki to Bua-tamioha—■ to be proceeded with leisurely, after the length, Napier to Pakipaki, has been completed ; the works to be extended over four years. Hutt Valley to Masterton to be proceeded with leisurely, until the line to the Hutt Valley has been completed, and then to be pushed on expeditiously. " Tramway, Manawatu to Wanganui, to be completed in four years ; but between Eangitikei and Manawatu the work to be proceeded, with quickly by local labour. Nelson to Poxhill to be commenced at once, to be proceeded with leisurely, and to be finished in three years. Rangiora to Kowai to be commenced when the line to Raugiora is completed, and then to bo finished in two years. Selwyn to Eakaia, and Timaru to Washdyke, the works now in progress to be in each case proceeded with as quickly as possible. Winton to Kingston to be constructed in four years. Tokomairiro to Lawrence to be commenced next summer, and then to be completed in two years. Wanganui to New Plymouth to be commenced when the line from Waitara to New Plymouth has been finished (say a year hence), and to be proceeded with leisurely, to suit the progress of settlement. The Canterbury four branch railways (for which the funds are partly supplied by the Province) to be completed in four years. Westport to Mount Rochfort to be proceeded with expeditionsly, as soon as the direction of the line has been decided,"

Enclosure 2 in No. 48. Memoeandttm on Immigration (furnished by the Public Works Department). The want of labour, both to open up the country and to occupy that which is being opened up, is much felt, and materially retards the progress of the projected public works. The Agent-General of New Zealand in England has been instructed to use every exertion to procure and send out to this Colony during the present year (1872) a number equal to eight thousand (8,000) adult emigrants, and to offer to them such terms as regards passage as he may find necessary for that purpose. Some of these emigrants it is intended to employ on the public works now in progress in both Islands ; while others of them are intended for special settlements, principally in the North Island. Letters received by the last mail from the Agent-General state that he has arranged for six thousand (6,000) adult Scandinavians and Germans to arrive during the next two years. A portion of these will go in reduction of the eight thousand (8,000) above mentioned as ordered for the present year. The Agent-General has further been instructed to provide passages for the labour required by Messrs. Brogden and Co., railway contractors, of London, who have agreed to contract for several of the lines of railway authorized to be constructed in both Islands. This labour is to be procured by the firm, and will consist of from fifteen hundred (1,500) to two thousand (2,000) able-bodied men, with their wives, and families ; in all, about equal to five thousand (5,000) adults.

Enclosure 3 in No. 48. Memobandttm of Agreement with " The Emigrant and Colonists' Aid Corporation" (furnished by the Public Works Department). Colonel the Hon. W. Feilding, of the Coldstream G-uards, acting on behalf of the Association called " The Emigrant and Colonists' Aid Corporation (Limited)," arrived in New Zealand in December, 1871, when his attention was directed to the Manawatu District, on the West Coast of the Northern Island, and about 100 miles from Wellington, as a suitable field for the operations of the Association represented by him. After proceeding to the district, and personally visiting a large portion of it, Colonel Feildmg selected a block of 106,000 acres, and an agreement was entered into with the Colonial Government on the 28th of December, 1871, of which the following is the purport: — The land (less 6,000 acres, reserved for roads and other purposes) is sold to the Corporation at 155.. an acre, payable by 75 promissory notes of £1,000 each, on the following dates, viz. : —£25,000 on Ist April, 1877 ; £25,000 on Ist April, 1879 ; and £25,000 on Ist April, 1882, or earlier if the Corporation desire to do so ; with interest payable at 7 per cent, for the first five years, and 7£ per cent, afterwards. The G-overnment will survey the boundaries of the block, but all internal surveys are to be at the expense of the Corporation. The land so acquired is only to be sold to persons approved by the Corporation, and at such prices as the Corporation may determine. If the price is paid by the purchaser to the Corporation, Crown grants will be issued to the purchaser only as the Corporation's promissory notes to the value of 15s. an acre on the number of acres so sold are redeemed ; but when the purchase money is paid by the purchaser to the Government direct, the amount so paid is to go in liquidation of promissory notes due or becoming due. And when by both these processes the whole of the promissory notes are cancelled, a Crown grant for such land as remains is to be issued to the Corporation. The Corporation engage, under penalty, to settle on the land at least 2,000 adult immigrants prior to the Ist April, 1877 ; for whom the Government will provide passages ; or, if the Corporation prefers to charter its own ships, the Grovernment will credit the Corporation at the rate of £15 per adult. The Grovernment engage to employ able-bodied labourers for a year on public works, within ten miles of the settlement, at rates so that each labourer may earn not less than £1 by four days' labour in each week; provided the number employed at any one time be not greater than 200.

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DESPATCHES FROM THE GOVERNOR OF