n.—No. i

8

CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE

Enclosure 2 in No. 6. Railways in New Zealand. Specification of Bails. The rails are to be of the section shown in the accompanying drawing. A template must be submitted by the Contractor for the approval of the Engineer before the work is commenced, and in strict accordance with which the rails are to bo made. They are to be each 21 feet long, but a proportion, not exceeding 10 per cent., will be accepted in 18 feet lengths, cut from longer rails faulty at the ends. No deviation of more than i in. from the proper length of the rails will be allowed. The weight of the rails is to be 40 lbs. per yard; none will be received which weigh less than 39,j1b5., and no allowance will be made for any excess over 40vrlbs. Each rail is to have marked distinctly on the side the initials of the maker, the weight per yard, the year of manufacture, and N.Z.R. Two oval holes, if in. by \± in. diameter, are to be punched in the vertical web of each rail at both ends, in the position shown in the drawings. In the rail a nick shall be cut in each flange | in. wide and i in. deep , , , vto receive a spike and prevent crawling of the rail. The holes must be clean and square through tho rails. Any deviation from the correct sizes and positions of these holes will render the rails liable to rejection. The quality of the rails, both as regards material and workmanship, shall be to the satisfaction of the Engineer appointed by the Agent-General to the Government of New Zealand. They are all to be turned out perfectly true to the template and straight throughout; free from imperfect welds, splits, cracks, flaws, or other faults ; the ends to be sawn- off clean and square. Should any rails require to he strengthened when cold, they aro to be done under presses, and not by a heavy hammer. The Engineer shall have power to test the rails, or tho iron from which they are to be made, at the expense of the Contractor, at any time he may think proper. He shall also be at liberty to appoint inspectors, who are to have free access to all parts of the works, to carry out their inspection during the process of manufacture, or otherwise to see that the conditions of this specification are complied with. The tests will be as follows: —(1.) Bearings 3 feet apart; dead load in centre, seven tons; deflection, after half an hour, not to exceed ■§ in., nor permanent set, \ in. (2.) Bearings 3 ft. apart; failing weight, 600 lb.; fall, 4 ft. 6 in.; rails to bear two blows without deflecting more than 1 in., and without breaking. No rails shall be considered as accepted until the Engineer shall have given his certificate, in writing, that they are satisfactory; but, if defective, they are liable to rejection even after this certificate has been given, but not after leaving England for New Zealand. The fish-plates shall bo according to drawing, and fit the rails accurately. They shall be of best mild Bessemer steel.

No. 7. Memorandum for the Agent-General, London. (No. 54, 1871.) Public Works Office, Wellington, 25th November, 1871. I have the honor to forward to you copy of" The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1871," and of the Financial Statement delivered by the Hon. Mr. Vogel, on 12th September, and to refer you to various debates during the Session (as reported in Hansard') upon the general policy of the Government. From these documents and reports you will gather that the Government have now taken the entire control of immigration. As yet there has not been time to consider how far, if at all, uniform regulations will be applicable to the whole Colony, or whether it is desirable to modify, in respect to the different Provinces, those regulations which have already been sent home to you. But as it is of the highest importance to New Zealand that immigration should proceed without delay, I desire to inform you of the views, so far as they are yet matured, of the Government upon the subject, and also to instruct you concerning the discretion yon should exercise with respect to the regulations which have already reached you. It is the intention of the Government from time to time to establish special settlements in different parts of the Colony. It is proposed that each of those settlements shall consist of a limited number of immigrant families; that land shall be set apart for the purpose of settlement upon easy terms of deferred payments ; and that, whenever practicable, employment on adjacent public works shall be offered, or in some cases that a particular industry or industries shall be encouraged in each settlement, in order that the settlers, at the outset of their career, may not find themselves in want of means of subsistence whilst their lands are being brought under cultivation. The regulations for the several settlements will no doubt differ to some extent; but you may gather from what I have said, that the object of the Government will be to afford the settlers opportunities of making a fair start in the Coiony. Besides those immigrants who are sent out for the purpose of establishing these special settlements, it will be desirable that there should be introduced a number of immigrants who are fitted to take part in the ordinary industries of the Colony, and who will be ready to disperse themselves amongst the already settled communities. I am not prepared to say at present how far the Government will be disposed to draw a distinction as to arrangements to be made at home between emigrants selected for already settled districts, and those intended to assist in the formation of special settlements. It will possibly be found convenient to give to a proportion of the intending emigrants the option of deciding, when they arrive in the Colony, which of the two courses they will follow. At any rate, this may be the case at first, whilst there may be a large demand for ordinary labour for the purpose of constructing public works.