D.—No. 2,

1.-CIRCULARS RELATIVE TO BRINGING THE ACT INTO OPERATION. No. 1. Circular to their Honors the Superintendents of Provinces and the Chairman of County Council of Westland. (No. 64.) Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 4th December, 1871. I transmit, for your Honor's information, a copy of " The Payments to Provinces Act, 1871." The Government have decided at once to pay for the two quarters ending 30th September and 31st December, 1871, at the rate of one-half of the amount allotted to each Province out of the total sum of £100,000, reserving the other half until your Honor and the Minister of Public Works shall have decided, in conformity with the provisions of the 28th section of the Act, what portion of the reserved half is to be devoted to permanent public works within the Province, authorized by an Act of your Honor and the Provincial Council. I would direct your Honor's special attention to the 19th section of this Act, which renders it imperative that you should hold in reserve one-tenth of the sum allotted to the Province for Eoad Boards not yet in existence, but which may be established before the Ist July next. I have further to call your Honor's attention to the 13th section, which provides for the classification of districts, and 1 shall be glad to receive an early intimation of the action taken by your Honor under this section. I have, &c, W. Gisborne.

Note. —In letter to Superintendent of Nelson, add at end "as well as to the reservation of three-elevenths directed by section 29 to be made for Road Boards hereafter to be established in the Nelson South-west Gold Pields." In letter to Westland, second paragraph, last line but three, for " within the Province," read " within the County," omitting the remainder of the paragraph.

No. 2. Circular to their Honors the Superintendents and Chairman of the County Council of Westland. (No. 65.) Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 4th December, 1871. Adverting to my Circular No. 64, of this day's date, enclosing a copy of " The Payments to Provinces Act, 1871/ I have to request your Honor to be good enough to inform me whether you wish any part of the amount available for the Province of to be allotted to permanent works, in terms of section 28, and, if so, to propose such allotment for the consideration of the Government. I have to call your Honor's attention to the part of the clause requiring the works to be sanctioned by the Provincial Legislature; and I have to add, that the Government feel disposed to favourably consider works, such as roads and bridges, which facilitate communication and open up the country. I have, &c, W. Gisborne.

Note. —ln letter to County Chairman, Westland, second paragraph, omit all the words before " I have " in the second line.

PAPERS RELATING TO "THE PAYMENTS TO PROVINCES ACT, 1871."