PAPEES RELATING- TO THE

B.—No. 2,

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In reply, I have to thank the Government for the promptitude with which the remittance of the amount distributed among Road Boards for the six months ending 31st December last, has been made, and to assure you that the provisions of sections 19 and 29, to which you call my attention, shall be strictly complied with. In reference to the last paragraph of your letter, in which you draw my attention to the 13th section, which provides for the classification of districts, and express a desire to receive an early intimation of the action I may take under that section, I have to inform you that I have classified the various Road Boards of this Province as follows :— Class I. —W'aimea. Class II. —Suburban North; Motueka; Riwaka. Class lll.—Moutere; Pangatotara; Takaka; Upper Motueka; Collingwood; Amuri. I now forward, for the consideration of the Minister for Public Works, a list of certain permanent public works, duly authorized by Act of the Superintendent and Provincial Council, which have been executed in this Province during the present financial year, and to request that the proportion of one-half of the money to be allotted to this Province for the year ending 30th June, 1872, for the six months ending 31st December last, may be remitted, with as little delay as possible, to the credit of the Provincial Account, in repayment of the cost of such works. I have, &c, Oswald Curtis, The Hon. The Colonial Secretary. Superintendent.-

List. £ s. d. Foxhill Bridge .. .. ..... 995 2 5 Main South Road .. .. .. .. .. 196 6 6 Collingwood Gold Fields .. .. .. 356 14 6 Moutere Bridge .. . . . . .. .. 194 0 0 Road —Charleston to Westport via Addison's Flat .. .. 1,579 4 6 Dray Road, twelve miles to No Town .. . . .. 765 9 0 Protective Works, Westport .. . . . . .. 200 0 0 Road—Totara Flat to Half-Ounce .. .. .. 388 6 6 £4,675 3 5

No. 15. The Hon. W. Gisborne to His Honor O. Curtis. Sir,- — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 23rd January, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th instant, in which you forward a list of the permanent public works authorized by the Provincial Legislature of Nelson to be undertaken, and recommend the same for the consideration of the Hon. the Minister for Public Works as works on which the amount allocated to that Province, under the 28th section of the Payments to Provinces Act, may be expended. In reply, I am to inform you, on behalf of the Minister for Public Works, that the objects on which you recommend the above expenditure are approved, and that the sum of £2,195 2s. Bd. will be paid to the Bank of New Zealand to the credit of the Grants for Public Works Account, Nelson Province, being the amount due for the two quarters ending 31st December last. In so doing, I have taken it for granted that the item Collingwood Gold Fields applies to the roads in those districts, and, if not, I shall be obliged by your informing me definitely what are the works proposed therein. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Nelson. W. Gisborne.