E.—3

8

that you have in some measure recovered, I hope to hear of the perfect re-establishment of your health by next mail. The letters which the Government have received from you during the past month by way of Suez and San Francisco, advising them of the various shipments of railway material you have made during the months of December and January, very considerably alter the position of this Department for the better; and should the vessels you mention make fair passages, the Government will be much relieved in reference to the various works now in hand. I need not again refer to the inconvenience that has resulted from want of this material, except that I wish to point out that tho order for rolling stock, &c, which was sent from here on 10th January, 1872, appears only to have been put in hand in August. Fully expecting that this order would have been executed at an earlier date, contracts were entered into which involved handing over a portion of tho rolling stock to the contractors about the end of the year. It is the non-comple-tion of this order which has occasioned so much anxiety and trouble. lam glad, however, to find that the Government can now calculate with tolerable certainty as to the date on which they will receive the balance of the order, and they will direct their course accordingly. With reference to chartering vessels for carrying railway material, I would observe that while fully appreciating your remarks in the letter under reply, I nevertheless point out that, taking it for granted the " George A. Holt " arrives here safely, the cost of freight on her cargo will be considerably less than the cost of a large proportion of tho railway plant which has already been transhipped here ; the charge for the "G. A. Holt" being 355. 6d. for two ports, whereas the ordinary rate paid for one port has been 355., to which has been added 20s. to 255. for cost of freight and insurance on the transhipment, making nearly 50s. in all per ton for rails and fastenings. If you have observed the requests contained in my Memorandum to the Premier of the 15th January, quoted in the margin, and chartered three or four ships as was there suggested, it will so have relieved the pressing necessity here as to obviate further immediate special charters, as the ships which will be required to bring out the number of emigrants you have been instructed to send during the ensuing year ought to be able to bring out the material fast enough. At all events, if you keep the Government fully advised each month as to your shipments,you can again be instructed to resort to special charter should circumstances require it. The Government have reason to believe that the competition for freight which is likely to take place during this year will enable you to effect shipments at much lower rates than those quoted by you. Public Works Office, Wellington, 14th March, 1873. Edward Richardson.

"If three or four TMsels wore chartered, it would relieve the Department from the necessity of stopping the works generally, provided that bettor arrangements were made to insure keeping up the supplier ia future."

No. 22. Memorandum No. 13, 1873, for the Agent-General, London. The following is a copy of a cablegram, dated London, 28th February, received from you. lam glad to notice that the execution of the orders for railway material, and its shipment, were at that date well iv hand. Public Works Office, Wellington, 4th April, 1873. Edward Richardson.

Enclosure in No. 22. The Agent-General to Hon. Colonial Secretary. (Cablegram.) London, 28th February, 1873. In answer to advertisements for conveyance twelve hundred tons mails (rails) for Canterbury, only two tenders, —one 70s. ton, other 675. 6d. Arranged subsequently 555. Auckland locomotive rolling stock be sent March. All orders in hand, except plant to be ordered by Brogden. Troughs promised in April. * * * Despatching Officer appointed. * * * Featherston.

No. 23. Memorandum No. 14, 1873, for the Agent-General, London. With reference to that portion of my Memorandum No. 127, 1872, of the 19th November, in which you are instructed that the "freight is to be distinctly made payable only on the landing ofthe material at its final point of delivery," I notice that you have partly anticipated this instruction in the case of the " G-. A. Holt," one moiety only of the freight on that vessel's cargo being paid in London, and the other in the Colony. I hope shortly to hear that on all shipments the freight is made payable as directed in my Memorandum above quoted, and the Government thereby saved the cost of insuring the amount charged for freight, which, in the case of the " G-. A. Holt" especially, amounts to a considerable sum. In future advices of the amount insured on each shipment, be good enough to give the details, showing how the amount insured for is arrived at. Edward Richardson. Public Works Office, Wellington, New Zealand, 4th April, 1873.

No. 24. Memorandum No. 15, 1873, for the Agent-Geneeal, London. Although my Memorandum No. 131, 1872, ofthe 18th December last, had not reached London when the latest advices from you were received, I again call your attention to the danger and additional risk