13

E.—lo

The Under Secretary for Public AA r ORKS to Mr. J. Stewart. Mr. Stewart, — Be good enough to certify to the Coal Company's vouchers for boring from time to lime, submitted to you by tho Secretary, ascertaining that the work therein vouched has been performed. 14th March, 1873. J. Knowles. Mr. J. Stewart to Engineer-in-Chief. Memorandum in Reply to Minute by Mr. Knowles, Kawa Kawa Borings. Public AVorks Office, Auckland, 19th March, 1873. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of copies of correspondence, &c, on borings at Kawa Kawa, CS. 73-842, No. 391, with minute by Mr. Knowles authorizing mo to certify to the Company's vouchers for the above work. I will have pleasure in attending to this; but as I see the wrork has to be performed at the spots indicated by the Government Geologist, I do not well see how I can satisfy myself of this without personal inspection, or some other trustworthy source. I will, however, call on Mr. Gilfillan, and perhaps ascertain from his information what will be sufficient to satisfy me on the matter. James Stewart, The Engineer-in-Chief, AVellington. Resident Engineer. WHAREKAWA. Dr. Pollen to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — General Government Offices, Auckland, 14th June, 1872. I have the honor to enclose a letter from Messrs. Preece and Graham, agents for an English company who have purchased the AVharekawa Block, between the AVaikato River and the Frith of Thames, as a coal field ; and who propose, for a concession of land on the line of route, to make a railway from the AVharekawa to Mercer, in extension of their line from Pukorokoro. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, AVellington. Daniel Pollen. Messrs. Preece and Graham to Dr. Pollen. Sir, — A 7aile's Buildings, Auckland, 11th June, 1872. As agents of an English company now engaged in developing the coal measure known to exist on the Piako side of the Gulf of Hauraki, we have the honor to submit the following propositions for the consideration of the General Government: — The Company have acquired the freehold of the AVharekaw ra Block, containing about 10,000 acres, and situate in the above-mentioned district. The block at the nearest point is distant about four miles from the shore of the Gulf, and is immediately opposite the townships of Grahamstown and Shorthand. The Company have obtained from the several owners a right-of-way from the block to a first-class landing-place. They propose to construct a light line of railway from the mines to the landing, a distance of nine miles, .and to work the same with a double bogie engine, of the class known as Fairlie's patent. The Company purpose to go on with its plan at once, and have now several skilled persons employed in exploring the coal measure, and fixing upon a site for future operations. The seam, where it is now tested, has been ascertained to be at least 16 feet thick, and 50 tons are now being won for the purpose of testing its suitability as a domestic and machine coal on a large scale. Several tests of smaller quantities have given tho most satisfactory results. The mines are situate in the vicinity of the Surrey Redoubt, and nearly midway between the landing-place and the township of Mercer, on the AVaikato. The Company are prepared, if sufficient inducement be held out to them, to continue their railway from the mines to connect with the proposed AVaikato Railway at Mercer, a distance of about eleven miles. AYe need hardly point out that this proposition involves the expenditure of a large sum of money, .and the Company could not enter upon the work without some assurance of assistance on the part of tho Government. We have made inquiries, and find that the whole or nearly the whole of the land extending a considerable distance on both sides of the extended line is confiscated land, in the hands of the Government. The Company would be prepared to treat with the Government for the construction of the line upon the basis of their receiving a part of such .an area of the above-mentioned land as would be commensurate with the capital proposed to be expended. AYe are informed that the land immediately abutting upon the line is of rather poor quality, and very swampy, but that it improves in quality further back on both sides. The Company would expect the grant to be made to them in such a way as to give them a reasonable proportion of this better class of land. The Company would of course be prepared to comply with all such proper and necessary conditions and limitations as the Government might desire to make, so as to insure— 1. That the line should be built in a substantial, safe, and workmanlike manner. 2. That it should be open to be used fully and freely by the general public, travelling, and for carrying purposes, at reasonable rates, to be fixed as the Government and the Company may agree. 3. That the lino itself should be worked in such a manner as to secure safety to the travelling public, and subject to such conditions as to the number of trains to be run, and the time of arrival and departure of trains, as will make it as fully available as possible for the public convenience. AYe need hardly point out the important public advantages which will follow from the construction of the proposed railway. The following results will however, w re feel assured, commend themselves to the favourable consideration of the Government: — 2—E. 10.