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No. 7. The Hon. the Ministee for Public Woeks to His Honor the Supeeintendent, Otago. S IIt] — . Colonial Secretary's Office, 20th November, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 29th September, in which you represent on behalf of a deputation of settlers the desirability of carrying the line between Balclutha' and Clinton on the original survey, instead of via the Four-Mile Creek as now proposed, and in reply to inform your Honor that the matter has been again referred to the Engineer-in-Chief, and he points out so many reasons why the line should go by the latter route that the Government regret they cannot comply with the request which your Honor makes. I may add that the difference in first cost between the two routes would go far towards constructing a branch line, and the difference in their working expenses would more than cover the expense of working it. The Government having received a memorial on the same subject from several settlers in the district interested, the Government will be obliged by your Honor making public the decision now arrived at. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Otago. E. Richabdson,

No. 8. His Honor the Supeeintendent, Otago, to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaet. Province of Otago, New Zealand, Sib, — Superintendent's Office, Dunedin, 4th December, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 566, 20th November, 1874, with reference to the wish of a number of settlers to have the line between Balclutha and Clinton carried out on the original survey, instead of via the Four-Mile Creek as now proposed, and intimating that the Government, having again referred the matter to the Engineer-in-Chief, regret they cannot comply with the request, which decision has been published as desired. I have, &c, J. Macandeew, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent,

No. 9. Mr. J. W. Thomson to the Hon. the Ministee for Public Woeks. Ste, — Wairuna, Clinton, 10th December, 1874. I notice from your letter of 20th ult. to his Honor the Superintendent of Otago, re deviation in Clutha and Mataura line of railway, that the Engineer-in-Chief has recommended the route by the Four-Mile Creek. I may state that the people of Warepa, Waitepeka, Puerua, and adjoining districts not only feel that this recommendation if carried out will in a great measure exclude them from participating in the advantage of railway communication, but are convinced that the Government in a pecuniary point of view will commit a mistake. It is true that the original route by the valley of the Four-Mile has been largely departed from. The railway is now proposed to be taken through a small valley on the property of Messrs. Sandilands and Haddon. This, though rather nearer the districts above mentioned, will not, owing to the nature of the country, be in the slightest degree more serviceable to these districts than the route as originally surveyed by the Four-Mile. I think the fact that the route by the Four-Mile was so impracticable that it had to be abandoned shows that the settlers were correct in the opinions they expressed on that point, and must appear to you a sufficient justification for any trouble they may have put you to in bringing the subject under your notice. The reasons for taking the line by way of Waitepeka have already in various ways been brought before you. I need not, therefore, repeat them. I may state, however, that they are still of as much force as ever they were. I really trust that the Government, will not be guided entirely by the Engineer-in-Chief. The people interested did not argue the question entirely from an engineering point of view. This they were not in a position to do. At the same time they expressed the opinion ' from their local knowledge that the Waitepeka route was vastly superior to the other, and that it did not present any engineering difficulties. The Engineer-in-Chief seems to have considered the question solely from a professional point of view. The other reasons advanced come more legitimately under the province of Government, and I trust that the Government, when they consider these, will see their way to give effect to the wishes of the very large body of settlers interested in this question. But if the Government do not see their way to adopt the Waitepeka route, I would take the liberty of suggesting the desirability, in calling for tenders, to call for tenders for the Waitepeka route as well as that recommended by the Engineer-in-Chief, leaving it optional with the Government to select either the one route or tho other. So confident are the settlers iv the districts mentioned of the merits of the Waitepeka route, that they are convinced that having a better gradient the cost of construction will be little if any in excess of that recommended by the Engineer-in-Chief. I may also state that so zealous are the settlers in this matter, there is a proposal amongst them to pay the interest on any extra expenditure that may be incurred in adopting the Waitepeka route. I may instance, as an apparent proof of the few engineering difficulties which the route by Waitepeka offers, that the Survey staff was engaged on this part of the line only one month, whereas the Survey staff who are at present at work have been engaged two months and arc not yet completed. Waiting your reply as to suggestion that the Government should call for tenders for alternative routes, if they do not adopt the Waitepeka route, I have, &c, Hon. E. Richardson, Minister for Public Works, Wellington. J. W. Thomson, M.H.R.