1.—14.

1877. NEW ZEALAND.

HOKITIKA AND GREYMOUTH PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE, (REPORTS OF, TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS AND EVIDENCE AND APPENDICES.)

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. (Extracts from the Journals of the Souse of Representatives)

Wednesday, tiie sth day of September, 1877. Ordered, That a Select Committee be appointed to consider the advisability of constructing a line of railway to connect Hokitika with Greymouth, and proposed harbour works at Hokiiika. Such Committee to consist of tlie Hon. Mr. Onnond, Mr Woolcock, Sir R. Douglas, the Hon. Mr. Stafford, Mr. Dc Lautour, the Hon. Mr. Gisborne, Mr. Sheelian, Mr. Joyce, and the Mover (Mr. Burff) ; with power to call for persons and papers. To report in a fortnight. Five to form a quorum. — (Mr. Sarff.) Monday, ins lOin day of September, 1877. Ordered, That the quorum of the Hokitika and Greymouth Public Works Committee be reduced from five to thred members. — (Mr. Sarff.) Thursday, the 20th day of September, 1877. Ordered, That the time for bringing up the report of the Hokitika and Greymouth Public Works Committee be extended for fourteen days.— (Mr. Sarff.) Thursday, the 4th day of October, 1877. Ordered, That the time for bringing up the report of the Hokitika and Greymouth Public Works Committee be extended for fourteen days.— (Mr. Sarff.) Thursday, the 18th day of October, 1877. Ordered, That the time for bringing up the report of the Hokitika and Greymouth Public Works Committee be extended for fourteen days. — (Mr. Sarff) Tuesday, the 6th day of November, 1877. Ordered, That the time for bringing up the report of the Hokitika and Greymouth Public Works Committee bo extended for fourteen days.— (Mr. Sarff) Thursday, the 22nd day of Novembeb, 1877. Ordered, That the time for bringing up the report of the Hokitika and Greymouth Public Woi'ks Committee be extended for seven days.— (Mr. Sarff.)

REPORT ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE HARBOUR OF HOKITIKA.

I AM directed by the Committee to report that the question of improving the Harbour of Hokitika has been for some time under their consideration, and that they have taken such evidence on the subject as was available. A chart, the result of a careful survey recently made under the authority of the Hokitika Harbour Board, showing the whole of the port and the river bed from Kanieri to the sea, was before the Committee, and to it was added an explanatory hand-book. Statistics, showing the trade of the port, value of imports and exports, and Customs revenue, were also produced. It was shown that from March, 1865, to 31st December, 1876, 5,094 vessels, of an aggregate tonnage of 765,265 tons, entered at the port; that during the same period the imports amounted to £3,241,237 ; while the exports amounted to no less a sum than £6,215,112. The gold duty amounted to £192,784. The Chairman of the Hokitika Harbour Board (Mr. D. W. Virtue) visited AVellington a short time since, having been deputed by the Board to represent to the Government the heavy losses and I—l. 14