D.—2

5

Enclosure 2 in No. 4. The Storekeeper, Public Works Department, to the Engineer-in-Chief. Public Works Office, Wellington, 10th June, 1884. Be axles recently tested. These have been delivered under two separate orders. The numbers supplied are as follows, viz.:—One thousand under order 16-83, of which those on the testing-sheets stamped " Staffordshire Wheel and Axle Company " form a part, and were supplied by the company bearing that name ; and four hundred and ninety-four under Order 37-82, of which those stamped " Midland Iron Company " and "Lancaster Wagon Company" are a part, and were all supplied by the Lancaster Wagon Company. The Engineer-in-Chief. P. Putnam.

No. 5. Minute by the Under-Secretary for Public Works, to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. I would recommend that a copy of this report should be sent to the Agent-General, with an intimation that the broken axles would also be sent for the information of the Engineers in England ; also, that the broken axles should be sent Home accordingly. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works. " C. Y. O'Connor, 17/6/84.

No. 6. The Under-Seceetaey foe Public Woeks to the Agent-Geneeae. (Memorandum No. 25-84). Public Works Office, Wellington, 20th June, 1884. I am directed by the Minister for Public Works to enclose, for your information, copies of reports from the Engineer-in-Chief, and the Inspecting Engineer, relative to the testing of axles lately supplied by the Staffordshire Wheel and Axle Company, and the Lancaster Wagon Company, and to request that you will be good enough to call the attention of the Consulting Engineers thereto, in order that they may take such action as may be considered necessary under the circumstances of the case. Instructions will be given to have the broken axles shipped to England by an early opportunity, in order that the Engineers may see them, and you will be duly advised when they are so shipped. The Agent-General, London. C. Y. O'Connor.

No. 7. The Under-Seceetaey for Public Works to the Agent General. (Memorandum No. 30-84.) Public Works Office, Wellington, 22nd July, 1884. In pursuance of my memorandum, No. 25, of the 20th ult., I am now directed by the Minister for Public Works to enclose a bill of lading for six packages, containing wheels and axles, addressed to "The Agent-General for New Zealand, London." The Agent-General, London. C. Y. O'Connor.

No. 8. The Undek-Seceetart foe Public Woeks to the Agent-General. (Memorandum No. 31-84.) Public Works Office, Wellington, 29th July, 1884. Refereing to my memorandum, No. 25-81, of the 20th ultimo, relative to the recent unsatisfactory tests of axles supplied by the Staffordshire Wheel and Axle Company, and the Lancaster Wagon Company, and especially to the copy of the report of the Engineer-in-Chief on this matter, which was enclosed therewith, I am now directed to inform you that the traffic requirements of the railways will not admit of our waiting until the companies mentioned can supply the whole of this order over again, and it has therefore been decided to at once proceed with the manufacture of a number of the axles in the Colony, and you are accordingly requested to limit your demands upon the companies, for axles of good quality to replace these inferior ones, to one-half of the total number supplied by each company, and to apply to them for a refund of the value of the other half. The Agent-General, London. C. Y. O'Connor.

No. 9. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Peemiee. (Telegram) London, Bth August, 1884. Axles sent ships "Victory," "Coptic." " Bebington," "Aorangi," dangerous. Use none without testing. Inform Manawatu Company. The Premier, New Zealand. F. D. Bell.