1.—7.

3

The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Mr. Stewart attended and gave evidence, which was taken down by a shorthand reporter. Mr. Maxwell also attended and gave further evidence. A letter from the Colonial Treasurer, dated the Ist September, referring the question of proposed agreement with the Kaihu Valley Eailway Company to the Committee, was read. Besolved, That Mr. Knorpp, Major Steward, and Mr. Duncan be called to give evidence to-morrow. The Committee adjourned till to-morrow, at 11.30 a.m.

Monday, 7th September, 1885. Present: Mr. Moss (Chairman), Mr. Ballance, Mr. Barron, Mr. Cowan, Mr. Dargaville, Mr, Montgomery, Dr. Newman, Mr. Peacock, Mr. Wilson. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Mr. Knorpp, Major Steward, and Mr. Duncan attended and gave evidence, which was taken down by a shorthand reporter. The Chairman was requested to ask Mr. O'Connor to furnish a statement with reference to the following railways, namely, Eakaia and Ashburton Forks, Waimate, and Duntroon-Hakateramea, showing how trie rate levied and how the subsidy payable by the Government for the last year would have been affected by sections 80 and 82 of "The District Bailways Act, 1877," if, by the lapse of time, the said sections had come into operation. The Committee adjourned till to-morrow, at 11 a.m.

Wednesday, 9th September, 1885. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Moss (Chairman), Mr. Barron, Mr. Cowan, Mr. Dargaville, Mr. Hislop, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Peacock, Mr. Wilson. Minutes of last meeting read and confirmed. Letter from Major Steward read, and ordered to be added to his evidence. Besolved, on the motion of Mr. Montgomery, That the Committee do now adjourn till 11 o'clock on Thursday, to deliberate and come to a conclusion on the District Bailways Purchasing Bill. The Committee adjourned till to-morrow, at 11 a.m.

Thursday, 10th September, 1885. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Moss (Chairman), Hon. Mr. Ballance, Mr. Barron, Mr. Cow Tan, Mr. Dargaville, Mr. Hislop, Mr. Montgomery, Dr. Newman, Sir J. Vogel. Minutes of last meeting read and confirmed. Letter from Mr. C. Y. O'Connor, dated trie Bth September, read. (Vide Appendix.) Besolved, on motion of Mr. Dargaville, That each contract be considered separately. Bakaia and Ashburton Forks Bailway. Proposed by Sir Julius Vogel, That the proposed terms of purchase for the Eakaia and Ashburton Forks Bailway in Agreement No. 1, Parliamentary Paper D.-sb, are fair and reasonable. The Committee adjourned till Saturday, at 11 a.m., for final consideration of the report.

Saturday, 12th September, 1885. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Moss (Chairman), Mr. Cowan, Mr. Dargaville, Mr. Hislop. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. On the motion of Mr. Hislop, Besolved, That the Committee adjourn till Monday, the 14th instant, at 11 a.m.

Monday, 14th September, 1885. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Moss (Chairman), Major Atkinson, Hon. J. Ballance, Mr. Barron, Mr. Cowan, Mr. Dargaville, Mr. Hislop, Mr. Montgomery, Dr. Newman, Mr. Peacock, Hon. Sir J. Vogel, Mr. Wilson. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. The consideration of motion by Sir Julius Vogel, adjourned from meeting of the 12th instant, was renewed,