I.—lla,

1886. NEW ZEALAND.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE. REPORT ON PROPOSED PURCHASE OF THE WAIMEA PLAINS RAILWAY, TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS, EVIDENCE, AND APPENDIX.

Beport brought up 28th July, 1886, and ordered to be printed.

ORDERS OP REFERENCE. Extracts from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Tuesday, the 20th Day op Judy, 1886. Ordered, " That Parliamentary Papers D.-6 and D.-6a, relative to the purchase o£ district railways, laid on the table this day, be referred to the Public Accounts Committee."— (Hon. Mr. Richardson.)

Wednesday, the 21st Day of July, 1886. Ordered, " That the Public Accounts Committee be requested to consider the papers having reference to the proposed purchase of the Waimea Plains Railway, and report as to whether the terms of the contract to which they propose to give effect are such as the Committee can recommend to the House."— (Hon. Mr. Richardson.)

EEPOET. The Public Accounts Committee, to which were referred the papers laid upon the table of the House, relative to the proposed purchase of the Waimea Plains Eailway (D.-6 and D.-6a), together with an instruction to report as to whether the terms of the contract to which they propose to give effect are such as the Committee can recommend to the House, have the honour to report: That in the opinion of the Committee the proposed terms of purchase of the Waimea Plains Eailway, as set forth in the agreement embodied in Parliamentary Paper D.-6a, are such as the Committee can recommend. 28th July, 1886. F. J. Moss, Chairman.

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS.

Wednesday, 21st July, 1886. The Committee met at 11 o'clock. Present: Mr. Moss (Chairman), Mr. Barron, Mr. Cowan, Hon. Mr. Ballance, Hon. Major Atkinson, Mr. Dargaville, Mr. Holmes, Dr. Newman, Mr. Peacock, Mr. Montgomery, and Mr. Wilson, Order of reference of the 20th July read. Besolved, That the order of reference of the 20th July, 1886, on the motion of the Hon. Mr. Eichardson, referring Parliamentary Papers D.-6 and D.-6a, relative to the purchase of district railways, to the Committee, is not sufficiently specific, and that the Chairman be requested to ask the House to give more definite instructions.

Thursday, 22nd July, 1886. The Committee met at 11 o'clock. Present: Mr. Moss (Chairman), Mr. Barron, Mr. Dargaville, Hon. Mr. Ballance, Mr. Cowan, Mr. Gore, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Peacock, Hon. Sir Julius Vogel, Hon. Major Atkinson. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Order of reference of the 20th July respecting the Waimea Plains Eailway read. Mr. Maxwell, General Manager of Eailways, was in attendance, and gave evidence.

Fbiday, 23ed July, 1886. The Committee met at 11 o'clock. Present: Mr. Moss (Chairman), Mr. Barron, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Dargaville, Mr. Cowan, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Peacock. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Consideration of purchase of Waimea Plains Eailway was then resumed.]

I—l. IIA.