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Sib,— Ist June, 1891. Re alterations in the constitution of the Westport and Greymouth Harbour Boards: I have the honour, by direction of the Minister for Public Works, to forward herewith, for the information of your Board, a copy of certain correspondence which has taken place with the Railway Commissioners recently on the subject of the control of or interference with the railways and shipping arrangements at Westport and Greymouth by the Harbour Boards at those places as now reconstituted. I have, &c, H. J. H. Blow, Assistant Under-Secretary for Public Works. The Chairman, Greymouth Harbour Board, Greymouth.

Sic,— Ist June, 1891. Re alterations in the constitution of the Westport and Greymouth Harbour Boards: I have the honour, by direction of the Minister for Public Works, to forward herewith, for the information of your Board, a copy of certain correspondence which has taken place with the Railway Commissioners recently on the subject of the control of or interference with the railway and shipping arrangements at Westport and Greymouth by the Harbour Boards at those places as now reconstituted. I have, &c, H. J. H. Blow, Assistant Under-Secretary for Public Works. The Chairman, Westport Harbour Board, Westport.

Sic, — Greymouth Harbour Board, Greymouth, 28th May, 1891. By direction of the Greymouth Harbour Board, I have the honour to forward a copy of a resolution of the Board, and also a copy of the Grey River Argus containing the telegram referred to. " Resolved, That the Hon. the Minister for Public Works be informed that a telegram from the Wellington correspondent of the Grey River Argus appeared in that paper of the 23rd instant, stating that the Railway Commissioners refused to allow the Railway Manager to be appointed a member of the Board, alleging that the Board is incompetent, and wish to construct extensive works that are not necessary, thus recklessly throwing away public money : this Board desire to know if it is true that the Railway Commissioners ever made such a statement; and, if so, would the Government furnish to this Board a copy of the correspondence on the matter." I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. Thomas Allen, Secretary.

Sib,— 3rd June, 1891. I am directed by the Minister for Public Works to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th ultimo, forwarding copy of a resolution of your Board on the subject of a telegram which appeared in the Grey River Argils of the 23rd instant, relative to the refusal of the Railway Commissioners to allow their District Managers at Westport and Greymouth to act as members of the Harbour Boards at those places, together with a copy of the newspaper referred to, and requesting to be supplied with a copy of the correspondence (if any) relating to the matter. In reply I am to state that the correspondence with the Railway Commissioners forwarded to your Board under cover of my letter of the Ist instant (which was despatched prior to the receipt of your letter above quoted) is probably what is referred to in the newspaper telegram to which you draw attention. I have, &c, H. J. H. Blow, Assistant Under-Secretary for Public Works. The Chairman, Harbour Board, Greymouth.

Sir, — Greymouth Harbour Board, Greymouth, 16th June, 1891. In reply to the Assistant Under-Secretary for Public Works' letter, P.W. No. 89/184, dated the Ist instant, forwarding copy of correspondence with the Eailway Commissioners (P.W. 91/840), I have the honour to transmit to you the following resolution, which was unanimously passed by the Greymouth Harbour Board at its meeting held on the 15th June, 1891: — " Besolved, That a reply be forwarded by the Chairman to the Hon. Mr. Seddon, informing him that this Board is of opinion that the whole of the wharves in the port should be placed under the sole control of the Harbour Board without any interference by the Eailway Commissioners, so that the Board can manage the same, and make such alterations and additions to the wharves as will facilitate the shipping trade of the port, especially as all works undertaken by the Board can only be made subject to the consent of the Engineer-in-Chief, and under the immediate supervision of the Board's Engineer, who is also the District Engineer." I have, &c, James Kerr, Acting Chairman. The Hon. E. J. Seddop, Minister for Public Works, Wellington.

Sir,— _ Ist July, 1891. Be control of wharves, Greymouth: I am directed by the Minister for Public Works to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th ultimo, forwarding a copy of a resolution passed at a recent meeting of your Board, expressing the opinion that the whole of the wharves at the Port of Greymouth should be placed under the sole control of the Board,

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