7

D.—B

Commissioners did not endorse the Public Works Department's plans. 2. That they refused to recognise or take over the wharf when completed and 3. That Parliament by special Act supported my predecessor in office and the action of the late Government in erecting the wharf, and vested the same in the Commissioners, thereby giving the public the convenience that they might have enjoyed months before but for the refusal of the Commissioners to take the wharf over Tour remarks in reference to the establishment of a goods-station at Mount Eix I am unable to understand, as no such station was ever proposed by this department, so far as I can ascertain. It is true that the late Mr Blair in his memorandum of 15th April, 1889, already referred to, stated that it was a question whether provisions should be made for goods traffic in connection with the wharf or not, but the then Minister (the Hon. Mr Mitchelson) in a memorandum sent to the Commissioners on the 29th of the same month, entirely discouraged the idea, and no further proposals in the direction of establishing a goods-station there were ever made so far as I can learn. E. J Seddon, The Eailway Commissioners. Minister for Public Works.

No. 8. The Eailway Commissioners to the Hon. Minister for Public Works. New Zealand Government Eailways (Head Office), Wellington, (Memorandum.) 14th April, 1892. Proposed Goods-station, Te Aro. The Commissioners beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter expressing your opinion upon the subject of a second goods-station at Te Aro. With regard to Mount Eix Wharf, to which you have referred, the Commissioners think it is somewhat foreign to the subject, they have, however again referred to the documents in connection with that matter, and find that, as previously stated —Ist, they at no time have refused to take over that work, 2nd, the Government had no power to vest it in the Commissioners, nor had the Commissioners any power to take or control it until an Act was passed giving these powers, and when that was done the Commissioners took it over, 3rd, the Commissioners objected to proposals for a second goods-station at Mount Eix. You appear to be mistaken regarding the inconvenience suffered by the public. The public made use of the wharf in connection with train services when it was in your hands, before it was vested in the Commissioners. James McKerrow, The Hon. Minister for Public Works. Chief Commissioner

No. 9 The Hon. the Minister for Public Works to the Eailway Commissionees. (Memorandum.) Public Works Department, Wellington, Ist July, 1892. Ec Extension Wellingion-Woodville Bailway to Te Aro. — Proposed Goods-station. Eepekring to my memorandum of 28th March last, in which I stated that, as the Commissioners declined to advise in any way regarding provision for a goods-station at Te Aro, I had directed the Engineer-in-Chief to prepare a plan showing how the requisite accommodation could be provided, I have now the honour to forward herewith, for the information of the Commissioners, a tracing of the plan prepared by the Engineer-in-Chief giving this information accordingly E. J Seddon, The Eailway Commissioners. Minister for Public Works.

No. 10. The Bail way Commissioners to the Hon. Minister for Public Works. New Zealand Government Railways (Head Office), Wellington, (Memorandum.) 2nd July, 1892. Proposed Station at Te Aro. In reply to your letter of the Ist instant, containing a plan for a railway-station at Te Aro, and in continuation of the Commissioners' letter of April 14th on the same subject, the Commissioners beg to respectfully express their strong disapproval of the proposals shown on said plan, they being both inconvenient and unsuitable for the conduct of the passenger- and goods-traffic of the railway The Commissioners again beg to urge upon you the execution of the plans which they forwarded to you on the 24th February last. James MoKerrow, The Hon. Minister for Public Works, Wellington. Chief Commissioner Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, nil; printing (1,350 copies), £4 I6s»

By Authority: Geobgb Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB92, Price, 6d.]