76

and the time occupied in selecting and arranging
with a gentleman of repute and experience to take
his place; and, secondly, to the extremely unfavour-
able state of the weather which prevailed during
Mr. Wrigg's expedition.

The result confirms us in the conviction that no
engineering difficulties stand in the way of the con-
struction of the line, and that no works of more than
usual magnitude are required.

Mr. Wrigg's estimate of the cost per mile, agrees
also very closely with the rough calculations which
had previously been made.

I have requested Mr. Wrigg to remain in Nelson
a short time longer than he otherwise would have
done, to give you the opportunity of ob-
taining from him any further information, or expla-
nation which you may require.

Mr. Morrison, the agent for this province in Lon-
don, is now in the colony, and may be expected here
about the end of May, when I shall confer fully
with him on this important subject, and determine
upon the precise measures to be adopted, in order to
bring it under the favourable consideration of capi-
talists in England.

I have the pleasure to inform you that Sir George
Grey has expressed much interest in the under-
taking, and that he has kindly allowed me to in-
struct Mr. Morrison to furnish him with the neces-
sary details on Sir George's arrival in England, and
has promised to render any assistance in his power
to promote its success. I need hardly enlarge upon
the value of the co-operation of a gentleman posses-
sing so extensive a knowledge of the Colony, and so
great personal influence as the late respected Gover-
nor of the colony.

10. The lease of the Brunner coal-mine, on the
    Grey River, granted in the early part of 1866 to an
    association of individuals resident in Ballarat, has
    been cancelled by the Waste Lands Board, in con-
    sequence of the non-fulfillment, during the year
    ending the 14th of last month, of an essential con-
    dition of the lease. The Board had for a long time
    been greatly dissatisfied with the manner in which
    this most valuable property had been managed by
    the lessees; but, as the bare conditions of the lease
    were complied with during the first year, they had
    no power to interfere until now.

The Government have made temporary arrange-
ments to continue operations at the mine, so far as
the raising of coal is concerned, in order to prevent
the great inconvenience to the public, and the serious
injury to the property, which would ensue from a
stoppage of the supply of fuel to the steamers plying
on the West Coast.

I hope that the merits and value of the mine are
now sufficiently well known to induce bonâ fide capi-
talists to come forward as lessees, and to carry on the
undertaking in a manner to promote the public in-
terest as well as their own.

11. I am glad to be able to inform you that the
    survey of the projected line of telegraph from West-
    port to Cobden has been completed, and that a con-
    tract has been accepted for the supply and erection
    of the posts for the whole distance. In the course of
    three or four months I trust the work will be com-
    pleted, and telegraphic communication established
    between the Towns of Westport, Charleston, Brighton,
    Cobden, and that City.

12. The heavy and repeated floods which have been
    experienced in all parts of this island, within the
    past six months, have done considerable damage to
    our roads and other public works in many districts of
    this Province, although we have escaped with far less
    injury than either of our neighbors.

The new wharf at Westport was entirely destroyed
when at the point of completion, and much other
damage was sustained on the banks of the Buller.

The bridge over the Harunui, in course of
erection, at the joint expense of this Province and
that of Canterbury, was also washed away, and the
site rendered unserviceable. The Superintendent of
Canterbury has applied to me for a further contribu-
tion to the cost of this work of £1000, in addition to
the £2000 you have already appropriated to it, but
as I consider the sum already promised to be a most
liberal one, I do not propose to add to it, unless it
should be your especial desire that I should do so.

13. The Report of the Provincial Engineer, which
    will be laid before you, contains, I think, all the
    further information you will require as to the state
    and progress of the large number of other public
    works which have been begun, continued, or com-
    pleted during the past financial year.

14. It will be in your recollection that your Speaker,
    when acting Superintendent, requested that the
    Colonial Marine Engineer might be instructed to
    examine the Nelson harbor, to report upon its general
    capabilities, and to advise respecting the erection of
    a Patent Slip, or the construction of a Dry Dock, for
    the repair of vessels, in connection with the reclama-
    tion of a portion of the mudflat.

Mr. Balfour's official duties, which are of a highly
onerous character, combined with the necessity of
fulfilling pre-existing engagements in other parts of the
Colony, have caused a long delay in the preparation of
this Report, and it has only been a few days in my hands.
A copy of it, which will be presented to you, will
show you that it is both well considered and valuable
—valuable, however, rather with a view to the future
than to its application to our present wants and our
present means.

The policy of providing some means for the repair
of shipping in a harbor so well adapted for the pur-
pose, has, however, been so long before the public,
and so generally agreed upon, that I believe you will
share in my conviction that we are in possession of
all the information we are likely to get, or indeed
that we can require, it is time to take some decisive
action.

In the very short time which has elapsed since the
receipt of Mr. Balfour's report, I have not been able
to procure and to lay before you, as I should have
wished to do, a definite scheme for the construction
of a Dock, accompanied by precise estimate of cost.

But I may refer you to the evidence taken by
your committees in past sessions, and I think you will
be satisfied, as I am, that such a work is essential to
the advancement of the Province, and more
immediately of the Town of Nelson, and that without
waiting for the delayed and perhaps uncertain opera-
tion of the "Patent Slip or Dry Dock," this
long-talked of undertaking should be began at once,
and can be carried out from funds at our command
without incurring either debt or liability.

I have therefore requested the Provincial Engineer
to prepare rough plans and estimates, and shall pro-
pose to you to appropriate the sum of £12,000, now
lying in the bank, for this purpose, and to supply what
more may be required from the annual provincial
revenues.

The £12,000, to which I refer, was appropriated
by you towards a reduction of our small Provincial
debt of £21,500, but as the debts of the Provinces
have, by the Public Debts Act of the last session of
the General Assembly, been assumed by the Colony,
it is no longer either necessary or desirable to apply
it to the purpose for which it was originally laid
aside.