96

of the General Government until the section to the Upper Hutt is completed, and then the whole as far as completed should be placed under Provincial management.

I therefore forward as requested the applications for employment received in answer to advertisements, so that you may select those you think best qualified for the respective situations: the account for advertising shall be sent to you as soon as it is received.

As to the Tramway from Foxton to Palmerston, the Provincial Government is of opinion that this work should remain under control of General Government until same is completed to the main line of Railway, and the Provincial Government strongly recommend that iron rails should be laid down so that the line may be worked by locomotive power.

I take this opportunity of drawing your attention to Mr. Fox’s letter of the 27th March last, in which he states—“When the line is approaching completion a better opportunity will be afforded for forming a correct opinion as to the probable effect of those works, and then will be the time to determine what further works the Government, as constructors of the Railway, are bound to execute, to ensure the greatest safety possible under the circumstances, to the travelling public,” and to my reply of 29th March last; and I express a hope that an adjustment may now be made as to the points at issue with regard to Hutt line of road.

I have, &c.,

WILLIAM FITZHERBERT,

Superintendent.

The Hon. the Colonial Secretary,
Wellington.

Appendix J.

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE GENERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS RELATIVE TO SETTING APART LAND FOR IMMIGRANTS.

No. 1.

Superintendent’s Office,
Wellington, 24th April, 1874.

Sir,—

I refer to our interview of the 21st instant and to-day, relative to the setting aside blocks of land in this Province so as to lie open for the selection of immigrants as they arrive, and to the draft conditions regulating the terms of settlement on such lands, which have been transmitted to you.

I readily adopt the suggestion you made to the effect that in the event of simultaneous applications the decision shall be by lot, and not by auction.

I propose that four blocks should be selected in this Province, by officers appointed by consent of the General and Provincial Governments, out of the public lands of the Province, of say 20,000 acres each, suitable for location, having reference to quality of soil, timber, and neighborhood of road already made, or immediately to be made.

The price of such lands to be not less than twenty shillings per acre; the lines of roads throughout the blocks to be first determined, and then the surveys to be made in relation to such lines; the land being sectioned into blocks varying from 50 to 500 acres.

The precise price of each allotment to be determined by agreement between the General and Provincial Governments, after special report received upon the value of each block subsequent to survey.

The land to be paid for upon the following terms, viz.:—20 per cent. cash on selection; 20 per cent. at end of second year; 20 per cent. at end of third year; 20 per cent. at end of fourth year; 20 per cent. at end of fifth year.

It is proposed to metal the road from Masterton to the Gorge (sixty miles), which has been formed and bridged by the General Government out of the vote of £400,000 for roads in the North Island.

As I understand there will be no further sums available for the metalling of this road, and as it is of great importance, being the line prepared for future railway extension, the Provincial Government is willing to have it metalled if the funds can be provided; and also to complete the line of road from Alfredton, intersecting this line from east to west. The cost of the first work is estimated at £15,000, of the second at £10,000.