B.—No. 5

No. 8. THE HONOBABLE THE COLONIAL SECBETAEY TO THE STTPEEINTENDENT, HAWKE's BAY. Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 6th July, 1863. Sir,— With reference to my letter No. 184 of the 18th May last, I have now the honor to return you the Acts noted in the margin, with the Governor's assent duly noted thereon. With respect to the Loan Act, I have to remark that His Excellency has been advised to assent to that Act on the understanding that the Land referred to in the Eesolution of the Provincial Council be made available by law in the next session of the General Assembly as collateral security for the Loan, and that, in the mean time, funds received from all sales of land within those blocks be retained in the hands of the General Government, and appropriated to the Sinking Fund. I have, &c, Alfred Domett. His Honor the Superintendent, Hawke's Bay.

Loan Act and four other Acts.

No. 9. THE SUPEBINTENDENT, HAWKE's BAT, TO THE HONOBABLE THE COLONIAL SECBETABY. Superintendent's Office, Napier, July 16th, 1863. Sir,— I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th instant, covering Acts assented to by the Governor. I fully concur in the desire to have the Land referred to in the Kesolution of the Provincial Council made available by Law in the next Session of the General Assembly, as collateral security for the Loan, and in the meantime I will take steps to give effect to your wishes in reference to the Funds received from all Sales of Land within the blocks in question, and I may add that they are precisely in accordance with the expressed intention of the Provincial Council. I have, &c, Donald McLean, ■ Superintendent. The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, Auckland.

PROVINCE OF NELSON. No. 1. THE SUPEBINTENDENT, NELSON, TO THE HONOEABLE THE COLONIAL SECBETABT. Superintendent's Office, Nelson, 14th August, 1863. Sir— ' , I have honor to enclose for the consideration of His Excellency the Governor, a copy of a series of Resolutions passed in the Provincial Council approving of the construction of a line of railway to the interior of this Province and of the raising a sum of £300,000 by loan for this and other purposes. In forwarding these resolutions it is right that I should state that the Council was pretty evenly, divided on the questions. Twelve Members (including the Speaker who voted in Committee) approved, and ten disapproved. It is also my duty to furnish His Excellency's Government with my own views on the subject. Of the ultimate great public utility of the proposed work lam satisfied. It is possible the quantity of land which would be improve^ by its construction would justify the outlay if the whole of the improved land could be charged with it. But I am compelled to hesitate about the propriety of the undertaking, chiefly by the fact that the districts to be improved in the highest degree by it, may possibly at some early day be separated from this Province and the whole burden cast on a part of the Community, at the same time that the means of bearing it are greatly reduced. His Excellency's advisers are doubtless aware that there is an influx of diggers going on into this Province, from Otago

Nelson Railway.

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