B.—No. 5

No. 2. THE HONOEABLE BEADEE WOOD TO THE SUPEEINTENDENT, SOUTHLAND. Colonial Secretary's Office, 5th March, 1863. Sir,— I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Honor's letter of the 4th ultimo, submitting to the favourable consideration of the Government a proposal for raising a loan of Two hundred and twenty thousand Pounds for the purpose of constructing a Railway between the Bluff, Iuvercargill and Whalcatipu. As Mr. Domett is at Taranaki, no definite reply can be now sent to your Honor, but the subject will be brought under his consideration immediately on his return. I have, <fec, Reader Wood, In the absence of Mr Domett His Honor the Superintendent, Southland.

No. 3. THE SUPERINTENDENT, SOUTHLAND, TO THE HONOEABLE THE COLONIAL SECEETABY. Superintendent's Office, Southland, 4th March, 1863. Sir,— I enclose, for your information, copies of some papers which were laid upon the table of the Provincial Council in its present Session, with reference to the Railway from the Bluff to Invercargill, and other matters connected therewith. A good deal of evidence was taken on the same subjects, in corroboration of the opinions advanced in these reports, Some sheets of the Census Tables are also enclosed. I have, &c, J. R. Menzies, Superintendent. The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, Auckland.

Enclosure to No. 3. Comparative Tables shewing the .Numbers of the Population, Acres of Land Improved, Stock, Revenue, Imports and Exports, in the years 1861 and 1862, with the Centesimal increase in tho Year 1862.

TABLE 9.

TABLE 10.

25

PROVINCIAL LOANS.

POPULATION. LAND i: :peoved. Males. Females. Totals. .861 1,107 713 1.820 .8(52 2,187 1,268 3,455 Centesimal Increase 98 ! 78 90 Acres Fenced in. 5,951 9,541 60 Acres under Crop. 1,092 1,871 71

Horses. Mules and Asses. Horned Cattle. Sheep. Goats. Pigs. Poultry. 861 .862 Centesimal Increase ... 812 1,217 50 4 9 125 9,139 11,467 25 73,970 110,231 49 j 9 86 855 555 995 80 4,163 7,524 81