E.-4

1878. NEW ZEALAND. RECLAMATION OF OTAGO HARBOUR AND RAILWAY STATION, DUNEDIN (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO).

Beturn to an Order of the Souse of Bepresentatives, dated the \M day of August, 1878. " That there be laid before this House copies of all correspondence between the Government and the Otago Harbour Board, Du^ZooCratioTand the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, with respect to reclamation of Otago Harbour and E ffi Dunedin together with copies of all departmental reports bearing on these subjects, also all ™Sndetebetw^n the late Central Government, the late Engineer-in-Chief, the Resident Engineer of 0 ago 3at PeProv?ncial Government of Otago, and the Otago Harbour Board, in connection with the Crawford Street Block." — (Mr. Oliver.)

PUBLIC WORKS CORRESPONDENCE. No. 1. The Secretary, Otago Harbour Board, to the Hon. the Commissioner of Customs. a _ Otago Harbour Board Office, Dunedin, 20th April, 1877. _ ' I had the honor of forwarding a telegram to yourself, and also one to the Hon the Minister for Public Works, this morning on behalf of the Otago Harbour Board, and to which I have received the f°A7botn rHonMr. McLean and Hon. Mr. Ormond left town yesterday, please see Mr. McLean re your telegram of to-day on his arrival in Dunedin to-day or to-morrow.' The telegrams referred to were as follow:— "Tn^yoTm^W left for the South, reply to your telegram sent to Minister for Public Works." m , " Hon Minister for Public Works. , . . , « Tn reply to telegram of Hon. George McLean, it was resolved that this Board confirm its already expressed approval of the plan of railway reserve, position of docks, &c, as agreed upon by the KnmenTErict Engineer and the Board Engineers; and that the Hon. the Minister for Public Works b^: telegraphed to that effect, and requesting consent to the Board at once proceeding with the leasing of the remainder of the reclaimed portion of the Board of Endowment b 1 nave, &c., John L. Gillies, The Hon. George McLean. Secretary.

No. 2. The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce, Dunedin, to the Hon. the Commissioner of Customs. _ Dunedin, 2nd May, 1877. I have the honor to communicate to you the resolutions passed at a general meeting of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce on the 30th ultimo. Resolution I. 1 That the Chamber of Commerce desires very strongly to urge on the Harbour Board that the site indicated for the proposed import and export docks in the plan is quite unsuitable being far removed from the centre of the commerce of the city, the merchants' offices, bonded and other stores, finstnin House, Post and Telegraph Offices. . . , , 2 That the basin marked in the said plan for inter-eolomal and inter-provmc.al steamers isthe most convenient site for the accommodation of shipping, and, when the southern limit of the basin s out to the point indicated, it will give a berthage sufficient for all the snipping of the port at at present and for many years to come. I—E. 4.