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No. 31. The Secretary, Otago Harbour Board, to the Hon. the Commissioner of Customs. (Telegram.) Dunedin, 4th September, 1877. Sorry to trouble, but anxious to hear decision of Government, so that we may know how to act in regard to sale extended advertisement in to-day's paper, and up to 7th. John L. Gillies, The Hon. the Commissioner of Customs, Wellington, Secretary.

No. 32. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works to the Engineer-in-Chief. (Memorandum.) 4th September, 1877. On looking at the plan it appears to me the whole of Sections 6 and 17 can be given up. Unless they are absolutely essential for the working of the railway, this ought to be done, considering the position of the matter. Please reconsider your recommendation, so far as those sections are concerned. The Engineer-in-Chief. J. D. Oemond.

No. 33. The Engineee-in-Chief to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. (Memorandum.) 4th October, 1877. By using a 5-chain curve, these sections may be given up entirely. So sharp a curve is objectionable, but quite workable. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works. J. Caeruthees.

No. 34. The Hon. the Commissioner of Customs to the Seceetaey, Otago Harbour Board. (Telegram.) Government Buildings, sth September, 1877. The Government, being anxious to interfere as little as possible with the wishes of the Harbour Board as to the leasing of their sections, have made particLilar inquiry whether any of the land which has been specially reserved for railway purposes could be dispensed with. When I telegraphed that the Government would not exercise their right of taking land between Battray and Jetty Streets, it was not intended that any of the land specially reserved for railway purposes was to be transferred to the Board. Tou will also find that this piece of land at corner of Crawford and down Battray Street was recorded as a reserve on the plan adopted by the Harbour Board on sth, and approved by tho Governor on 29th October, 1875. The boundary of the land is correctly laid down on the plan furnished you by Mr. Blair, and the Government regret that they must retain all land within that boundary exclusively for railway purposes, without which they are assured the railway could not be advantageously worked. The Secretary, Otago Harbour Board, Dunedin. Geo. McLean.

No. 35. Mr. James Mills, Dunedin, to the Hon. the Commissioner of Customs. (Telegram.) Dunedin, sth September, 1877. Eattray and I overlooked tho plan of 1872, which we have never seen. We referred to a plan agreed between Blair and the Works Committee of Board some time ago —not before the agitation commenced about the docks. Hon. G. McLean. Jas. Mills.

No. 36. The Engineer-in-Ciiief to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. Ec Land corner of Battray and Crawford Streets, Dunedin. Public Works Office, Wellington, 19th December, 1877. I had yesterday an interview with the Acting-Chairman and Engineer of the Dunedin Harbour Board at which the question of the land at the corner of Eattray and Crawford Streets was discussed. The Board wish to lease the land, and think that its value will be much depreciated if the two new streets connecting Battray and Jetty Streets are crossed by a line of railway leading to the Eattray Street Jetty. I consider it necessary to provide for a future communication by rail with the jetty, and have recommended (4th September, 1877) that certain sections at the corner of the two streets be reserved for the purpose. The Board suggests that, instead of making the connection with the jetty as proposed by the Government and shown in red on the plan attached, it shall be made by the line shown in blue. As the station is now laid out this proposal would be quite inadmissible: the blue line passes directly through the goods shed, and would destroy the whole station-yard. If, however, the proposals which have been made for the future station accommodation at Dunedin are approved by Government and