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ton, under cover to the brother-in-law of the Secretary to the Board, and I did not receive them until my return from Sheffield last night, where I had been since my interview with yourself in the early part of this week, and which will account for their late delivery ; and it was by a letter then received that I had the first intimation that my report of the 28th August might be considered by me as available for the purposes of my visit, to England ; and I was engaged writing to you upon the subject when your letter of yesterday came to hand. In accordance with your desire I enclose herewith a copy of my report of the 28th August, 1879, and the only one written to the Board upon the subject; but, as it is the copy furnished to me by the Board, will you kindly take a copy of it. No designs or sections whatever were submitted by me to the Board ; but, should you desire it, I can prepare from memory a sketch similar to that upon which I prepared my estimates contained in my report of the 28th August, above referred to. With respect to the proportion of stone of different sizes, as nearly as I can judge an outside estimate would be about as follows, viz : Under 20cwt., seven-tenths; 20 cwt. to 30 cwt., two-tenths; over 30 cwt., one-tenth. With reference to the employment of convict labour I do not think that any such labour will be available for years to come, if at all. With respect to your appointment for 1 o'clock on Tuesday next, the 23rd instant, I shall be most happy to conform to the time most convenient to yourself, and any further information in my power I shall be glad to afford. Yours faithfully, J R. Rees, Sir John Coode, C.E,, London. Resident Engineer, New Plymouth Harbour Board.

(No. 3.) —Sir John Coode to Mr. J R. Rees. Deae Sib, — 5, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 20th December, 1879. I have yours of yesterday, and am glad to note the explanation you give as to the reason for your not making any reference to your report of the 28th August, and which I regard as satisfactory. It would be well that you should send me in course of Monday a sketch such as you suggest you could prepare from memory, showing the basis on which the estimates contained in your report of the 28th August were founded, together with any particulars of your estimates. Yours faithfully, J R. Rees, Esq., Cannon Street Hotel. John Coode. P.S. —The copy of your report to the New Plymouth Harbour Board shall be returned to you on Monday.

(No. 4.) —Sir John Coode to Mr. J R. Rees. Deab Sib, — 5, Westminster Chambers, London, W C, sth February, 1880 (Thursday afternoon). I have now finally come to the conclusion that, under the circumstances, the course which (subject to further consideration) was settled to day will be the best to pursue. I shall therefore proceed with the completion of the requisite drawings and specifications, &0., for the works according to my last design, and a revise of the estimates thereupon, so that you may leave for the colony with them not later than the first week in next month; and immediately thereafter, to save time, I shall have prepared the drawings and specifications necessary for obtaining tenders for the special plant adapted to meet the exact requirements of the works to be executed. I still feel it to be requisite that I should have a complete list of all the plant and stores (if any) ordered by you to this time, with particulars of any that you may have in contemplation to order before you leave England, as was promised yesterday, and must therefore ask you to be good enough to let me have this forthwith. As matters stand, it is obviously in the interests of the Board that I should be made cognizant of what has been done, and that I should have the approval of what may be now proposed, before any further action is taken in the matter of supplies of plant and stores. I need scarcely say that I shall be quite ready to facilitate your action in this matter. Yours faithfully, J. R. Rees, Esq., London. John Coode.

(No. s.)—Mr. J. R. Rees to Sir John Coode. Deab Sib JonN, — Cannon Street Hotel, London, 6th February, 1880. In reply to your letter of the sth instant I beg to furnish you with a list of the plant, &c, already purchased by me for the New Plymouth Harbour. It is not my intention to take any further steps in this matter until the Board have decided what action they will take relative to your last design. Will you kindly inform me of the probable length of time that it will occupy to prepare ready (including time occupied in designing) for shipment the special plant such as you would design, also the probable cost, 60 that I may make the necessary arrangements relative to payments. Yours faithfully, Sir John Coode, C.E., 5, Westminster Chambers, London. J R. Rees. 100 tons 56-lb. steel rails, 30 tons 40-lb. iron rails, 10 tons galvanized iron; galvanized rivets, screws, &c; 10 dozen English navvy shovels, 90 dozen American navvy shovels, 950 feet second-hand tubes; 12 sets points and crossings, lin 7f; fish-plates and spikes ; octagon steel, I- ton; quarry hammers, &c.; mining picks, 40 dozen ; wood pulley-blocks, iron pulleyblocks ; manila and tarred rope, 2 tons; wire nails, 20 kegs; spike nails, 5 cwt.; 2 8-horse-power steam-boilers, 1 10-horse-power steam-boiler, 1 7-inch horizontal steam-winch, 2 crane carriages; window-frames, east, 18; galvanized tubing, 2,200 feet, 1J inches ; galvanized tubing, 60 feet, 2J inches ; coil chain, 1 ton ; 48 tons 40-lb. iron rails; steam crane, grab, and other gear; portable forge, bellows, etc.; set of smiths' tools, grindstone and trough; bolt ends, 6 cwt.; 4 small turntables for trucks, 2 rock-drills; 12 sets points and crossings, linsJ ; 2 tons bar-iron, telephone and fittings; battery, &c.; 15 tons light rails, 18 lb.; 2 clocks for offices, iron-work for 15 3-yard trucks; 2 steam-cranes, 2J tons each; mooring buoy, anchor, &c. j 250 feet 1J indiarubber tubing. Accompanying letter of 6th February, 1880.

(No. 6.)— Sir John Coode to Mr. JR. Rees. Deae Sib, — 7 Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 7th Eebruary, 1880. I have your two letters of yesterday, and quite concur in the propriety of your not now taking any further steps in the matter of plant, &c. With regard to the respective quantities and prices per cubic yard of concrete in blocks and bags, you shall have these when the drawings have been completed and the quantities finally worked out therefrom. As intimated to you on Thursday, the drawing which you saw in skeleton was of a preliminary character; the details will now be thoroughly gone into and settled for adoption. I may have to communicate with you again in course of next week on the subject of levels of ground, &c, as bearing upon work-yard arrangements. Yours faithfully, J R. Rees, Esq. Jno. Coode.

(No. 7.) —Mr. J R. Rees to Sir John Coode. Deab Sik John, — Cannon Street Hotel, London, 16th March, 1880. Mr. Matthews's letter to me of the 6th instant is only this evening to hand. As intimated to you, I left London on Friday, the sth, at 8 p.m., and returned this evening, which will account for my not complying with Mr. Matthews's request. The enclosed letter should have been posted to you before I left London, but on my return I found it still on my table. Yours faithfully, Sir J. Coode, Westminster. J K. Rees.

(No. 8.) —Mr. J R. Rees to Sir John Coode. Deae Sib John, — Cannon Street Hotel, sth March, 1880. Referring to our interview on the 2nd instant, when I was informed by you that the revised plans for the New Plymouth Harbour would be handed to me on the afternoon of the 18th instant, I have written to the Board, via Frisco mail (which will arrive in the colony some twelve days before myself), that I leave London with your revised plans on the 18th March. As I Bhall be returning to the colony before having concluded the purchase of all the plant, and as a considerable part of the £6,000 credit is still unexpended, I think, to save the Board the exchange upon the amount that will