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must have made preliminary arrangements; and I cannot help feeling that it will be the view of the Commissioners that I should at least have been informed of what was being done in this respect, being confident, as I am, that it would have been greatly to the Board's interests in the economy and progress of the works if they could have had the benefit of my experience in several similar cases. ■ ~,. , T ... With a desire to understand, if possible, what is the real position of this matter, which information 1 conceive tne Board would not wish to have withheld, I wrote Mr. Rees on the 23rd ultimo (No. 11.), asking for his replies to four queries, and informing him that he could Bee the drawings if he were to call here. This he did on the 27th ultimo, and saw Mr. Matthews, in my absence in the country. I understand that Mr. Rees then declined to supply verbally the information I required, and I have not yet received his answers. I am therefore up to this moment quite in the dark as to what has been or is being done, and therefore wrote to him on the 31st March (No. 16.), sending a copy of the specification and bill of quantities, and asking to be fully informed, and to be furnished with his replies to my queries. This letter he has simply acknowledged, without sending the requisite particulars (No. 17.) Whether Mr. Rees does or does not intend to leave for the colony by to-morrow's steamer I am unable to say. In view of the fact mentioned by Mr. Rees in his letter of the 20th ultimo that he had ordered " the whole of the plant," I have suspended any further action in the preparation of the drawings referred to in the concluding paragraph of my letter to you of the 19th ultimo. I trust I need scarcely assure the Board that it has been very distasteful to me to have been compelled to enter thus at length, or even at all, on such matters; but the action of Mr. Bees has left me no alternative either in justice to myself or to the Board and their best interests. 1 naT?> &c -> Jno. Coode. The Chairman, New Plymouth Harbour Board, New Zealand.

(No. 10.)— Mr. J. R. Rees to Sir John Coodb. Dear Sir John — Plymouth, England, 20th March, 1880. I have yours of the 17th instant, which I regret to observe is based upon an entire misconception of the suggestion contained in my letter of the sth instant. This letter I found on my table on my return from Scotland, the hotel-messenger having neglected to post it. The arrangement I proposed was simply, as I thought, a matter of convenience and to save my principals exchange on the colony ; and I do not think it can by any means be construed into a desire that you should submit to me your professional account. I further extremely regret that you Bhould have deemed it right to depart from the arrangement made by yourself respecting the plans, which by appointment were to be delivered to me at 12 o'clock on Thursday last. You are aware that my mission to England was to receive those plans and act upon them in terms of my authoritative instructions from tbe Board, which have been duly conveyed to you and that I have patiently waited week after week in order to receive those plans from you. With respect to your remarks "You will remember that 1 decided some weeks since (you concurring)," &c, I beg respectfully to inform you that what I did concur in was that I should not take further action relative to the purchase of plant until I had received the decision of the Board respecting your revised plans, and that after having received them (the revised plans) from you I should embark with them to New Zealand, thus consequently being unable to complete the purchase of the special plant, the designing of which should then be left in your hands, unless in the meantime I received the instructions to complete the purchase. It was also further arranged that you should deliver to me the plans on Thursday the 18th instant, at 4 o'clock, but, on the suggestion of your Mr. Matthews that possibly I might wish some point in the drawings explained by you, the hour was altered to 12 o'clock, so that I might see them m your office. Your forwarding the plans direct to the colony without showing them to me as promised, so that I might consult you on any special points, still further delays my return, and it is with extreme reluctance that I feel myself obliged to add that I must leave with you the entire responsibility of my long detention in this country, and the many difficulties which have occurred in carrying out my instructions. Having received by telegram instructions from the Board to complete the purchase of special plant adapted to your revised plans, I have, as the authorized agent of the Board to request that you will not commit the Board to any liability in the preparation of designs for special plant, as I have already arranged tor the shipment of the whole of tbe plant in three months. Yours faithfully,

(No. 11.)— Sir John Coode to Mr. JR. Rees. Dear Sir — 5» Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 23rd March, 1880, 1.30 p.m. Yours of the 20th March, written from Plymouth, was received here yesterday afternoon, and was forwarded to me in the country, coming to hand this morning, just as I was leaving for town. In the interests of the Board I have to request you will let me know i (1.) At what date did you receive the Board's authority to order the special plant ? (2.) When was this special plant ordered? (3.) What machines, or articles of special plant, have been ordered? (4.) irom whom (respectively) have the said machines or articles been ordered ? I think it right to point out to you that, by your having ordered the special plant without any reference to or consultation with me as to its character, the benefit will be lost to the Commissioners of my experience of many years in the designing and arrangement of special machinery for works of this class I also desire to point out that another result of the action you have taken m this matter renders comparatively useless the expenditure of a considerable amount of time and consideration which have already been given to the designs for special plant. I have a telegram from the Board (also received in the country this morning) asking me to allow you to see the copies of the drawings, which you can do on calling here. lours faithfully, t t> x> ir„n John Coode. J. R. Rees, asq. P.S.—The bearer will wait a reply to the above queries.—J. C.

(No. 12.)— Mr. JR. Rees to Sir John Coode. Deae Sib John — Cannon Street Hotel, 24th March, 1880. I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 23rd instant. With respect to the information you therein request I will take an early opportunity of replying thereto. Thanking you for your permission to see duplicates of the New Plymouth Harbour plans, may I ask when it will be convenient for me to inspect them. Sir John Coode, C.E., 5, Westminster Chambers. J R- Rbes-

(No. 13.)—-Sir John Coode to Mr. J. R. Rees. Deab Sic — 5> Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 25th March, 1880. I have now (2.30 p.m.) just received your letter of yesterday's date, and shall be glad to show you the drawings this afternoon, or any other time convenient to yourself. Please send word by bearer when you will call. I shall be glad to receive your replies to my queries as early as you can conveniently send them. lours iaithtuily, J. R. Rees, Esq., Cannon Street Hotel, E.C. J°HN Coode.

(No. 14.)— Mr. JR. Rees to Sir John Coode. Deab Sib John,- q j Cannon Street Hotel, 25th March, 1880. If convenient to yourself, I will call at your office on Saturday next at 11 a.m. Yours faithfully, Sir John Coode, C.E., 5, Westminster Chambers. J- X- ss-

(No 15.)— Sir John Coode to Mr. J. R. Rees. DEAK Sib — 5, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 25th March, 1880, 4 p.m. I have your letter of this date, and note you purpose calling here at 11 a.m. on Saturday to see the revised 7—l. 7.