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COEEESPONDENCE PEIOE TO THE PEESENTATION OF THE CLAIMS OF 1876. Messrs. Beogden and Sons to the Hon. the Ministee for Public Woeks. Sie, — Wellington, 31st January, 1876. We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th instant with reference to ours of the 26th November, 21st December, and 26th instant, in regard to the continued delay in the payment of moneys due to us on contracts, dating from October last, and amounting at present to over thirty thousand pounds. It is hardly necessary for us to again repeat that the non-payment of this large sum is causing us great inconvenience and loss. We are very anxious to come to a final settlement upon all the finished lines; but, if the Government are not prepared to meet us, we think we have fair grounds for asking you to sanction an interim payment in fair proportion to the amount involved. At present we are obliged to keep on our agents until the final settlement of our finished lines. We have, &c, John Beogden and Sons, The Hon. the Minister for Public Works. {per John Hendeeson.)

The TJndeb-Secbetaey for Public Woeks to Messes Beogden and Sons. Gentlemen, — Public Works Office, Wellington, 7th February, 1876. I am directed by the Hon. the Minister for Public Works to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 31st January relative to the payment of moneys alleged to be due to your firm on account of the railway contracts, and, in reply, to inform you that they are passing through in reference to the Auckland, Waitara, and Picton lines, but that the settlement of the amount due on the Clutha line is delayed owing to there being no one on the spot to represent your interest, and that of the Invercargill line awaits the measurement of the slips. I have, &c, John Knowles, Messrs. J. Brogden and Sons. TTnder-Secretary for Public Works.

Messrs. Teayebs and Ollitiee to the Hon. the Ministee for Public Woeks. Sib,— Wellington, 20th April, 1876. We are instructed by the Messrs Brogden to point out the very great inconvenience to which they are put by the refusal of the Government to pay over to them the moneys from time to time becoming due and payable to them under their contracts for railway construction, and to state that the Government, by adopting this course, are virtually disabling the contractors from carrying on the works by keeping them without the funds necessary for the purpose. The contractors are unwilling to take any extreme course in the matter, but will be compelled to do so if the Government should confirm their refusal to make the necessary payments in due time. We have, &c, The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. Teatees and Ollivieb.

The ITndeb-Seceetaby for Public Woeks to Messrs. Teayees and Ollitiee. Gentlemen, — Public Works Office, Wellington, 20th April, 1876. I am directed by the Hon. the Minister for Public Works to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day's date, in which you refer to the refusal of the Government to pay moneys to Messrs. J. Brogden and Sons, due from time to time on their contracts, and, in reply, to inform you that Mr. Hichardson is not aware that any such sums are so held back; and the Minister will be obliged if you will inform him what are the amounts to which you refer. I have, &c, C. T. Benzoni, (in absence of TJnder-Secretary for Public Works.) Messrs. Travers and Ollivier, Wellington.

Messrs. Teavees and Olliviek to the Hon. the Minister for Public Woeks. Sie, — Wellington, 2nd May, 1876. "We have the honor, in reply to your letter of the 20th ultimo, to inform you that the amounts due to our clients, Messrs. John Brogden and Sons, are as follow : — £ s. d. Auckland ... ... ... ... 2,000 0 0 Moeraki ... ... ... ... 12,293 6 8 Waitara ... ... ... ... 966 12 8 Invercargill ... ... ... ... 1,487 5 1 Dunedin ... ... ... ... 1,571 14 10 Dunedin ... ... ... ... 1,210 1 0 £19,529 0 3