D.—7.

1882. NEW ZEALAND.

WELLINGTON AND MANAWATU RAILWAY. CONTRACT ENTERED INTO BETWEEN HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND THE WELLINGTON AND MANAWATU RAILWAY COMPANY (LIMITED).

Laid before Parliament in compliance with the 13th Section of " The Railways Construction and Land Act, 1881." ■

CONTRACT. 2Df)tg made the twentieth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-two, between Her Majesty the Queen (who, with her heirs and successors, is and are hereinafter included in the expression " the Queen"), of the one part, and the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company, Limited (which, with its successors and assigns, except where the context otherwise requires, is and are hereinafter included in the expression "the Company"), of the other part. S®!)£reas the Company has been established for the purposes (amongst other things) of constructing and maintaining a line of railway from the City of Wellington to such point or points, place or places, on the northern side of the Manawatu River as the colonial directors should determine, with all necessary buildings, railway works, and other appliances requisite for the same, and of working the said railway, and especially of carrying thereon passengers, animals, and goods for hire, and generally in other respects of carrying on the business of a railway company in all its branches, with power to contract with any other railway company or authority with respect to running powers, interchange of traffic, or otherwise : fohereas the said railway is intended to be constructed as nearly as may be along the line shown in red upon the map marked A hereunto annexed, and is estimated to be of the length of eightyfour and a quarter miles or thereabouts, and the said line is intended to connect near the City of Wellington with Ihe Wellington and Masterton Railway, and on the northern side of the Manawatu River with the Foxton and New Plymouth Railway, being severally lines of railway heretofore constructed by the Government of New Zealand : ®nt) foljei'faS the Government of New Zealand some time since began the construction of a railway along that part of the said line shown in red upon the said map, which lies between the said City of Wellington and Johnsonville, near the said city, from a point in or near the said city, marked (a) on the said map, to a point at or near Johnsonville, marked (b) on the said map; but no part of the works so commenced has yet been completed: SJutr ixifyereag the Government are in possession of the plant and materials mentioned in the First Schedule hereunder written, parts of which have been used in the construction of the unfinished works aforesaid, and parts of which were intended to have been used in the further construction of the said railway : <&rii} tofjettas in the construction of the said railway there will be a large quantity of material