B.—B.

2

Enclosure in No. 4. Memorandum for the Hon. the Minister, Marine Department. I have carefully examined these plans [M.D. 589, 590, 591, (three sheets) 592], as proposed by the City Council, Wellington, for the above ; and, in the interests of the Harbour of Wellington, cannot recommend them for approval without considerable modification. A reference to the plan M.D. 606, prepared for the purpose, will show that these proposed works, if carried out, will materially decrease the area of a most useful portion of the harbour; the face line of the reclamation, or breastwork, will at its eastern extremity be in water 13 feet deep ; in fact, the line as laid down on an old plan of soundings shows 15 feet, which fact, if the two sets of plans are correct, would indicate considerable silting up of the bottom. I should recommend that the line of breastwork at the above place should not have a greater depth than 9 or 10 feet, and a line drawn to correspond with this would be about 2|- chains inland of the line proposed. Also, at the end next the Queen's Wharf the water area is prejudicially lessened, and the reclamation will prevent a free flow of water under the land end of the wharf. The starting point I should propose to be about 1\ chains nearer Custom House Quay, and the face of the work thence projected on a line to give a clear width of 100 to 120 feet from the corner of section 24 E (see plan, on which it is shown 120 feet). An alternative line is also shown by black dots, which would place the proposed " Quay " to the seaward of the Queen's Bond ; this, on some grounds, might be preferred. This, the former line, will reduce the area of proposed reclamation by about 4i to 4f acres, embracing what must be considered as a most useful and necessary part of the harbour. It should be explained why the breastwork need not be in such deep water as 13 to 15 feet: the prevalence of certain winds would prevent it being utilized for berthage, as the vessels lying against it would not be stem and stern on to these winds ; and to give the necessary berthage the breastwork, when complete, will be studded with projecting wharves in the proper direction to suit the winds—that is, parallel with the arms of the Queen's Wharf (see dotted green lines on plan, illustrative of this, showing one of these wharves, W.) The inner end of these wharves need not be in deeper water than 9 to 10 feet, to suit the smaller class of vessels, and the wharves would project gradually into deeper and deeper water to suit the larger vessels as might be required. On the tracing furnished by the City Council (M.D. 589) I have marked the line as proposed to be modified, dotted green; also on plan specially prepared (M.D. 606), is shown the same line and its probable extension eastward, supposed to be in water 9 to 10 feet deep at low water springs. In reference to the minute of the Secretary, Marine Department, as to provision for a public road or quay along the sea-front of the reclamation, this must be considered as an absolute necessity, in view of rail and tram extensions and increased general public traffic ; and on the latter-named plan is shown this quay (120 feet wide) in green dotted lines. Custom House Quay will at some future time have to be widened to correspond. In reference to constructive details, the wrought-iron ties for staying the piles of the breastwork appear to be drawn at too steep an angle to be of service in such deep water, and should be taken further back ; this, however, can be modified when the actual depth of the reclamation at the breastwork has been decided. In conclusion, I again most earnestly recommend that the plans as submitted by the City Council be not approved, but that they be modified as suggested. A large extent of useful harbour area will thus be conserved, and the cost of the work very materially reduced. John Blackett, Marine Office, 24th January, 1882. Marine Engineer.

No. 5. The Town Clerk to the Hon. the Minister, Marine Department. Sib,— Town Clerk's Office, Wellington, 7th February, 1882. I have the honor, by direction, to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 30th January, enclosing copy of report by the Marine Engineer on the plans of the proposed Te Aro reclamation, as submitted by the City Council for the approval of the Governor in Council. This report has.been duly considered by the City. Council, in conference with the Harbour Board, who have appointed a joint committee to wait upon you as a deputation on the subject of the very considerable modifications in the said plans, as proposed by the Marine Engineer ; and I have to request that you will kindly inform me when it will be convenient for you to receive the said deputation. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of the Marine Department, Charles C. Graham, Wellington. Town Clerk.

No. 6. Deputation to Major Atkinson. [Extract from Evening Post, 11th February, 1882.] A joint deputation from the City Council and Harbour Board waited on the Hon. Major Atkinson, Minister of Marine, yesterday afternoon, relative to the modifications made in the City Council plans of the proposed reclamation. The representatives of the Council wore—His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Logan, S. Brown, Allen ; Mr. Baird, City Engineer ; and Mr. Graham, Town Clerk. The Harbour Board was represented by its Chairman, Mr. Levin, and Mr. Jackson. Mr. Blackett, Marine Engineer, and Mr. H. S. McKellar, of the Customs Department, were also present. —The Mayor stated that the deputation had come to see whether they could induce the Minister to cause some alteration to be made in the modifications suggested to the plans of the Corporation by the Marine Engineer, as those modifications were such as to seriously interfere with the carrying-on of a work deemed so importaut by the citizens. In fact, so