H.~2.

Thubsday, 21st Febeuaby, 1901. The Commission met at 10.30 a.m. in the Nelson Provincial Hall. Present: Mr. McKenzie (Chairman), Mr. Eraser, Mr. Graham, Mr. Hudson, and Mr. MoKerrow. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The secretary read a letter from the Hon. Minister for Public Works intimating that His Excellency the Governor had accepted the resignations of Mr. Arthur Morrison, M.H.R., as Chairman and member, and of Mr. Frederick Back as a member, of the Midland Eailway Commission ; and that he had been pleased to appoint Messrs. John Graham, M.H.E., of Nelson, and James McKerrow, of Wellington, to be members of the Commission ; and, further, that His Excellency had been pleased to appoint Mr. Eoderick McKenzie, M.H.E., to be the Chairman of the Commission. Resolved, on the motion of Mr. Fraser, That this Commission desires to record its regret that Mr. Morrison, former Chairman of the Commission, should have been compelled, by serious ill-health, to resign his appointment as member of the Commission. The programme arranged for Friday, the loth February, and Saturday, the 16th February, was cancelled, owing to the sudden illness and subsequent resignation of the Chairman, Mr. Morrison. On Monday, the 18th February, an informal meeting of the Commission was held. There were present Messrs. Fraser and Hudson and the two newly appointed members of the Commission, Messrs. Graham and McKerrow. The secretary read the minutes of the previous meetings for the information of the new Commissioners. On Tuesday, the 19th February, the Commissioners inspected the Belgrove-Motupiko Section of the Midland Eailway line, and on Wednesday, the 20th February, they visited the Tadmor and Sherry Valleys, being districts served by the line. Mr. Bell (solicitor for the Crown), Dr. Findlay (solicitor for the Eeceiver), Mr. Coates (Eeceiver for the debenture-holders), Mr. Dalston (attorney and general manager of the Midland Railway Company), and Mr. Blow (Under-Secretary for Public Works) were in attendance. 'Thomas Roberts, civil engineer, Nelson, was called, sworn, and examined. Horatio John Hooper Blow, Under-Secretary for Public Works, was called, sworn, and examined. Norman Howard Maxwell Dalston, attorney for the New Zealand Midland Railway Company (Limited), was called and further examined. Edwin George Wilson, Stationmaster in charge, Nelson, was called, sworn, and examined. Besolved, at the request of the Solicitor for the Crown, to forward the following letter to N. H. M. Dalston, Esq., attorney for the New Zealand Midland Eailway Company, Nelson :— Sib, — Royal Commission in re the New Zealand Midland Railway Company. I am directed to inform you that the above Commission will require information, as detailed below, concerning the New Zealand Midland Railway Company, and to request that you will be prepared to furnish such information when called upon by the Commission to do so, viz.: — A return of the details, with voucaers of—(a) The Compensation Acoount (Belgrove line), £1,532 14s. 2d., and of the Suspense Account, £115 10s.; (b) of the land plans (Belgrove Section), £199; (c) of contract No. 13 (W. W. Dartnell), Belgrove Section survey, £580 Bs. 6d. ; and (d) of contract No. 22 (Allen Maguire), Belgrove to Motueka Section, £51,210 19s. 2d._, with a statement accounting for the difference between the oontract price of £46,676 Bs. Bd. and the amount paid. I have, &c, R. McKenzie, Chairman of Commission. At 5.10 p.m. the Commission adjourned till 10 a.m. to-morrow.

Feiday, 22nd Fbbedaey, 1901. The Commission met at 10.30 a.m. Present: Mr. McKenzie (Chairman), Mr. Fraser, Mr. Graham, Mr. Hudson, and Mr. McKerrow. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Mr. Bell (solicitor for Crown), Dr. Findlay (solicitor for Eeceiver), Mr. Coates (Eeceiver for debenture-holders), and Mr. Blow (Under-Secretary for Public Works) were in attendance. Horatio John Hooper Blow, Under-Secretary for Public Works, was called and further examined on oath. At 4.30 p.m. the Commission adjourned till 10 a.m. to-morrow.

Satueday, 23ed Febeuaey, 1901. The Commission met at 10 a.m. Present: Mr. McKenzie (Chairman), Mr. Fraser, Mr. Graham, Mr. Hudson, and Mr. McKerrow. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Mr. Bell (solicitor for Crown), Dr. Findlay (solicitor for Eeceiver), Mr. Coates (Receiver for the debenture-holders), and Mr. Blow (Under-Secretary for Public Works) were in attendance. Thomas Humphries, Commissioner of Crown Lands at Nelson, was called, sworn, and examined. Thomas Roberts, civil engineer, Nelson, was called and further examined on oath. Counsel for Crown and the Eeceiver then intimated, in answer to a question put by the Chairman, that they had no more evidence to call at Nelson.

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