Mr CURTIS said the arrangements for the delivery of the mails for Ho&itika and the South West Goldfields were these : A steamer waits at the Manukau for the arrival of the mail. It then brings down the mail to Nel son, whence it is transhipped to the first steamer sailing for the West Coast. These steamers run to the West Coast on an average twice a week ; therefore the delay in Nelson could not in any case be very great. If at any time it happened that a steamer was not to sail for the West Coast within a reasonable time, the mails were then forwarded overland, and in these cases vary considerable delay is sometimes experienced. On the whole, he believed no very great amount of irregularity occurred in the delivery of the mails, although it must be admitted that delays had arisen. A subsidy of £6OO was at one time paid for the delivery of the mails, but the system was not much more regular than without the subsidy, in consequence of which the late Treasurer stopped the payment. It should be re membered that the port of Hokitika was in an exceptionally favorable position as regarded the delivery of the Suez mail. Up to the present time he had not been able to see his way for ensuring any improvement on the present arrangements for the delivery of the San Francisco mail, but if some convenient arrangement could be made he would be most ready to consult the interests of that part of the colony. ROAD EROM KANIERI TO ROSS. Mr REID, in answer to Mr White, who asked the Minister of Public Works whether his attention had directed to the neces sity for widening that portion of the road from Kanieri to Ros 3, which is at present bub 8 feet wide, said the attention of the Govern ment had been directed to the necessity of widening this road, and they had determined to take steps immediately for widening that portion which had been formed to a width of 8 feet to the same width as the other portions of the road, namely, 12 feet.
