Your letter of 12th inst. has been placed before the Hon. Minister for Public Works, who directs me to say that since receiving your letter he has asked Sir Julius Vogel his impression as to the arrangement agreed to at the interview you had with the Ministers, and he was also under the belief that the through service, as it previously existed, was to be resumed, as intimated in my telegram of 8th inst., the Government running its own trains between the Elbow and Kingston, The Minister is still of opinion that a tri-weekly service is sufficient to supply the wants of the district, and that a more frequent service would he run at a great loss, without any commensurate advantage to any of the parties concerned. He regrets, therefore, that the Government cannot agree to run its train to connect with yours daily at the Elbow. With regard to details of arrangements, as you decline to entertain the proposal for a tri-weekly service it is needless discussing them, but Minister desires to say that if the through passenger arrangement could be agreed to be was prepared, as was done previously, to make no charge for carriages and brake-vans, which run on the through service, between Gore and Kingston.