8.—5

4

Clutha—Roads ... ... ... ... ... ... 12,100 Bridges ... ... ... ... ... ... 6,850 Various ... ... ... ... ... ... 7,200 Total in Clutha County ... ... ... 26,150 Tuapeka—Roads ... ... ... ... ... ... 3,800 Bridges ... ... ... ... ... 15,200 Total in Tuapeka County ... ... ... 19,000 Vincent —Roads ... ... ... ... ... ... 8,550 Bridges ... ... ... ... ... 10,690 Various ... ... ... ... ... 700 Total in Vincent County ... ... ... 19,990 Lake —Roads and tracks ... ... ... ... ... 26,940 Total in Lake County ... ... ... 26,940 Total damage to public works ... ... £100,830 Some of the damage above stated was liable to have occurred any year, so there is no necessity to make special provision for making it good. Leaving out these ordinary contingencies, the following will represent the amount of extraordinary damage which could not reasonably be foreseen or calculated on :— £ Bruce County ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 8,000 Clutha „ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 25,000 Tuapeka „ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 18,500 Vincent „ ... ... ... .. ... ... ... 18,000 Lake „ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 23,500 Total ... ... ... ... ... ... £93,000 Before proceeding to restore the works that have been damaged it is necessary to consider whether any improvement can be made in their location or character, and whether some of them may not be dispensed with altogether. The line of the roads and positions of most of the smaller bridges in all the counties cannot well be altered, but I think instead of rebuilding the Clyde Bridge in its old site a new bridge should be erected near Alexandra. A bridge at this place is much wanted, and there is no necessity for two within seven or eight miles of each other. The piers of the Clyde Bridge might be utilized for a foot or horse-bridge. The district on the northern side of the Clutha at Roxburgh (Teviot) is not yet closely settled, and there are considerable facilities for crossing the river by ferries, so I do not think there is an urgent necessity for the restoration of the bridge at present. The unprecedented height of the flood in the Clutha and its tributaries show that the bridges crossing them must be built higher and stronger than has hitherto been considered necessary; the estimate of damage done cannot therefore be taken as the cost of restoration. Allowing for this, and leaving out the Teviot Bridge, I estimate the cost of making good the damage as follows : —■ £ Bruce County ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 11,000 Clutha „ " ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 29,000 Tuapeka „ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 15,000 Vincent „ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 24.000 Lake „ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 24,000 Total ... ... ... ... ... ... £103,000 I have, &c, C. W. Blair, The Hon. the Minister for Public Works. Commissioner, Middle Island. By Authority: George DIBBBUBT, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB7B. Pric« 3d.]