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Station, via Mount Stuart Trig. Station, through Tuakitoto, Hillend, and Waitahuna Survey Districts, 12 miles; from. Main South Road at Trig. D, Block 1., Hillend to Dalhousie, via Hillend and Waitahuna West Survey Districts, 24 miles ; from Clydevale punt to boundary of county at Trig. G, 5 miles ; from Dalhousie to junction of road from Clydevale punt, through Waitahuna West Survey District, 4 miles. Wallace County.—Riverton to Orepuki, 20 miles; from Wrey's Bush t'p Waiau, via Nightcaps and Birchwood, including piece from Wairio Village to junction with said road, 23 miles; from Section 43, Oreti Hundred, northerly, easterly, westerly, north-westerly, and westerly to Jacob's River, 8 miles. Maniototo County.—Taieri Bridge, at Hamilton, maSowburn, to Blackball, 20 miles, . Clutiia County.—Clinton, via Hillfoot, to Puerua Church, 22 miles; Waipahi to Gore, via Arthurton and Pukerau, 14 miles ; Kelso to Pukerau, 12 miles. That, in the opinion of the Committee, there are no circumstances of sufficient importance to warrant them advising that claims from local bodies which have not complied with the law be entertained, either as to having roads declared main roads, or as to their participating in the moneys appropriated this year for works under " The Roads and Bridges Construction Act, 1882." ■ ■ The Committee have the honour to recommend amendment in the Roads and Bridges Construction Act to the following effect:— 1. Description op Main Roads. 1. That main roads be those which run through two or more counties or road districts, or, where there are no Road Boards, the ridings of a county; or which connect a country district with a port. 2. That the Act should show more clearly than it does at present that the main roads designation only affects such roads as regards construction; and that it is the duty of the local body, out of its own resources, to provide for the entire cost of maintenance, with the exception of extraordinary damage. 3. That the Minister for Public Works shall, during each recess, cause to be prepared an amended schedule with respect to main roads that have already been declared, or that may be declared by resolution during each session of Parliament, such schedule to set forth the roads in four classes, as follows:— (a.) Main roads of strictly colonial importance; specifying mileage completed, value of bridges, and rough estimate of cost of completion. (b.) Important roads between local districts ; also specifying bridges and rough estimate of cost of completion. (c.) Roads on which hitherto little work has been undertaken, but are nevertheless important for opening up Crown lands and new districts. (d.) Roads of mere local interest; also specifying mileage completed, value of bridges, and rough estimate of cost. 2. Distribution of Grants. 1. That applications shall have precedence in the distribution of funds in the following order :— (1.) Extraordinary damage (section 35). (2.) Erection of bridges. (3.) Formation of roads. 2. That in no case shall the maximum amount payable to any one county under " The Roads and Bridges Construction Act, 1882," for works on main roads exceed in any one year £5,000, In the event of any local body having applied for a greater amount, the Minister for Public Works shall, by and with the advice of such local body, determine the particular works the aforesaid sum of £5,000 shall be expended upon. 3. That, in the event of a county making application for a bridge the cost of which is more than 1£5,000, the application may be received and granted in, proportion with other applications, the balance being a charge upon the fund for distribution in the next and subsequent years, but so that not more than £5,000 shall be paid in any one year unless there is a sufficient balance of the fund for distribution for which application has not been made.

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