D.—l

The survey of the portion of the line not previously finally located proceeded fairly during last summer. The survey party was rather late in taking the field, owing to the services of the surveyor being required for some little time on the Belgrove Section of the Midland Eailway. lam in hopes that the balance of the survey will be completed during the coming season. The expenditure on this railway, including surveys, during last year amounted to £20,882, and this year we ask for votes amounting to £31,923 — namely, £18,000 under Part I. and £13,923 under Part 11., the latter amount being the whole amount of the ways and means to the credit of that part of the Fund. Eke tahuna- Wood ville . The section of this line between Eketahuna and Newman, 2 miles 4 chains in length, was handed over to the Eailway Department in March last, and the further section between Newman and the Mangatainoka Bridge, a distance of 2 miles 69 chains, has been completed, and goods-traffic regularly worked over it since June last. The contract for the Mangatainoka Bridge has also been completed, and a satisfactory job made of the structure; but the contractor was nearly five months behind time in completing his contract, which has led to a very unfortunate delay in proceeding with the rail-laying on the line, as it was impossible (without incurring great expense for cartage, and badly damaging the main and district roads) to lay any rails beyond the Mangatainoka River until the bridge was available for the passage of the locomotive. Since the completion of the bridge the work has been resumed, however, and is now actively in progress. The rails have already been laid past the Hukanui Station, and will reach Tutaekara early next month, and Makakahi later in the same month. The ballasting will not, however, be completed until some time after these dates. The section to Hukanui is already available for goodstraffic, and the further sections to Tutaekara and Makakahi will be ready for working in about December and January next respectively. With a view of completing the line at an early date, it. may be found advisable to commence laying the rails from the Woodville end of the line. A drawback against this is the cost of carriage of rails and material, which will require to be taken over a private line or shipped to Foxton. The Ngawapurua Bridge, across the Manawatu Eiver, between Woodville and Pahia,tua, the erection of which was commenced in 1883, and which, since its completion, has been regularly used for ordinary road traffic, is now in need of extensive repairs and strengthening", in order to enable it to accommodate the heavy traffic which will pass over this railway. The cost of this work will amount to several thousand pounds. The vote taken for this railway last year was £25,000, and the whole of this amount would have been expended if the contractor for the Mangatainoka Bridge had completed his work within the contract time. The actual expenditure within the year amounted to £20,577. The Government recognises the necessity of completing this line through to Woodville at the earliest possible date. This year we ask for a vote of £32,000. Blenheim-A wateeb . Nothing was done on this railway last year, but, as several thousands of pounds have been spent in the formation-works south of Blenheim, the Government deems it advisable to proceed with the completion of the railway to the Awatere. A vote for £2,500 is asked for this year. This will enable the preliminary works to be put in hand. Otago Centeal Railway. Work on the section of this railway between Hyde and Taieri Lake has proceeded vigorously during the year, and very considerable progress has been made. The formation-works as far as Kokonga (Ryan's Crossing) are nearly completed, and rail-laying is about to be commenced, the whole of the rails and sleepers being already provided. The formation of the section between Kokonga and Komako (about a mile beyond the Taieri Bridge) is actively in progress, and will