82

C—l

Crystal Brook Channel. —£98 16s. 4d. The work comprised the construction of 55 chains of channel. Spring Creek Channel. —£l2 4s. 4d. expended. The work comprised the construction of 8-J chains of channel. Bluff and Brothers Roads, Cheviot Estate. The expenditure during the year out of the grant of £500 for these roads has been £357 155., and is made up as follows : — Brothers Cutting. —£92 15s. expended. This work, which is now completed and traffic resumed, comprised the removing of slips, and was carried out in one contract. Bluff Road. —£26s expended. The contractor for this work (which comprised the removal of slips) was considerably behind time with his contract. However, the road was made sufficiently clear in time to allow of the settlers carting their season's grain to Port Eobinson, a boon which they highly appreciated. Sidney Weetman, Chief Surveyor.

OTAGO. Dunback-Swinburn. —The Waihemo County Council re-formed and gravelled 2 miles 28 chains of the main road up to and beyond the Swinburn. This road is now in very fair order. Normanby, Mount Cargill. —The North-east Valley Borough Council re-formed and metalled the worst portions of the road from the Botanical Gardens to the Upper Junction; distance, three miles. Connecting Road, Block IX., Moeraki. —With this vote the Waitaki County Council formed 42 chains of road opposite Shag Point Eailway-station. Two expensive arched culverts, 4 ft. span, had to be built. At this place the road, which is really the Main South Eoad, used to run along the beach, and was almost impassable at high tide, and was at all times very awkward for stockdriving. A good road has now been formed on the railway reserve. Ravensbourne Road. —The road from Burkes to Sawyer's Bay (distance, four miles) has now been widened to 22 ft., and all the worst places metalled. This road is now in first-class order. Waitati Road. — Under the supervision of the Waikouaiti County Council 80 chains of this road were re-formed and 475 cubic yards of metal put on. The vote was spent on the Waitati side of the saddle. Water of Leith Protective Works. —A retaining-wall of stone and cement 2 chains long and 8 ft. high was constructed by day-labour under the supervision of the Maori Hill Borough Council. The dry stone wall was also rebuilt for a distance of 4 chains. Taieri Mouth Punt. —A punt has been erected at Taieri Mouth, but it is not working yet, as the approaches and pontoons are not yet commenced. This work will be put in hand at once by the Bruce County Council. Tuapeka Mouth Punt. —This work was really completed before 31st March, 1896, but the money was not all paid over until the past year. It was reported upon in last year's statement. Cargill Street, Caversham. —The road round Hillside Bailway Workshops has been re-formed by the Caversham Borough Council with rotten rock. Formerly this road was impassable in wet weather, but a great improvement has now been made. Lindis Pass. —The Vincent County Council let a contract for widening the existing road up the Lower Lindis Gorge and at Black Pinch ; retaining-walls and culverts were also built. Lake Wanaka Wharves.- —The Manuka Island Domain Board have extended the wharf 84 ft. by seven 12 ft. spans. Tracks to Western Sounds. —The track has been completed from the north-west arm of Lake Te Anau to George Sound; distance, fourteen miles. The track has been cleared 6 ft. wide and log bridges put across the creek. Lake Te Anau to Sutherland Falls. —The track from the head of Lake Te Anau to the Sutherland Falls has been kept in repair during the tourist season. Snow-poles have been erected over the pass. This work is now under the supervision of the Chief Surveyor, Southland. Pembroke-Matukituki. —In order to give a safer road to Mount Aspiring, the Lake County Council constructed a track 24 chains long and 8 ft. wide, thus avoiding two dangerous crossings of the Matukituki. Makarora-Haast. —The road up the Makarora Valley has been re-formed along lake side, and the pack-track repaired as far as the Vincent County boundary. The track from the pass down the Haast now requires attention. Livingstone-Kyeburn.— -With regard to the northern end, Mr. Browne, engineer of the Maniototo County Council, reports : " Improvements between the Pass Hotel and the ' Government formation ' up the creek have been effected by the County, to make the unformed portion passable, including the reconstruction of timber portion of the traffic-bridge at German Creek, near the hotel mentioned; the total expenditure above the Pass Hotel to date is about £150. I propose further improvements to the extent of £50 to connect satisfactorily with the ' Government formation.' The cost of these improvements to the extent of £200 will be charged to Grant No. 999, vote 91, item 69, 'Kyeburn District —Maintenance Eoads and Bridges.' With the above improvements the road will be a good summer road. The maintenance and improvements previously reported as being necessary for reducing the sharp rocky points and filling in at quick bends will require to be provided for, say, £100 per annum for two or three years." With regard to the southern end of the road, Mr. Barr reports as follows : " On the Ist February last I reported the completion of these works as executed by the co-operative system of labour. The total length of roa.d opened up has been seventeen miles, the greater part of the country traversed being rough. The nine miles of that next the Maerewhenua were done under the direction of the engineer to the Waitaki County Council, and included long grades in very bad ground between the two branches of that river. The