C.-l

90

Blue River and Turnbull River Track. —This is portion of Main South Boad, and the money has been expended in general repairs by Mr. Adair on behalf of the Westland County Council. The expenditure has principally been caused by land-slides, which take place after heavy rains on the south side of the saddle. Mahitahi-Paringa Track.— This is a portion of the Main South Eoad, and was very much in need of repairs. The track passed through some three or four miles of low swampy country, and was very much subject to scour from creeks on upper side. The repairs were done under the charge of Mr. Adair, for the Westland County Council, and I certified to the sum of £290 having been expended thereon in a satisfactory manner. Black Bridge. —A sum of money has been expended upon above bridge by the Brunner Borough Council, which I have certified to as being satisfactorily spent. There still remains a balance to credit from original vote. Poerua Estate. —The high floods of the 30th and 31st January did a deal of damage to this road through the estate, in so far as in places the formation has been washed out by an overflow of Slatey Creek. The side-drains have also been scoured to a depth of 4 ft., and in places the roadformation has been taken away to its centre, so that now traffic is almost blocked. As the settlers are now using the road for the conveyance of timber to build residences, I should recommend the road being put in order at once, and the metalling of it proceeded with, as in wet weather it is soft for wheel traffic. Makawhio to Mahitahi. —A balance of an old authority was expended in repairing one mile of above road. Greenstone-Teremakau Road. —The balance on hand from last year's vote has been expended upon this road, and it is in splendid order. The settlers can now get out with their produce to market whether the river is fordable or not. Bell Hill Road. —This road is now widened from a bridle-track to a dray-road for a distance of 1 mile 10 chains, being from Poerua Eailway-station to Deep Creek. The remaining portion, from Deep Creek to opposite Crooked Eiver Eoad, through the centre of Poerua Settlement, being a distance of 2 miles 30 chains, is most urgently required, as the settlers are now beginning to build up their homes, and they have to cart nearly all their timber from Poerua Eailway-station. Reefton-Hokitika-Ross Road. —During the past twelve months this 38 miles 31 chains of road has been kept in excellent order throughout, considering the wet season we have passed through. The raising of the Stafford Bridge with approaches has now been completed, and will do service for years to come. The Stafford protective works have withstood the different floods remarkably well, but they require a good deal of attention and extra labour, which has all to be charged to the general maintenance account. I have therefore" asked for a separate vote for this'work, which continually requires repairs on account of the quantity of tailings discharged into the creek by miners sluicing, but without those works the main road and lower part of Stafford would have been submerged at different times, and have caused a deal of damage. By the flood in January last the north approach to Arahura Bridge was swept away, and now there exists a gap of about 60 ft. between the end of the bridge and river-bank, having a depth of 25 ft. from top of decking. Since the date of the flood all traffic has been stopped by this route, and now passes over the railwaybridge, being about 30 chains further up the river. Should repairs not be effected to original trafficbridge it will be necessary to put the deviation road in proper repair, which at present is barely 9 ft. wide, and will likewise require a 9 in. coat of gravel all over, as at present it is very bare, and in places goes down upon the formation. The Paddy's Creek culvert and embankments constructed last year have answered admirably, and have given satisfaction to all. Between Hokitika and Kanieri a deal of heavy carting of stones to harbour-works was done, which cut up the road considerably, but now the carting has ceased a we have the road in fairly good order again. The bridge over the Hokitika Eiver at Kanieri has undergone a deal of repairs, and still more are necessary, as the original beams are now beginning to decay and must be replaced by new and sound timber. The bridge over Donnelly's Creek at Eoss will at once require to be strengthened, as a good many of the stringers are very much gone. About £150 is required to make this bridge safe. All the bridges and larger culverts along the whole route badly require a coat of tar for their preservation. Karangarua Bridge Approaches. —This track has now been finished; it leads to the upper fords of the river. Formerly the lower fords and lagoon had to be crossed, and these were bad, being subject to quicksands and unsafe for horse traffic, but the completion of the track now obviates this. New Road, Stafford to Awatuna. —2o chains of this road has been cleared and formed. Widening Cook's River Flat Rood.—A small sum was expended in general repairs to existing track. Construction Okuru River Ford Track. —An amount was expended in sowing grass-seed along slopes of new formation. W. G. Mueeay, Chief Surveyor.

CANTEEBUEY. Hokitika-Christchurch Road. —The cost of maintenance and repairs on this road during the year is £2,531125. lid. This is in excess of previous periods, due to the many floods which took place, one on the Ist February being an extremely severe one, causing considerable damage to the road, blocking the sideling-cuttings with large land-slips, and reducing width of same in several places in the Bealey Valley. In addition to the river scouring the road away in places, a short sidelingcutting near the 47- mile peg in the Bealey Valley had to be abandoned and the road put below it in the river-bed. During the winter the snow did not give much trouble, though a heavy fall in August blocked the road for a few days on Porter's Pass. A few men were put on to cut a road through the drift, and, being late in the season, the weather soon cleared the rest away. The