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92

Hooker Bridge. —This work was carried out and described last year. A board or two was stripped off this year by the heavy gales, and was repaired by the surfacemen at Birch Hill, and the change in temperature made it necessary to tighten up the cables a little with the union screws provided for that purpose. The Birch Hill sheep were driven over the bridge on to the Mount Cook spur, and this must be a great convenience, as the runholders, with such access, can make the most of the country, and are no longer dependent on the state of the fords for getting the sheep on and off what is an excellent summer feeding-ground. Rocky Gully Bridge. —Amount of vote, £50, as a pound-for-pound subsidy. The bridge is for the use of stock, and will be attached to the present railway-bridge over Eocky Gully Creek. The work will be carried out by the Working Eailways staff, that department charging the Mackenzie County Council the sum of £95 therefor. The usual wing-fences and approaches will be made by the Council, subject to approval of the Eailway Department. Tengawai Stock-bridge. —-£BO, as a pound-for-pound subsidy, was granted the Mackenzie County for this work. The bridge is attached to the existing railway-bridge over the lower Tengawai, and has a length of 154 ft., exclusive of sloping approaches 30 ft. long at each end, width 3 ft. 6 in., and was constructed by the Working Eailways staff to the order of the County Council. Selwyn Bridge. —This bridge was completed on the 4th August last, the total cost being £2,839 18s. lid., less £100 received for the old bridge, the Government vote-in-aid being £1,500 as a pound-for-pound subsidy; out of this amount £500 has been paid over, and an application for the balance dve —viz., £869 19s. 6d. —has' been forwarded. The work, which was fully described last year, was carried out by contract under the supervision of the Selwyn County from plans prepared by E. Dobson, M.I.C.E. Waimakariri-Ashley Irrigation. —Vote, £500, out of which expenditure has taken place on the following works : Eangiora district—constructing the Fernside and Eangiora Eaces, 10 miles 44f chains; South Fernside branch races (partly out of vote), 13 miles 39-chains ; and Peacock'sDavis's Eace, four miles. Mairaki district—Hurleys-Turners Eace, 1 mile 24 chains; and Winters-Elliots Eace, 1 mile 62 chains :in all a length of 31 miles 9f chains. The balance of the vote is being expended on various small loop-races in the Township of Oxford, Cooper's Creek subdivision, a total length of about a mile. The bottom width of the races is 1 ft., with flat side-slopes except where the cuttings are over 18 in. in depth, when the side-slopes are Ito 1. All depressions at gullies, &c, are crossed either by flumes or embankments, with side-banks 2f ft. wide on top, with side-slopes of If to 1. All the contracts for these races include the necessary flumes and culverts, which are of a substantial character, also fords at road-crossings, pipes, &c, and everything necessary for the efficient working of the races. In addition to the before-mentioned amount expended, £100, the balance of a previous vote of £300 was paid over on account of works in the Brown's Eock subdivision completed last year, and which were fully described at that time. Hekeao Settlement Roads. —These works, reported as in progress last year, are now drawing to a close, and I expect shortly to be notified of their completion, when all the roads within the settlement, a length of 540 chains, will have been formed and metalled. In addition to these roadworks, 305f chains of fencing, enclosing the plantation reserves within the settlement recently planted by the Ashburton County, have been erected at a cost of £172 10s., the Government paying £105 towards same; also deviating and constructing a water-race to give Sections 23, 31, 32, 33, and 34 a water-supply, at a cost of £17 2s. Bd. Albury Settlement Roads. —Contracts are in progress for the completion of these works, which will absorb the amount available—viz., £365 (Land for Settlements Account). The works comprise forming to a width of 18 ft. the road between Sections 44 and 45, the road between Sections 46 and 48, and the road between Sections 49 and 51 —in all a length of 202 chains—and shingling the same as far as the amount available will allow. The Mackenzie County are carrying out the works, under the supervision of the department. Rangitata River-mouth Protective Works (Reserve 100). —An expenditure was incurred with the object of diverting the course of the river, which during floods encroaches on the above reserve. The work carried out comprised the erection of 15 chains of fencing, in four sections, composed of 12 ft. railway-iron posts, driven 8 ft. in the ground at intervals of 22 ft., bored for twelve wires 4 in. apart; between the posts, and at intervals of 5f ft., willow-stakes were driven not less than 2 in. in thickness, and strutted with stakes of the same dimensions. All the works were carried out in one ordinary contract, the department supplying the materials. Shortly after the completion of the works they were, unfortunately, put to a very severe test by one of the heaviest floods known for years, with the result that practically half the fences have been damaged. They, however, have done good work, and prevented the destruction of more of the bank by making dead-water, and causing the silt to deposit above them, and are still affording a great deal of protection. To repair the damage would cost from £15 to £20, but £100 might be spent with great advantage in erecting additional fences, with banks at the back of them. Otarakaro Drain. —A small contract for this work was carried out by two of the settlers, and comprised the cutting of a drain through Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and church property Eeserve 51, into the existing drain along the Clyde Boad, in order to provide an outlet for the stagnant water which accumulated during wet seasons on these sections. Pawaho Hamlet Road. — A small sum was expended during the year in the formation of the road passing through Sections 22, 23, and 24 a length of about 15f chains. The work comprised chiefly side-cutting, and was carried out under the supervision of the department, by two of the settlers, in one ordinary contract. Planting Reserves, Mackenzie County. —A considerable sum has been expended during the year on planting that portion of Eeserve 2923 adjoining and south of the block previously planted, an area of about 20 acres, and enclosing same with a wire-netting fence 42 in. wide, If in. mesh, and 16 gauge, and sunk in the ground 6 in., barb-wire above top of netting. Altogether about five