D.—l

74

South End. Parnassus Section (35 m. 50 eh. to 44 m. 13 eh. — Bmiles 43 chains in length). —With the exception of one loop at Spotswood, the formation, platelaying, and ballasting are complete. The buildings are in hand, and should be finished and the line ready for handing over in about two months. Mendip Section (44 in. 13 eh. to 51 m. — 6 miles 67 chains in length). —A contract has been let for the steel girders of the Leader River Bridge. A fair amount of work has been done up to 48 m., but beyond nothing is in hand except a water-drive at the Hookamsnywy Creek. Midland Railway. Nelson~W estland Section, North End. Glenhope Section (49 in. 55 eh. to 59 in. 17 eh. — 9 miles 42 chains in length). —This section is completed with the exception of a few days' work boxing-in the ballasting on the last mile, and the Glenhope Station buildings, which are well advanced. The Summit cutting at 55 m. 30 eh. gave a good deal of trouble in slipping, but now appears stable. Kawaliri Section (59 in, 17 eh. to 65 in. —-5 miles 63 chains in length). —The bushfelling and clearing has been done on the first 2 miles of this section, and cuttings are in hand up to 60 m. 60 eh. Culverts are being built in advance of the earthworks as required. Nelson-W estland Section, Sunlit End. Cronadun—Landing Section (45 m, 40 eh. to 54 m. — 8 miles 40 chains in length). —The station buildings at Rotokohu and Landing are completed, and general maintenance-work has been carried out, pending the handing-over of the section to the Railway Department. Landing - Inangahua Junction Section (54 ra. to 60 m. — 6 miles in length). —The bushwork is completed as far as 59 m., to which point the formation is also in hand. Pending the construction of the junction with the Westport-Inangahua Railway, a temporary station will be constructed at 58 m. 30 eh. The foundations of the Hard Creek Bridge have been excavated. Canterbury-W estland Section, West End. Otira Section (50 iii. 38 eh. to 51 ra. 10 eh. — 1 mile 2 chains in length). — Extensive groyne protection has been rendered necessary by the encroachment of the Otira River on the railway bank approaching the Rolleston Bridge. This work is now in hand. Arthur's Pass Tunnel Contract (51 ra. 40 eh. to 59 m. 40ch.—8 miles in length). —At the Otira end 1 mile 30J chains of tunnel have been completed, and the, bottom heading is 38f chains further advanced. At the Bealey end 23| chains have been completed, and the heading driven a further IJ chains. This leaves 3 miles 8J chains between headings and 3 miles 51 chains between completed portions. The approach-banks are making fair progress, and the Arthur's Pass Station is being formed. Canterbury-Westland Section, East End. Cuss Section (12m. 18ch. to 27 ra. 40 eh. — 15 miles 22 chains in length). —The buildings have been completed and handed over to the Railway Department, who have been operating the line since December, 1910. Bealey Section (21 m. 40 eh. to II n>. 46 eh., or east end of Arthur's Pass Tunnel Contract—l 3 miles 75chains in length) . —The formation of the section is complete to 38 m., ami the balance is about half-finished. The work includes heavy cuttings and shingle-banks along the Waimakariri and Bealey Rivers, necessitating a large amount of protective works by means of wire gabions and heavy rock. The gabion protection-work is completed to 38 m., but a good deal of heavy rock is still required. The ('ass, Waimakariri, and Douglas Creek bridges are finished, and those over the Bealey, Halpin Creek, and Rough ('reek are about to be started. The rails are laid to 36 in., and partly ballasted to 31 m. Two cottages have been erected at Coralin. Westport-Inangahua Railway. Te Kuha Section (0 m. to 5 ra. 74 eh. — 5 miles 74 chains in length). —This section has been completed ami handed over to the Railway Department, Ist April, 1912. Cascade Section (5 in. 74ch. to 12 m. — 6miles 6chains in length). —Portion of this work under the co-operative system, 5 m. 74 eh. to 6 m. 35 eh., is almost completed, and the balance as far as 10 m., let in small contracts, is well in hand. The tunnel at 6m. loch, is completed. Though through granite, it required timbering and then lining throughout. Contract No. 1 (6 m. 35cii. to 6m. 70 eh.) : Over half the contract is completed. Contract No. 2 (6 m. 70 eh. to 7m. 2 eh.) : This contract should be completed within a month ; portion of the tunnel on this contract was taken out as an open cutting ; the rest gave no trouble. Contract No. 3(7m. 3 eh. to 7m. 135 eh.) : Completed. Contract No. I (7m. 135 eh. to 7m. 21 eh.) : Completed. Contract No. 5(7m. 22 eh. to 7m. 33 eh.): Completed. Contract No. 6(7 m. 335 eh. to 7m. 385 eh.) : Completed, Contract No. 7(7 m. 46-60 eh. to 8 m.) : This contract is about one-third completed ; the work done includes the concrete abutments of bridge at 7m. 65 eh. Contract No. 8(8m.to Bm. 385 eh.): Not much progress has been made with this contract. Contract No. 9(8 m. 42 - 4 eh. to Bm. 50*5 eh.) : This contract is more than halffinished. Contract No. 10 (8 ni. 505 eh. to Bm. 65 eh.) : Very little progress is evident on the con-