DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS.

Evening Star, Issue 2873, 4 May 1872, Page 3

DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS.

ROADS AND WORKS, &c. The annual report of the Engineer for Roads and Works states that the cost of maintaining main roads during the year varied from L 35 18s to LlOl 14s, while the total cost, including a complete renewal of metal every six or twelve years, varied from L 99 16s to L 294 6s, while the averages under those two conditions are LB3 18s and L 145 17s, Among the road works recommended during the ensuing year are Portions of road adjoining Shag River ; at Shingle Terraces, Otepopo, on the Main North Road; construction of portions of the Palmerston to Eweburn road, at Coal Creek Hill; gravelling of portions of the Main North Road at Hampden, between the Kakanui River and Wairenaka Creek; metalling of road through Round Hill Saddle ; gravelling and pitching between Tuapeka and Teviot; extension of Clinton to Waipahi road ; portions of the Tokomairiro and Clutha road to be at once metalled; completion of the tracks to bead of Lake Wakatip and Lake M'Kerrow ; forming and gravelling road between Clyde and Cromwell, and formation of portions of road from Teviot to Alexandra. Among the bridges to be carried out are the following:—Hayes Lake, Piawata, Pleasant River (upper crossing), Pomahaka (Waipahi to Tapanui), Shotover (at Arthur’s Point), Lindsay’s Creek, and foot bridge at Arrowtown.

INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL. We learn from Mr Britton’s report that during the year the increase of inmates has been 37 —23 boys and 14 girls. At the date of the last report there were 90 children in the school, so that the total number was 127. During the year there were licensed out ten boys and four girls ; discharged from the institution, six boys and three girls, and there died one boy and two girls ; so that there are 56 boys and 45 girls there. Mr Britton reports favorably—and that he is able to do so must be very satisfactory to himself—on the conduct of those children now out at service, of whom there) are thirteen boys and eleven girls. Another subject for congratulations is, that while the number of inmates has increased largely, the expenditure has by strict economy been so regulated that there is a surplus under all votes—the average cost per child, now being 4s per week. f ! he master brings under the notice of Government, some necessary reforms, snoh as learning the boys to make boots, &c., which must be adopted if the Institution is to maintain its present efficiency.