E.—3.

4

fifty If! nni SPrm^fic: ld t0 Vealey will during the year, require about one hundred and ZiZJ in" nd aSe"eral °; erhauL , to Arahura Junction, about six hundred nSar 7 Orde% tO f nder Ac Hne Saf6 ' and the Hne diverted in Places> ™ld<^d necessa yby the encroachment of the rivers in order to render this line comparatively safe during the winter months some slight expenditure has already been incurred. Ihe Oxford and Kaiapoi line during the summer months received a careful overhaul Ihe \\ aiau hne that portion of it north of the Waipara River where it leaves the main line w,ll require some repairs; these will be effected during the winter as opportunity offers Ihe main line from Cmstchurch to Addington, about a mile in length, owing to the number of ines it has to carry, will require to be entirely reconstructed, and thirty-five feet poles erected in the place of the present twenty-five feet. " a bolih-nel?r i 'p on, andmrrT gei:ne l nt r ,of the railway tele£raPns iv this section, consequent on the abolition of the Railway Telegraph Department has also been placed under the control of this department since the Ist of June 1880. Additions to the railway-stations at Kirwee, Spring! Kw^ haVC *"**> S amalgamations wifh + eJS? i? 06/* Malve™ has been closed al)d the business removed to the railway-station at Sheffield and reopened under the charge of the lineman, who also acts as telegraphist. The office at the Rakaia has been moved to the railway platform; of the above offices, Sheffield Springfield, Kirwee and St. Andrews have been opened to the public during the past year, and m the suburbs of Christchurch the new office built at Sydenham has been openedLd is worked by telephone in connection with the Ohristchurch office The other portions of this section call for no special comment, the lines with the exception of those specially alluded m the foregoing being in fair condition. From Cheviot to Collingwood and the West Coast Lines (as far as Arahura Junction, including the Ross Line) Vph ThC H frtto Collinf r r )od ' 7 Wch was commenced in February, 1880, was completed in February of this year This extension commences at Motueka and passes through Takaka el route to Collmgwood; an office has been opened at Takaka, and a temporary one at Collingwood pending he erection of the new office. This line is worked by telephone from MotuS, the station at Takaka, for purposes of maintenance, has been placed in charge of a lineman The hne from Richmond to Motueka has been placed in thorough repair ; these repairs were effected by the party in charge of the construction of the Collingwood line. Between Blenheim and Kaikoura the line sustained considerable damage during the month of August last; it is now in good repair The line between Kaikoura and Cheviot is now undergoing a general overhau some of he totara poles erected in 1868, showing signs of decay, have been repkced by new ones and additional poles have been inserted at the Amuri, where the line runs near the sea coast' with a view of improving the insulation by giving each wire a separate support, and thus in a measure avoiding weather contact. Between Reefton and the Lyell the sapling poles in places cut from the mountain totara, on examination showed signs of decay, and it was decided to renew them with sawn totara poles. This work was commenced in April, 1880, and finished in January last. Considerable improvements have been effected, such as strengthening the angles and straightening the line. A deviation was made from the bridle-track to the dray-rokd recently formed at the Bui er River crossing, which will render the line more secure and enable repairs to be more speedily effected. To render the line more secure from falling timber the bush in places has been cleared further back. Between Greymouth and Ahaura during the next summer it is proposed to replace the totara saplings by sawn totara poles, and to further clear the tall bush through which the line passes. The rest of the lines on this section are in good 7S' th • ordinary yearly examination, will not require much expended on them Auckland Lines (including the Waikato, and Lines north of Auckland, and as far south as Grahamstown vid the Thames) The line from Auckland to Grahamstown, with the exception of a few miles, has undergone a thorough overhaul and in several places, where it ran through private property, has been shifted on to the road to facilitate inspection and future maintenance any kauri poles, showin" signs of decay at the ground line, have been blocked with butts cut from the hear of totara and bolted to the kauri pole tor a length of three feet above the ground. The scrub and S places has been cut down in order to render the line secure from fire. It is anticipated this line will not require much money expended on it during the next three years The hne from Grahamstown to Coromaudel has been repaired and strengthened throughout and new totara poles have been inserted where rendered necessary by sundry deviations The tinman s station at Hastings has been closed. During the year there has been very little done to the lines south of Mercer beyond laying gravel round the poles on the Ohaupo line as a safeguard against the peat-bog, which at times takes fire from sparks from the passing engine The line to Alexandra during the next summer will be overhauled, and all defective kauri poles ren dered secure by means of totara blocks. From a pole-to-pole examination of the ManukTu Heads line it has been ascertained that a very heavy percentage of the kauri poles show signs of decay at the ground line, and will have to be supported by totara blocks to render the line