D.—l

58

the 26th February. As more particularly described in my last annual report, the works on this portion of the branch are moderately easy, and the line and levels particularly good Ihe working survey of the remainder of the branch has been completed during the year It shows the works on the unmade portions to be somewhat heavy ■ there will be 14 chains of tunnelling and a considerable amount of rock- and earth-cutting and bridging beiiJ^n^^TfiT 7*c^ rad.ius> aV° n the mfti°lin. e; but gradient is easier, 18 m!les 10 chai Js ' I<S m&in line &t Inyertiel to Ratlin's Eiver, is WaipaU-Reriol Burn Brmcl.—L few station-works have been put in hand, and carried out tSZZ^'&^^ISS^ -dKelso'.^ ito- water-s Uppl yat CoS Hills, A working survey of the remainder of the distance to Heriot Burn, the point to which the line is authorized, was made m 1880; and it is now proposed to prepare a contract for tL formation on a and are S ' " '**" " *<*"«**% ea^> ™> the curves *f^mfc%"il >'ft^^ r? <'*1 ~ra? l'c i fonnatioll °n the first scctionof this branch, a length of about 1W and ,t?H™° for f nearly *w° 7f™i and a contract has just been entered into for the platelaying and stations Thei section extends from the mam line at Edendale to the Township of Wyndham therefore°be expected? ' Centl>e °f * g°°d diStriCt< A f&ir am°UD' °f traffic ma^ n dei 2a I re als° invited for tKe fo*™ation of a further length of three and three-quarter miles called the Mokoreta Section. The earthworks, which are generally light, comis r nciJalTy of a low oTer atnTwvnlr gthfr r-b.n' f ail dSmall f^F thr°Ugh over the Wyndham, of three 40-feet spans, of timber, on concrete piers and abutments made dJZ }£ g VI? fmtheT extensiou of the branch to the Waimahaka Valley has been stKChiXeplidfeor nofc complete; they show the TOTks to be hea^ -d tte ■ ■ • Otago Central Baiiavay. con ß e^ue n eHvS rk l^*" inf tvi q S. ectio]l was finished at the date of my last annual report, consequently the only important work in progress during the year was the tunnels. The first tunnel of 303 yards in length, has been pierced and lined throughout, and 160 yards out of the 446 in thu summit tunnel has been pierced by a bottom heading. The material is clay late! very much dl or ed obvil T C<mBV Bt? nCJ '- CoM u e4ueH% the whole length will possibly want lining. In order to Wi JX Pc'ISe ?* T^ , Wl' eD W°^ ing dOW" hil1 ' th 6 tunne^is olll> driv™ lower end With the exception ot finishing up the small piecework contracts in progress at the end of last the only portion of the line from Chain Hills right to Hawea Lake of which there is no wortog survey iNTEECAEGILL-KISTGSTOIf EaILWAT, WITH BIUKCHES. dnrin^fl Mllj comtluf. on-woAf. carried out or in progress on the Invercargill-Kingston Eailway during the year are on the main line. Leaving out minor alterations and additions, they consist nrin cipally of he following: Etver protective works and additional openings at varons places in Z SoE o!tZ& Yf°l V Bheltr- BbedB at Waildwi' Lad^ Barkl >' °''d>s' ntre B»^ Notomai and aSdX^l°^S a:;fLunirn den ; Wat—iceS at Oreti »•> L-d- i turntable at Kingston /Sd "Western Hallways. was iSTn* f°r tJ e.fonMHon, °* llie 1/ illia £ectiol!' 10* miles, which brings the line to Orepuki was entered into m February, and the works are progressing satisfactorily With the exception of seven cuthngs, ranging from 5 to 20 chains long, and from 8 to 15 feet deep a d embankments to correspond, the earthworks are comparatively light and there are only eight small bribes h™ in! n all one span of 30 feet, two spans of 20 feet, fourteen of 13 feet, and (en of 11 feet § ' g Ihe steepest gradient on the Pahia Section is 1 in 55, and the sharpest curve 20 chains radius The Ni.htc^O °P g °f tht 6XtenSlof from °tautaU t0 Wairio is 10 mlles 55 chains. EOADS AND BRIDGES. Nelson Distbict.