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gravelling, and the building of ten log culverts, between the Main Eoad, Invercargill to Bluff, and Section 14, Block 111., Carnpbelltown Hundred. Boad, Waikaka to Sivitzers. —Tho vote of £200 has been spent in carrying out the following work : Fifty-five chains of formation and gravelling, and the erection of two timber culverts. Boad, Pyramid Bridge to Waikaia. —The vote of £200 has been spent in carrying out the following work: Sixty-seven chains of formation and gravelling, and the erection of two timber culverts. Boad through Block 1., Wendon and Vvendo'nside. —The vote of £100 has been spent in carrying out the following work: Twenty chains of formation and gravelling, twenty chains of ditching, two chains of fascming, two and a half chains of creek diversion, and the erection of one box culvert. W. Aethue, Chief Surveyor.

SOUTHLAND. Bush Land East of Makarewa. —Mr. Howorth reports:—"The balance of vote of £500— namely, £195 13s. 4d. —has now been expended in carrying out the following work: Extending bush-felling, clearing, grubbing, formation, and ditching a further distance of ten chains, and forming and gravelling twenty-live chains of the worst portions of the road done the previous year." This road extends from the main north road running through Makarewa Township, in a due east direction for about a mile and a half. The work done during the past year, which consisted of some twenty-five chains of forming and gravelling and of some ten chains of bush-clearing, forming, and ditching, was with a view partly of extending the road-line further into the block and partly with the object of improving and making fit for permanent use portions of the road that had been cleared and partially formed during the previous years. I might report that the block is all bushclad ; but, as it lies in a good locality and is very accessible from a main road and from the railway, I have little doubt that by-and-by, in consequonce of the road expenditure that has taken place, the sections will be for the most part taken up. A considerable number of sections have been already purchased and settled upon, these being situated chiefly upon the road that has been formed; and the ultimate settlement of the remainder is merely a matter of time. Those sections of the block which abut upon other roads have not been taken up so largely as those along formed road; but as settlement progresses they will probably be all taken up. Road, Trig. FF } Oteramika Hundred, via Seaward Gorge, to Mataura Biver. —Mr. Howorth reports:—"—The vote of £000 was apportioned as follows: £100 to be spent between Trig. FF and Section 14, Block IX., and £400 from thence to Mataura Eiver. The following work on the first portion has been done to this date —namely, twenty-three chains of formation, twelve chains of ditching, and the building of nine log culverts; and on the latter portion 250 chains of ditching, 120 chains of formation." This road extends from near the head of the Oteramika Gorge southeastward through the gorge for several miles, till it strikes the Mataura Eiver. The lower portion of the road, near the Mataura Eiver, has been through heavy though rich swamp-land, there having been 250 chains of ditching and 120 chains of formation at this part. The road from near the head of the gorge to the beginning of the swamp has also been greatly improved and made passable; some twenty-three chains of formation, twelve chains of ditching, and nine log-culverts having been found necessary along the route. The latter piece of work, while being indispensable ere the lower portion of the road could be easily got at, will, in addition to serving the purpose of opening up Crown lands, be an immense boon to many of the settlers in the gorge, who for years have enjoyed only a very precarious kind of access to their homesteads. Boad tJirough Seaward Bush between Blocks 111. and TV., Oteramika Hundred. —Mr. Howorth reports : —A contract has recently been let to absorb £319 voted for this road to make an opening through the bush, and up to this date twenty chains of bush-felling has been done." This road runs from Oteramika Open due south through Seaward Bush to what is known on the map as " Seaward Moss." During the year the County Council, into whose hands the work was committed, called for tenders for some two miles or so of bush-felling; and this work is now in progress. To effect the purpose in view, and to tap the land on the south side of Seaward Forest, which was lately cut up into sections suitable for deferred-payment application, a further expenditure would bo required, and in the list lately forwarded by mo of moneys recommended to be spent to open up Crown lands you will find this road included. There is a considerable acreage of Crown land lately surveyed that is suited for settlement, and, though peat occurs here and there over the block, I think, if the land be offered on deferred payments and a passable means of access provided, a good many of the sections will probably be taken up. The land in this locality is in a most outlying and hitherto unapproachable position, and the desirability of having it opened up and settled in some form is very apparent. It is true that in the large block lying between Seaward Bush and the ocean there is an immense amount of comparatively useless land ; but here and there, particularly in the region lately cut up into sections, there is a good deal of comparatively promising land that is bound to be taken up and settled upon within the next few years. Without a road to give it access, however, it may remain unapplied for for many years to come. Boad running along Mokotua Creak from Bluff Boad towards Block XII., Gampbelltoiun Hundred. —A small amount of money has been spent during the year in partly forming and rendering passable this road for a distance of nearly two miles from Bluff Eoad. The work done consisted of forty-six chains formation, fourteen chains of ditching, thirty-two chains of gravelling, and ten log culverts. A considerable amount of work has been done for the comparatively small sum expended, and I have no doubt that what has been done will be the means of inducing some of the sections in this locality to be taken up. Hitherto they have been totally neglected, and probably would long have remained so had some means of access, however imperfect, not been provided. It would be well, however,