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Mount Wathins Road —Hawksbury Survey District, Waikouaiti County. Road through Blocks IX., X., XL 1 mile twenty-three chains have been formed and culverted. About 1,800 acres of surveyed land, and 20,000 unsurveyed, will benefit by its construction. This road passes through sold land, and was commenced last year. Mr. J. Bdie, County Engineer, Tuapeka, reports :—- Beaumont to Miller's Flat Road —Benger and Beaumont Survey Districts, Tuapeka County. This road passes through Blocks IX. and XII, Benger, and Block VII., Beaumont, of which 2 miles forty chains have been improved by formation, culverts, and a bridge over Talla Burn, It is estimated that about 3,300 acres of surveyed, and 16^800 acres unsurveyed land, will be greatly benefited by ita construction. Mr, R. Hay, County Engineer, Taieri, reports:— Taieri Punt. —A punt to serve as a ferry at the mouth of the Taieri, has been constructed at the expense of the Government and the two counties of Bruce and Taieri. Taieri Bridge to Nenthorn Bridge Road —Nenthorn Survey District, Taieri County. Road formation and culverts, 6 miles twenty chains, through Blocks 1., 11., by which about 26,000 acres of surveyed land will be improved. This work was commenced last year. Mr. M. Paterson reports as follows : Road to Section 25, Block V., Glenkenich— Glenkenich Survey District, Clutha County. This road, between sections 1 and 9, Block L, 33 chains in length, has been formed, and culverts made. Approximately 10,400 acres of surveyed land will be benefited by its formation. Road from Sections 2 to 5,810ck V., Glenomaru —-Glenomaru Survey District, Clutha County. -■—This road has been cleared of bush for 3 miles 10 chains, thereby improving about 2,500 acres of surveyed land. Mr. C. H. Howorth, County Engineer, reports as follows : Wyndham to Otaraia, via. Mimihau —Wyndham and Tuturau Survey Districts, Southland County. This road through Sections 11, 52, 53, 54, Block 11., 10 and 20, Block 111., and 101, Block VII., is 2 miles 60f chains in length. It has been formed and culverted, drain pipes put in, bush cleared, crossings pitched and partly gravelled. This will improve about 14,800 acres of surveyed land. Pyramid Bridge to Waihaia Road —Wendon Survey District, Southland County. This road, between Sections 11, 12, and 8, 9, Block X., is 87 chains in length. It is formed, gravelled, and culverted. There has also been a bridge constructed on it, having a span of 20ft. The area of surveyed land benefited by this road is about 3,900 acres, and unsurveyed, about 14,800 acres. Pyramid Bridge —Wendon Survey District, Southland County.—This bridge consists of 3 spans of 80ft. and 2 spans of 20ft. and 14ft. roadway. The piles, which are of iron bark, are driven to an average depth of 20ft. below the bed of the river. The bridge was completed and opened for traffic on March 17th, 1886. Waikaka to Pyramid Road —Wendon and Chatton Survey Districts, Southland County.—This road passes through Blocks 111. and IX., and will be the means of improving something like 4,600 acres of surveyed land. Roads in Wendonside —Wendonside Survey District, Southland County. These roads, passing through Blocks I. and 11., will improve approximately 10,700 acres of surveyed and 21,600 acres of unsurveyed land. Road through Runs 177 and 257 (Tohanui to WaiJcawa) —Toetoes, Otara, and Waikawa Survey Districts, Southland County.—This road is cleared, formed, and culverted for 8 miles 77 chains Wateropenings, side-drains, and fascines were also made where required. It passes through Blocks IX., X., Toefcoes, 111., IV., V., Otara, and 11., 111., Waikawa, and will greatly improve about 20,700 acres of surveyed, and 11,100 acres unsurveyed land. The total length of road made or improved is 59 miles 3 chains, and 195,000 acres of surveyed land and 365,600 acres of unsurveyed land, have been increased in value thereby. C. W. Adams, Chief Surveyor.

SOUTHLAND. Road " BlacJcmount to Deferred Payment Land. —Proposed mileage, 2. Acreage that will be rendered more accessible, 5,000 acres. This work has been entrusted to the Wallace County Council. It consists chiefly of side cutting of uniform grade over the lowest saddle of the Blackmount Hill. This hill, which, owing to steepness, has hitherto been quite impassable for dray traffic, is the chief barrier to communication up the Waiau Valley. The work is very necessary, and will open up the agricultural terrace land extending along the Waiau, between Redcliffe Creek and Mararoa River. The County has arranged for a sectional survey of the road, but the work evidently cannot be proceeded with to any advantage till the winter is over. Forest Sill Tramway. —Mileage opened during year (extra to the 5 miles twenty-four chains previously opened), 5 miles. Acreage that has been rendered more accessible, nearly all of which has been now taken up on the deferred payment system, 5,000 acres. The extension of this tramway from the gap to the Makarewa River (5 miles) was completed some six months ago, and is now in use by the settlers. The original deferred-payment block in this locality embraced land of poor quality, and on this account was opened at the lowest figure permissible by law. All the deferred-payment sections have now been taken up, except two or three which show a large proportion of peat. The district tapped by the tramway has always been a backward locality, and putting aside the opening of Crown lands, the advantages conferred by the tramway have been distributed over a large area. Sedgehope Hoad. —Mileage gravelled to date, 1 mile. This work was entrusted to the Southland County Council. Some 80 chains of gravelling was done, being part of a 2 mile contract, the remainder of the work having been delayed till spring. The road runs along the Hedgehope stream from near the Titipua Stream, north-eastwards. The County contributed £1 for &\.