a—2

22

Mangatainoka Central Eoad: Contracts Nos. 1 and 2, comprising four miles and three-quarters of bushwork ... ... ... ... 426 18 0 Makakahi Eoad : Contracts Nos. 16 and 17, comprising three miles'and a half of bushwork ... ... ... ... ogq q n Mangatainoka North Eoad : Contracts Nos. 20, 21, 32, comprising five miles and three-quarters of bushwork, formation, bridges, and culverts ... 2,029 4 6 Makakahi Eoad : Contracts Nos. 25 and 26, comprising three miles of bushT work 249 5 0 In progress— ■ Central Mangaone Eoad : Contract No. 30, comprising three miles and a half of bushwork ... ... ... ... 264 0 0 Pahiatua Eock Eoad : Contract No. 31, comprising two miles of bushwork, formation, bridges, and culverts ... .'. ... ... 349 19 0 Dorset's Eoad, Eangitumau : Contract No. 34, comprising two miles and a quarter of bushwork, formation, and drains ... ... ... 680 16 0 Tawataia Boad : Contract No. 35, comprising 67 chains of bush-felling 1 chain wide, stumping 33ft. wide ... ... ... ... 45 1 0 Miscellaneous— Ten miles of grass-seed were sown along the lines cleared, and protectionworks were carried out on the Pahiatua-Mangahao Eoad. A party was employed to clear the slips on Contracts Nos. 1 and 2, Pahiatua-Mangahao Eoad. This road was also maintained for some time On the lorrtea Eoad a party of " unemployed" cleared and formed half a mile at a cost of £120 Ihe total cost of these last-mentioned works amounts to £226 13s. The whole of the Forty-mile Bush engineering surveys and works were carried out by Mr Eobert H. Eeaney, in a thoroughly satisfactory manner. Puketoi-Aohanga Country.—Mi. J. D. Climie, District Surveyor, laid off a line of roads from the saddle on the Tontea Eoad to the headwaters of the Aohanga on the East Coast Mr Chmie showed me over this line, and I formed the opinion that it had been laid off judiciously : it was an uncommonly difficult line to locate, owing to the gorgy character of the Makuri, the broken character of the country, the altitude of and the abrupt descent on the eastern side of the Puketoi ■Range. The length of this line is twenty, miles between the Tiraumea and Burling's Track •it should prove to be a very useful connection between the Bast Coast and the railways and centres of settlement, and should be constructed as soon as possible. Mr. Climie made engineering surveys and plans of five miles and a half of this and adjacent roads. The area of Crown lands benefited is about twenty-five thousand acres. Kaiwhata District.— The final payment was made to the Wairarapa South County Council on account of works executed on about seven miles and a half of the Gladstone-Kaiwhata Eoad which was improved by bush-felling, stumping, bridging and culverting, and formation, to fit this line for horse-trafhc. About twenty thousand acres of Crown lands were more or less affected by this expenditure. The total amount expended in the foregoing works, or in connection with this, was about * 12 ' 000 - J. W. Maechant, Chief Surveyor.

NELSON. Pigeon Valley to Motueha. —The work done on this road has been in the hands of two Eoad Boards. The Waimea Eoad Board has completed 125 chains in widening the present horse-track into a dray-road, at a cost of £156 10s., and specifications are being prepared for the amount of balance of sum allotted—viz., £93 10s. The Upper Motueka Eoad Board have widened the horse-track to a dray-road for a distance of two miles, at a cost of £250. An area of about a thousand acres is rendered more accessible. Pretty Bridge, Valley Boad.—This work is also in the hands of the Waimea Eoad Board. Of forming, part metalling, and improving the above road 160 chains have been completed, at a cost of £150 16s. 2d. ; and work is being undertaken to the amount of balance due—viz., £49 3s. 10d. Dovedalc Boad.— -Three contracts were let by the Dovedale Eoad Board for the formation of ■ dray-road with better grade over the Dovedale Saddle. The work done was 75 chains in length, at a cost of £200, and was constructed on a graded line surveyed by Mr. H. Tarrant two years ago. The above road was supervised by the department. Tadmor Boad.— After some delay the last contract, No. 21, length a mile and three-quarters, has been let and completed at a cost of £406, and the line is now opened for traffic throughout for a distance of seventeen miles and three-quarters. The bush throughout has been felled 66ft. wide clearing 14ft., formation 12ft.; andfillings and approaches to bridges and culverts have been metalled! This road will give access to about ten thousand acres of land. Matahitahi Boad. —The Inangahua County Council was authorised to expend £500 in widening the existing horse-track into a dray-road, on condition that they expended also a like sum on the same. A contract has been let for £928 to Messrs. Campbell and Co., and two progress payments on Government account have been made, amounting to £285. This work is still in hand. Ahaura (Mason's) to Ilaupiri.— Mr. H. Tarrant made a survey of five miles, and prepared plans and specifications for widening the horse-track to a dray-road, with formation 14ft., and metalling 10ft. Contracts Nos. 32 and 33 were let in March for £563 and £744 respectively. The first is nearly completed, and has been delayed by bad weather, but little or no work has been done on the latter. One progress payment has been made on No. 32 of £178. A further survey of twelve miles to Mason's has been completed. Ahaura to Kopara and Amuri.—Mr. Tarrant has also completed the field work of twenty miles and a half from Mason's to the Ahaura Saddle, making a total of thirty-seven miles and a half of graded road-line, at a cost of £11 12s. Bd. per mile.