25

Gl—2 :

Education Reserves, Southland County, Wendon District. —2 miles formed, metalled, and stoneand box-culverts put in; 6,000 acres of surveyed land benefited by it. Waikaka to Wendon and Greenvale. —78 chains formed, gravelled, and 12in.-pipe side-drains laid down ; 6,000 acres of surveyed land benefited by it. Fortrose to Waihawa through Buns 177 and 257. —Tw0 contracts of 7 miles 25 chains are in progress, consisting of formation, water-openings, side-drains, box-drains, and stream-diversions, and when they are completed there will be a continuous road between these two places, benefiting 13,000 acres of surveyed, land. Two or three miles at the Waikawa end, which were formed some time ago, will have to be repaired, and two or three branch roads will have to be opened through the land now being surveyed. The main road should also be extended at the Waikawa end, and a new jetty erected. Mr. C. H. Howorth, the Southland County Engineer, supervised the expenditure of these three items. By the above it will be seen that a total of nearly 87 miles of road has been improved, giving better means of access to over 80,000 acres of surveyed land and nearly 160,000 acres of unsurveyed. It is difficult to over-estimate the importance of those pioneer roads, as without them it would be simply impossible to settle the Crown lands in most cases ; and it is a matter of regret that more money cannot be spared for this purpose, as these roads are the most truly reproductive works that can be undertaken. C. W. Adams, Chief Surveyor.

SOUTHLAND. Blachnount to Deferred-payment Land (Waiau). —Mileage formed, If miles; acreage rendered better abcessible, 5,000 acres. This road has been formed on an almost uniform ascending grade from Ligar Creek, near the Blackmount Homestead, to the saddle overlooking the Eedcliffe Creek. The works consist mainly of side-cutting and of culverts. The money already expended has enabled the road to be made passable to the Ligar-Eedcliffe Saddle, but, ere through traffic up the Waiau Valley can become possible, an additional piece of side-cutting will be necessary from the saddle above mentioned to the flat along Eedcliffe Creek. The forming of this piece of road would open up a considerable amount of passable land, and would complete a much-needed link on an important line of communication (up Waiau Valley to Mararoa). Waimatuku Bush. —Mileage formed, &c, If miles nearly ; acreage rendered better accessible, 1,800 acres. The work done on this road during the past year consists of 112 chains of formation and ditching, 17 chains of bushwork, and thirteen culverts. The work is in continuation of bush-felling that was done on the same road during the previous year. Some formation, ditching, &c, still require to be done. The road runs nearly north-and-south through the heart of the Waimatuku Bush, and connects the Waianiwa and Waimatuku country on the north with the beach road from Invercargill to Eiverton on the south. Apart from opening up a considerable extent of land, the road in question will prove, I feel sure, a great public benefit in linking two districts which, though lying close, were hitherto quite inaccessible the one from the other. It must be remembered that between Invercargill and Eiverton there is practically no side road connecting the Beach Eoad with the road in Wallacetown: hence the public utility of the road now being formed, apart from the fact of the bush sections being themselves tapped. Winton Tramway to Winton Forest. —Mileage bush felled, 1 mile; acreage that will be rendered better accessible, 500 acres. This road runs along the eastern boundary of East Winton from tramway due north into forest. The saw-mill timber has now been taken off this part of the forest, and in time, no doubt, settlement will gradually take place from the tramway northwards. Bush Land, Makareiva. —Mileage, \ mile nearly; acreage rendered better accessible, 400 acres. The work done this year comprises only 17 chains of formation and gravelling, and is simply a slight extension of the work done last year. The road from North Eoad eastward for some 1-J- miles is now a fairly good one. Waikiwi Suburban. —Mileage made, -J mile nearly; acreage that will be rendered better accessible, 150 acres. The work done consists of 37 chains formation and ditching. The road extends from near Waikiwi Eailway-station westward to and across Waikiwi Creek parallel to West Plains Eoad. The land will not sell till it has been tapped in some way, the country being naturally wet and low-lying. Wallacetown to Tomoporakau. —Mileage bush felled, &c, f of a mile; acreage that will be rendered better accessible, 150 acres. The work done consists of 50 chains bush-felling and clearing. It begins near south end of Dunlop Street, Wallacetown, and some distance from this eastward branches into two, one line running south-eastward and another south-westward to the Makarewa Eiver. Owing to inaccessibility, land would probably not be taken up or occupied till tapped by a road-line of some kind. Otaiara Bush. —Mileage made, &c, 2J miles; acreage that will be rendered better accessible, 700 acres. The work done during last year consists of 152 chains bush-felling, clearing, and grubbing, 195| chains formation and ditching, 48J chains gravelling, and thirteen culverts. This road-line runs through the heart of and is designed to tap the Crown lands in the Peninsula of Otatara Bush. The bulk of the vote has been spent in continuing the road southward to near the point of the peninsula; but, as Government are aware, part of it was devoted to the improvement of the road leading to the bush, some 50 chains there having been previously almost impassable. Seaward Moss to Aioarua Bay. —Mileage made, &c, 2-f miles ; acreage that will be rendered better accessible, 2,500 acres. The work done during last year consists of IIBJ chains formation and gravelling, 90 chains of tussocking (including light formation), also bridge of 21ft. span. This now leaves the entire road from Woodend to Awarua Bay gravelled and fit for traffic. In addition to this having been done, a portion of the road along the bay, near the head, has been tussocked and lightly formed, a small bridge having also been placed over Muddy Creek. Hitherto this creek

4— C. 2.