C—la

30

Statement showing Payments to Local Bodies in the Nelson Land District during the Twelve Months ended the 30th June, 1891, from "Thirds" of Deferred-payment and Perpetual-lease Lands, and "Fourths" of Small Grazing-runs.

MABLBOROUGH. Statement showing Payments to Local Bodies in the Maelbobough Land District during the Twelve Months ended 30th June, 1891, from "Thirds" of Deferred-payments and Perpetual-lease Lands, and "Fourths" of Small-grazing Rune. Deferred-payment and Perpetual-lease Lands : Nil. Small Grazing-runs: Nil. These have been allowed to accumulate during the year, the amount payable to local bodies being too small to expend advantageously ; no payments therefore have been made.

WESTLAND. Maintenance. Hokitika to Christchurch Road.— This is a dray-road from the Junction with the Loopline Eoad to the Canterbury-Westland Divide at Arthur's Pass, the principal mail-road to Westland, and the artery of communication during blockage of sea-ports by stormy weather, &c. Total length 39 miles, maintained by the General Government by day-labour, under the supervision of the Chief Surveyor, a Eoad Inspector at a weekly wage being in actual charge. Total expenditure for the year, £2,153 ss. ss. Parts of this road in bad weather are constantly in danger of being injured or destroyed by floods and land-slips from the surrounding mountain sides. A deviation of 23 miles in length has been for some time surveyed and graded, and plans, longitudinal and crosssections, prepared ready for calling tenders. This deviation, if constructed, would considerably reduce the danger of destruction of the road at present in existence. Haast Pass-track. —A bridle-track from the mouth of Haast Eiver to the Haast Pass ; total length, 48 miles. £109 12s. 6d. has been expended on the maintenance of this track during the year, included in which sum is the cost of erection of two shelter-huts of corrugated galvanised sheet-iron at points where in flooded states of the rivers travellers are frequently "stuck up." Close by the present sites of these huts were formerly existent wooden ones, which, in the improvidence of the "swagger," have been gradually pulled down and burnt. Numerous damages caused by slips during the severe weather experienced last spring, &c, have been repaired, and the replanking of the bridge over the Wills's Eiver has been commenced. Guide-posts and boards have also been erected at spots where the track leaves the bush and crosses the large expanses of riverflats. When the track is properly formed round the rocky points of the three bad bluffs—a matter requiring some blasting work —no detention to travellers will be caused except during heavy floods, and there will then be no danger of loss of life from attempts to push through by foot- or horsetravellers when the river is up. New selections of 680 acres of land, to which access is given by this track, have been made in the Upper Haast Valley during the year. Construction. Hunt's Beach to Makawiho Boad.—A bridle-road contract for three miles—clearing 33ft., formation 7ft., metal 4ft., finished—cost £479 18s. 6d. Forms part of the intended continuous Main South Eoad ; also repairs executed—removing bad snags at Makawiho Eiver ford, £3 10s. Makes accessible some 4,000 acres of good land, for portions of which applications are shortly to be made when date for selection is fixed. A bridge of 70ft. in length is wanted over the Manakaiau Eiver to make the communication perfect.

Local Bodies. Deferred-pay-ment and Perpetual-lease Lands. ILength, Locality, Description and Particulars of Work authorised by Land Board. Suburban North Road Board Stoke Road Board Waimea County Dovedale Road Board Upper Moutero Road Board .. Lower Moutere Road Board .. Stanley Brook Road Board .. Motupiko Road Board Tadmor Road Board Motueka Road Board Pangatotara Road Board Pokororo Road Board Riwaka Road Board Takaka Road Board Collingwood Road Board Buller County Inangahua County Grey County Amuri County *" ! £ s. d. 8 12 0 17 4 0 109 15 3 25 14 10 20 13 0 4 6 0 29 17 0 25 14 8 61 14 2 3 13 4 51 4 6 6 10 4 16 19 2 79 10 4 23 4 6 76 6 10 89 18 8 43 1 4 37 16 2 Expended upon roads leading to lands leased. Total ■ • I 731 16 1 i Sounds (in hand) •• I I 27 19 10