D.—2b.

22

Rangiora to Amberley 1. The formation is in good order and clear of weeds. 2. Bails, 561b. iron, some are worn, but most are very good. Ballast and sleepers good sleepers have had extensive renewals very lately, and the road is in excellent condition. 3. The Ashley Bridge has ironbark piles in good condition , caps are totara, but many have been renewed in ironbark. The trusses are totara. and have had several pieces taken out and renewed in ironbark, so that what remains is good. The floor-beams are renewed in ironbark to carry heavier engines. This bridge is in good condition now but it will require extensive repairs in six or eight years, as the totara in the trusses gives way to the weather Two other truss-bridges have had extensive renewals in ironbark, and are in good condition. Most of the bridges have ironbark piles, caps, and beams. A few totara piles and caps are very good and altogether the bridges are in good condition. Two or three are entirely new in ironbark, and many have had concrete abutments built in place of the old timber back-lining. There are few culverts, and all are in good order 4. Fences, post and wire, are generally good, though old, and there are some miles of private fences. Cattle-stops have all ironbark beams, and most of them rest on sills. Many of these sills, as well as the frames of the cattle-stops, are getting very old, and will require repairing sooner or later A few have concrete walls. Signboards and gate-posts are generally good, and kept well painted. 5. Intermediate stations are all in good order and preservation especially so are the buildings. Posts of cattle-pens and piles of loading-banks are going at ground in some places, but mostly are fairly good. Cattle-pens, many renewed in iron rails and some platforms have stone fronts, which most likely have replaced old timber fronts. Amberley Station is in excellent condition, all the buildings being well preserved and neatly kept. Fine platform, with stone front. Tank-stand, with air-engine, in good condition. Cattle-pen posts going at ground, but otherwise good. All privies and urinals on this section clean and good. 6. Mile-posts good and well painted. Amberley to Waikari. 1. The formation is in excellent trim—neat, clean, and well drained. 2. The rails are 531b. steel, comparatively new, and very good, The line is so well ballasted that very little can be seen of the sleepers. We are told that they are mostly very good, though in one or two places we saw a few with ends dozed or partly rotten. The line is in very fine running trim. 3. The bridge over the Waipara has thirty-one spans of 40ft. trusses. The trusses are kauri, and have been extensively renewed in ironbark. The floor-beams are kauri, but the rail-beams have been mostly replaced by ironbark. The kauri looks old and dry though still good , but in a few years more of it will be renewed in ironbark until the whole of the kauri is taken out. The piles are ironbark, and the bridge is in good condition. Bridge 149 is a high viaduct in kauri, standing on concrete bases with totara sills. Many pieces have been taken out and renewed in ironbark, and the bridge is in good condition. Smaller bridges ! have totara piles and caps and ironbark beams, all very good. Under the heavy banks throagh Weka Pass are stone arched culverts , and many open culverts are stone and concrete abutments and ironbark beams, all in good condition. All ironbark beams and other pieces are renewals put in to repair decay or strengthen bridges for heavier engines. 4. Fences are in fair preservation, though in some places the posts are getting rotten. Cattlestops are rapidly getting rotten as far as frames and sills are concerned. Some have birch beams, which are propped to carry heavier weights, and must be renewed but most of them have new ironbark beams. Gates and signboards are in very good order 5. The stations buildings, platforms, goods-sheds, loading-banks, cattle-pens, engine-shed, and cottages are all in good condition. Only in a few places are front posts of platforms and loadingbanks and posts of cattle-yards showing signs of decay 6. Mile-posts are good. Waikari to Culverden. 1. Formation is in good order, well kept and well drained. 2. Bails are 531b. steel. The road is well ballasted, and the sleepers good, but a few half rotten are seen here and there. On the whole, 5 per cent, of the total sleepers are yearly renewed. 3. The Hurunui Bridge has land spans on ironbark piles with kauri caps. The centre spans are on cylinders. The superstructure is kauri, and has been extensively renewed in ironbark. There are many bad pieces still in. Some have been fished with ironbark, and otherwise strengthened. It is in fair condition now, but it will not be long before the kauri in it must be entirely renewed. It is only ten years old. Some of the bolts are too small for the heavy engines, and will be replaced with stronger Of the smaller bridges, many are entirely renewed and others extensively repaired in ironbark, and all are safe and good. Bridges 161 and 162 are getting old, and will soon require renewals. The culverts on this section are very satisfactory, almost all of them being in masonry or concrete and ironbark. 4. Fencing is in fair repair, and much of it consists of iron standards and wire , the wooden posts are getting done, and will before long require more repairs than they receive at present. Cattle-stops are getting very old and shaky, but the important part of them, the beams, are mostly renewed in ironbark. Some of birch and totara remain, which are getting old, but they are safely propped in the middle. Gates and signboards are good. 5. The stations are in very good condition, platforms have stone fronts, and everything is neat and proper Privies and urinals clean and good. At Culverden Station, house, goods-shed, engineshed, coal store, two cottages, windmill, tank-stand, turntable, cattle-pen, loading-bank, privies, and urinals all in good order and neatly kept. 6. Mile-posts good and well painted.