D.—2b.

more ballast. Bail-ends are skewed in many places, and the joints want respacing. Some of the curves are laid with 401b. steel, and it is intended to lay all of them in this way Sleepers are pretty good, though there are many poor sleepers in the road. Over three thousand sleepers are yearly relaid on the road. This is at the rate of 10 per cent., and is a very large allowance. 3. Thirteen bridges are entirely rebuilt in ironbark, and all the rest have had more or less renewals. Some are in very poor condition, chiefly owing to rotten piles, such as bridges at 1 mile 10 chains, 2 miles 76 chains, 4 miles 20 chains, 6 miles 8 chains, 6 miles 30 chains, 8 miles 50 chains, 11 miles 12 chains, 14 miles 50 chains, 14 miles 77 chains, 15 miles 41 chains, 15 miles 50 chains, 16 miles 36 chains, 16 miles, 42 chains. These bridges are safe, but they must be attended to pretty soon. The viaduct at Picton has been extensively repaired in ironbark, and what remains of original birch is good. Some piles, however, are getting done, and it is intended to replace them by concrete bases. There are a good few pieces which must be taken out before long in raking posts and other parts, and when this is done the bridge will be good for another period of years. The Tuamarina Bridge has had repairs, the old 60ft. trusses being taken down and replaced by short spans in ironbark, but the 30ft. spans are in poor condition, and want rebuilding badly The Wairau Bridge has had so many repairs that not much of the original remains. The repairers are at work on it now, and when they are done the bridge will be very good. The Opawa Bridge, fourteen years old, has many piles considerably gone, though enough heartwood remains for safety The matai trusses have had some repairs in ironbark, and what remains is good. When the bad piles are attended to, a few pieces taken out, and the iron plates and bolts painted, the bridge will again be in good condition. The bridges on the extension are new and good. 4. Fences are mostly private, and in poor condition. Near Blenheim are many hedges. Fourteen cattle-stops have been renewed with ironbark beams, and three have the original birch beams and sills and frames getting very old, but still good. 5. At Picton, station-house very good and well kept. Platform and privies and urinals very good. Weighbridge and house good. Goods-shed, front posts of platform and of studs and sills getting decayed, otherwise very good. Two small houses and stable in good order Sidings in good condition, but weedy Carriage-shed repaired and almost new Engine-shed very good. Blacksmith's shop, forge, and tools very good. Coal-shed and tank-stand very good. Elevation, sheltershed, all right. Mount Pleasant, shelter-shed good. Platform, front rotten. Koromiko, Stationmaster's house very old, but good. Shelter-shed all right. Wind-mill, tank-stand, and brick well new. Platform repaired and good. Pora, platform old, but good. Shelter-shed good, being renewed with new floor. Tuamarina, platform, front posts rotten. Shelter-shed good. Goods-shed very good. Spring Creek, goods-shed good. Shelter-shed very good. Platform repaired and good. Cottage very good. Tank-stand and loading-bank, ruinous condition. Grovetown, platform repaired and good. Shelter-shed very good. Platelayer's cottage ruinous and not used. Blenheim, platform good. Loading-bank and cattle-pen combined, good. Goodsshed very good. Crane all right. Carriage-shed, tank-stand, windmill, good. Coal-shed good. Privies and urinals, concrete floor, very good. Station-house, good and well kept. Engine in good order Picton Wharf Sea-wall of timber, planked, is in good condition. Piles of totara and birch could not be seen, owing to its being high water, but are said to be in fair condition. They are much eaten with sea-worms, and a large number of new piles will be required before long. The outer 100 ft. is very good, and new The planking is good. The other two low wharves have been renewed, and are in good order 6. Mile-posts have been renewed in rail-ends. About 2,000 birch and 700 ironbark sleepers are in stock for renewals , also some machinery, lathe engine, &c, which, originally imported, was never erected. Nelson to Belgbove (22 Miles). 1. Formation is all right, though very weedy in many places. Many banks have been widened. Bails are 1 mile 62 chains of 531b. steel, 3 miles 26 chains of 401b. steel, and 18 miles of 401b. iron. The first eight miles and the last three miles have good fish-plates, the rest being Ibbotson joints. The rails are fair, though there are a large number scaled and worn. A great deal of the line wants lifting, straightening, and more ballast. The line-repairers are busy at it, and many lengths have been resleepered and. reballasted. Three thousand sleepers are required yearly for renewals, equal to nearly 7 per cent. 3. The bridges have been almost entirely rebuilt in ironbark, except the piles of totara, which are standing very well. One or two are still in want of repairs, as at 5 miles 8 chains, which has had some bad beams propped for the present until it is repaired. At 14 miles 47 chains, two or three piles a little gone, and beams of birch getting old. It is to be rebuilt. At 20 miles 31 chains concrete bases undermined by flood, and going to be rebuilt. At 22 miles 44 chains, under repair. On the whole the bridges are very good. Culverts are masonry, with mostly new ironbark beams on them. 4. Fences are very old. They are repaired in places, damaged and burnt in others. Twelve cattle-stops have new ironbark beams, and thirty-one have birch beams, frames, and sills, old but still good, gates are pretty good, and signboards are being renewed in iron rails. 5. Nelson Station has been thoroughly restored, repainted, and made tidy, and is in first-rate order , a deep ditch cleared out and pitched with stone insures good drainage. All buildings are in good condition, and neatly kept. Machine-shop thoroughly repaired, well-painted, and slate roof. Upright boiler and engine very good. Machines all in excellent order Forges and tools very good. Bishopdale, platform and shelter-shed good condition. Stone-station , building and platform good, loading-bank in ruins. Platelayers' cottages repaired and very good. Bichmond: Tank-stands, posts a little decayed. Goods-shed very good. Loading-bank in ruins. Platform and privies and 6—D 2b.

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