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Clifden Ferry-Eastern Bush, Limestone Gorge. —An authority for £300 has been issued, to be expended on gravelling and general improvement of this road. The work is to be done by the Wallace County, but operations have not yet been started. Otautau Bridge. —A substantial structure of five 30ft. spans, with 50ft. of concrete approaches, has been placed across the Otautau Eiver, on the main road through the township of the same name. The bridge, which was under the immediate supervision of the Wallace County engineer, cost £860 135., of which £550 was granted by Government. Tisbury-Waimatua. —No operations within the year, but about a mile is now under contract for gravelling. Seaward Bush Boads. —A considerable amount of clearing and felling, logging-up, &c, has been clone on these roads, for the primary purpose of enabling the selectors of small sections in Blocks XXII. and XXIII., Invercargill Hundred, to work these to advantage. I propose to apply for an additional £150 to make some necessary formation, culverts, &c, and to sow these roads with grass-seed. Clifton to Seaward Bush. —This is really an extension of the work referred to in last paragraph, and of the same kind, also carried out under the co-operative system. Mataura Biver Protective Works. —This work, which is under the immediate charge of the engineer to the Southland County, has for its object the protection of the friable banks just above the Island Bridge, by placing about 800 cubic yards of rubble in the river. The work is now in progress. Makarewa to Grove Bush. —£lso has been spent by the Southland County in gravelling the worst portions of this road between these places, the length done being 45 chains. This will give better access to a few Crown sections, as well as an outlet to some deferred-payment sections, in Forest Hill Hundred. Wallacetown, Spar Bush, and Waimatuku Flctt. —The vote of £150 was supplemented by an equal sum of Southland County funds, and was mainly expended by that body in closing up bad gaps in gravelling on the principal thoroughfares between these places. Wallacetown-Byal Bush. —Bemarks same as preceding, and work under same county. Centre Bush and Otapire. —£2so was authorised to complete works begun the previous year, and the Otapire settlers have now a fairly good and direct road to the Invercargill-Kingston Eailway; besides which, it will give access to the Crown lands lately and now under survey, aggregating some 15,000 acres. Oteramika Block. —Two miles of bridle- or stock-track were opened to enable settlers west of Mataura Biver to get their stock on to their land; and the money was found out of the loan raised on the block, the work being clone under co-operative labour. Longicood, Blocks XVl.—l. —The balance of loan raised under the Loans to Local Bodies Act was expended under the co-operative system, and the particulars will be found in that return. I propose to ask for a further amount of £500, to complete unfinished work and connect the road systems between Blocks XV. and XVI. Track to McLaren's Bun. —I have applied to expend this item of £120 towards completion of Lillburn roads, seeing that a large amount —£995 125., out of the £8,000 loan raised on the Lillburn lands—has been spent on what is named in the co-operative return, "Waiau Bush Boad," which is outside the area upon which that loan was raised, and, consequently, that the extension of the Lillburn Boad to Woodlands remains incomplete. Waimea Valley Boad. —No authority to expend this item has yet been received. Grassy Greek. —The Wallace County was authorised to spend £150 on the main road between Wairaki Biver and Manapouri, but no operations have yet been reported. Lillburn, Monowai, and Alton Blocks. —Details of these roads will be found in the co-operative return, and it is proposed to ask for £500 to complete the works to Woodlands, for the reason stated in a previous paragraph of this report, namely, " Tracks to McLaren's Eun." Stewart Island Boads. —£373 17s. 7d. were spent in constructing and improving various bridletracks, aggregating sixteen miles, and putting up two bridges of 60ft. and 40ft. span. Gore Bridge (£1 for £1). —This item has been authorised, on the condition that the balance of the cost will be found by the local bodies affected. Kisbee-Wilson s Biver Tramway. —This line, which was constructed out of votes from the Mines Department, for the purpose of connecting the gold-reefs at Wilson's Eiver with the Port at Cromarty, in Preservation Inlet, was completed in August last, the expenditure for the year being £681 13s. 9d., mainly on the contract for laying the permanent-way. This brings the total cost of the tramway up to £4,027 4s. Id. The line was let by tender to work and maintain, immediately on its completion, for twelve months. Miscellaneous and Engineering. —Out of this item £200 has been expended on 50 chains gravelling and formation and five culverts in Mabel district, and £150 on 37 chains of heavy formation and gravelling on the road leading from Gore to Eeaby Betreat. Village Settlements. —The vote of £100 w r as subsidised by an equal amount from the Southland County, and expended in Woodend, Makarewa, Myross, and Longbush Settlements, under the county engineer, and a large amount of very necessary work was done, consisting principally of bushfelling, clearing, formation, and culverting; and although the operations do not affect Crown lands much, yet a good many settlers will be provided with outlets to main roads. The work will all be completed in the course of a few days. Tramways in Forest Country. —l have recently taken occasion to bring under your notice a proposal for substituting tramways for ordinary roads where the circumstances are favourable, and I am of opinion that a very considerable saving in expense would be made if this were given effect to, as well to the settlers as to the country, because by it many of these would be relieved of the cost of purchasing and maintaining drays, horses, harness, &c, for their separate use.