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recommended, and placed on the office estimates. This line of road forms the main connection between Queen Charlotte Sound, Kenepuru Sound, and the Pelorus. Crail Bay-Homeivood. —The explorations of this new line of bridle-road are to be commenced in April; altogether, about ten miles of road will require making to put Homewood in connection with Crail Bay and Kenepuru Sound. An additional vote is recommended for this work, which will traverse for the greater part through heavy bush. It is proposed to make a clearing at first for a cattle-drive, the earthwork to be held over pending a further vote. Robin Hood Bay-Ocean Bay. —This line of bridle-road forms a connection of the main line, White's Bay-Port Underwood. During the past year 53 chains have been laid off, graded, and formation completed, and 44 chains of bush felled and cleared. These works exhausting the votes, the men were withdrawn. An extension of this line will be resumed at an early date, an authority for further expenditure having recently been received. Beatrix Bay-Kenny's Isle. —For this work the authority has been received. It will be commenced in or about the latter end of May or beginning of June next, in connection with the Anakoa-Manaroa Eoad, off which it will branch. The amount voted will allow of a good start being made, but its completion will necessitate an additional grant. Kenepuru Sound. —A 66 ft. road has been laid off and surveyed around the head of this sound to connect existing bridle-roads on the north-west and south-east. As it trespasses on freehold property, the owners require, as compensation, other land in exchange, and until this is given them they refuse permission to open up and form the road, as a part of it, of necessity, will go through the stockyard. A section of land proposed to be given in exchange has been considered, and recommended by the Board. As soon as a final adjustment of this matter is effected the road can be commenced, and the amount voted (£250) expended. Ohinitaha-Te Mehia. —l mile 33 chains of this bridle-road has been laid off, graded, and completed, the work of bushfelling, clearing, and road-forming being executed by a co-operative party of settlers, residents of Pelorus, Mahau, and Kenepuru Sounds. The line has been laid off and graded to Te Mehia Bay, and the earthwork is still being carried on. The completion of this line and the connecting-road to Portage has been long desired by settlers, as it will relieve them of taking stock along a very rough beach, and make them independent of the tides. It will also put them, for stock purposes, in readier communication with the provincial main roads, vid Havelock and Picton. Te Mehia-Portage. —This section of bridle-road has been undertaken in connection with the preceding line, and will complete, when finished, a length of road from Havelock, at the head of Pelorus Sound— via Mahau Sound, Kenepuru Sound, Waitaria, Manaroa, Hopai, and vid Manaroa to Beatrix Bay —exceeding sixty miles ; and from Havelock vid the same route to Hopai, in Crail Bay, fifty miles, the only break in each case being the section at the head of Kenepuru Sound, mentioned previously, though this last, it is anticipated, will be completed at or near the same time as the section of road under report in this clause. Grove Wharf. —Preliminary surveys of this structure and the goods-shed have been made, for the purpose of preparing the required plans and specifications for the renewal of piles and general repairs. It is to be completed in June. Tawhitinui-Rai. —4 miles 38 chains of this bridle-road has been formed, a mile and a half of bush felled, and 1 mile 67 chains of burnt bush logged up and cleared, at an expenditure (inclusive of laying-off and grading/constructing fords, and blasting rock) of £207 3s. 9d. A working overseer and six men, all residents of the district, were employed on the work. The continuation of this road will be resumed in May, after completing the necessary grading. The work will consist of bushfelling and making a cattle-clearing along the face of the country facing Tawhitinui Eeach and Tennyson Inlet until the vote is exhausted. The bush is of heavy character, and the country generally rough. A further vote is recommended for this line, and is placed on the estimates, so as to continue the bushfelling and cattle-clearing to the head of Tennyson Inlet, where open country will be reached. At present cattle to and from this district have to be driven along an exceedingly rough beach, at intervals between low and half tide, journeying slowly, and to their detriment. The proposed cattle-clearing will remedy this. That portion of this road included in the above 4 miles 38 chains was constructed for postal and educational purposes, chiefly the latter, a school having recently been started in this district. Tory Heads. —l7o chains of track were finished, at a cost of £94 2s. Picton-Waikaioa. —The cost of maintenance for repairs and foot-bridge on this road amounted to £50 Is. 6d. Blenheim-Havelock Ferry House. —A six-roomed house has been erected between the Opawa and Wairau Biver fords for accommodation of the fords caretaker. The grant-in-aid of £200 was supplemented by a sum of £25 (see Annual Eeturn for the year 1895-96). Blenheim-Kaikoura and Waiau. —During the year the Awatere Eoad Board expended £300 in repairing flood-damages to the road, and £90 on formation of the Ore Boad. The Kaikoura County Council expended £109 18s. on repairs to Garrett's Bridge, £361 6s. in clearing slips, repairing roadway and fords. Nelson-Havelock, and Bridges. —Nothing was done during the year on this work. Awatere Road-Jordan Bridge. —During the year this bridge was completed at a cost of £1,000 (see Annual Eeturn for the year 1895-96). Nydia Bay-Havelock. —An extension of this bridle-road has been lately made along the northern shore of Nydia Bay, in the direction of Chance and Penguin Bays ; length, 2 miles 9 chains. Flood-waters from the Pelorus Biver having damaged about 7 chains of this road, near its connection with Nelson-Havelock Boad, a contract has been entered into for necessary repairs, and for a short bridge that crosses the tram-line near this point. Kaikoura-Clarence. —The work done by Kaikoura County Council out of subsidy comprised repairs to Garrett's Creek Bridge, clearing slips, and making up fords across creeks. Blind River Roads. —The exceptional rainfall of June and July last—the heaviest experienced —caused an overflow of the river, and damage to the recently-formed roads. Eepairs have been