1).—1

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Catlin's Bailway. Work has just been started on an extension about three miles and a half long beyond Owake Station. Seaward Bush Eailway. The Waimahaka Station has been finished during the year. Orepuki-Waiau Bailway. Length, about 13 miles. —A start has been made by putting a few men at work. Contracts for construction, bushfelling, and material will be let shortly. Forest Hill Bailway. The works in progress on this line were finished in July last, and the line handed over to the Working Bail ways Department. SUBVBYS. Surveys of New Lines, etc. Grahamtown-Kawakawa. —The survey of this line has been in progress from both ends. About nine miles of line has been permanently located, and about six miles more of trial line run. Land-plan surveys for about a mile and a quarter of line have been completed and plans prepared. Helensville Northwards. —Land-plans for a length of three miles and a quarter on the Tahekeroa Section have been completed. North Island Main Trunk Line. —North end : No further extension of the survey southwards has been done, but the plans for an additional ten miles have been finished, and the remainder up to 83 m. from Te Awamutu are in course of preparation. South end : Line has been permanently located up to about 121 m. from Marton Junction. There is still a length of about seven miles and three-quarters to be permanently located to join with the survey from the north end, terminating at 83m. from Te Awamutu. The trial-line work has been done, and the location of the permanent line determined upon in readiness for pegging. The estimates of the Waimarino Section have been completed, and the plans for the bridges have been begun. Gisborne-Rotorua. —A reconnaissance survey of one route was finished during the year, one vid Whaukopae, Maungapohatu, and Galatea; also a similar survey from Gisborne to Opotiki. Eeports and estimates were obtained from Mr. James Stewart, M.1.C.E., who made the surveys; also a report on the probable route for a line of railway from Opotiki to Botorua. A working survey has been made of the first ten miles of the first of the above routes, starting from the Gisborne end. This, however, is common to both routes. Napier-Gisborne Bailway. — The trial survey of this line has been extended to a point distant ninety-three miles and a half from Napier. Wellington-Woodville Baihvay. — A further exploration of the Wainuiomata route was made by Mr. Holmes, who also examined and reported on the Ladle Bend route. The survey of the Tauherenikau route has been started, and several miles of trial survey have been done. Midland Bailway. —The deviation trial survey of the Tadmore route has been completed and the plans finished. PiCton Waipara Bailway. —The trial survey fieldwork has been completed from the Awatere to the north end of Dobson's survey, and the plans, estimates, &c, are now being prepared. The location of the permanent line from Waipara to join the survey through the Cheviot Estate was completed during the year. Catlin's Bailway. —A survey for an extension about four miles long was completed during the year. Seaward Bush Bailway. —The permanent survey has been extended for a distance of five miles and a half beyond Waimahaka Station, and is still in progress. Orepuki-Waiau Baihvay. —About four miles of this line has been permanently surveyed, and the preliminary survey has also been done for a further distance of eight miles and a half. SLEEPEBS. A large number of contracts and agreements for the supply of sleepers were current during the year ended the 31st March last, and the deliveries made in the districts from which they were obtained were as follows, viz.:— Auckland District: 1,603 totara. Hunterville District: 5,812 totara. Wellington District: 863 ironbark. Westport District: 2,988 silver-pine. Westland District: 77,939 silver-pine. Otago District: 2,181 ironbark, 1,098 black-pine. Details of contracts current during the year ended the 31st March last will be found in Appendix D.