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Culvert-beds 20 ft. long prepared, and the stone for the culverts carted to them; five fords about Bft. wide and 20ft. broad made and gravelled; and 3 chains of gravelling done, in addition to the work of maintenance by the two surface-men. At the commencement of the season there appeared to be a great demand for work, and it was decided to commence the formation of the Pukaki Lake deviation, but the demand proved fictitious, and the workmen were not forthcoming; this resulted in a disproportionate cost for supervision, as the same amount would have kept three times the number of men going, as it was necessary to keep an overseer, carter, and blacksmith to enable those that were there to work. Finding at last there was little likelihood of getting more men, the works were stopped until a more favourable season. Fairlie-Pukaki Road.—£l7s has been expended during the year in forming and shingling 110 chains of the road between Balmoral and Wolds station. The work was carried out by open contract under the supervision of the Mackenzie County engineer, and included 100 chains of catch-water drains and three stone fords. The portion of the road shingled was formerly very bad in winter and spring, and often impassable for heavy traffic. A grant of £55 14s. 4d. has been made for further improvements, and the works will be put in hand next spring. Pukaki-Omarama Road.—£loo has been the expenditure on this road during the year, being the whole of vote together with the unexpended balance of the previous vote. The works were carried out by open contract, with the exception of 3 chains of gravelling and 7 chains of blinding done by day labour, and comprised forming two portions of the road situated on the north side of the Quail Burn, and commencing two miles therefrom, a total length of 74-J chains, and gravelling a length of 77-J chains to a width of 12ft.; the Waitaki County engineer supervising the work. A further vote of £lOO has been granted for improving this road, and the work will be put in hand next spring. Roimata Settlement Road.—The work of lowering the grade of this road in order to improve the drainage of the settlement is now completed, and was carried out in one open contract, under the supervision of the department. The Woolston Borough Council, after an .inspection of the work, expressed satisfaction with it, and will now take over its control and maintenance. Repairs to Waimakariri Bridge, Kaiapoi.—The Kaiapoi Borough Council expended £362 12s. lid. on this work, the Government vote in aid being £275. It was -carried out by open contract under the supervision of the Council, who supplied all the material. The work comprised replanking the deck with heart of black-birch, 8 in. by 4^in., laid transversely, and tarring same, also renewing all faulty timbers, bolts, &c., in addition to painting. Prior to making final payment District Surveyor Mathias inspected the work, and reported it satisfactorily carried out. Forks River Bridge.—The cost of the near approaches has been paid for, in addition to the formation of 14 chains of road 18 ft. wide, and a stone ford 20 ft. wide by 18 ft. broad, to make a better and straighter road leading to the bridge. The work was carried out in a substantial and workmanlike manner by the contractor, Mr. James Sinclair, of Oamaru, under the direction of District Surveyor Brodrick, and is built over the Fork Eiver on the Mount Cook Boad, about four miles on the west side of the Tekapo Bridge, and is a wooden pile structure 75 ft. long divided into three equal spans, is 14 ft. in width, and will be highly valued by the travelling public. Tengawai Stock-bridge. —The total cost of this work, which is now completed, was £B3 Bs. 6d., the Government vote in aid being a pound-for-pound subsidy, out of which £l2 16s. 9d. has been paid over during the year. The bridge is attached to the railway-bridge across the Tengawai Biver, and was erected by the Working Railways staff. The length of the bridge is 154 ft., exclusive of stopping approaches 30 ft. long at each end, and 3 ft. 6in. wide. The'necessary wingfences were erected by the Mackenzie Council. Canal Bridge, Ellesmere.—The total cost of this work was £278 3s. 5d., the vote in aid being £139 Is. Bd., pound-for-pound subsidy. The work was carried out by open contract, under the supervision of the Selwyn County's inspector, and crosses the canal about a mile south of the rail-way-bridge, and is distant about 60 chains from the Babbit Island Bailway-station. The following are its dimensions :'One centre span 25 ft., and two side spans 14 ft. each, clear waterway; twelve piles, 12 in. by 12 in. by 22 ft., ironbark railing 6 in. by 5 in. and 4 in. by 4 in.; kauri decking and wheel-guards Bin. by 4 in. Y.D.L. The bridge is designed to carry up to traction-engine traffic, and will be found of great convenience to the Crown tenants and settlers in the neighbourhood, also to stock-drivers, as the previously existing ford had become dangerous, owing to the scouring out of silt in the canal. Ashley Bridge Protective Works. —The Ashley Boad Board report having expended over £4OO during the year on these works, the Government grant in aid being £l5O, a pound-for-pound subsidy. The embankment erected last year was considerably damaged by one of the heaviest floods known for fourteen years; and the works carried out, in addition to repairing the same, comprised the erection of two groins run out at right angles to the embankment to the edge of the stream, and extending the embankment inland a length of 104 yards. There have been some light freshes since the works were completed, which show that the groins have had the effect of thoroughly protecting the main embankment. The works were carried out by open contract, under the supervision of the Board's engineer, and on inspection by District Surveyor McClure were found satisfactory. Waimakariri-Ashley Irrigation. —The balance of the £5OO vote mentioned last year as being expended on various small loop-races in the Township of Oxford, Cooper's Creek Subdivision. —a total length of about one mile—has now been paid over, the works having been satisfactorily carried out. Ra.ngitata Protective Works (Reserve 100.) —The amount expended during the year on these works out of the £lOO voted is £B7 18s. Bd., and comprised the construction of a new groin 8 chains in length, which is a twenty-wire willow-and-iron fence strained to composite posts of totara and iron sunk 12 ft. into the river-bed. Bailway-iron posts were sunk every 21 ft., willows every 3 ft.;

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