C.--1A

32

Waimatuku Bush. —Mileage, bush felled, cleared and grubbed, 1J miles; acreage that has been rendered better accessible, or that will be rendered so when road operations have been completed, 1,800 acres. This road, which was entrusted to the Southland County Council, runs through a compact block of bush land that has been cleared of sawmill timber, and recently cut up into sections, averaging 100 acres. The road in process of formation runs from bush edge to bush edge, through nearly the heart of the block. Owing to the compact nature of the block, and its convenient position relative to the railways, etc., it affords good scope for settlement, and I have no doubt that the road expenditure will prove reproductive. The County Engineer, Mr. Howorth, estimates that a further sum of £500 will be required to form, gravel, and culvert the worst portions, so as to properly open the land and make a passable track. Otatara Bush. —Mileage bush felled, cleared and grubbed, f of a mile ; acreage rendered, or that will be rendered better accessible when road is completed, 700 acres. This work—which was entrusted to the Southland County Council—comprises, up to date, 60 chains of bush felling, clearing, and grubbing. The block to be opened up is all bush-clad, and has been surveyed into sections of 20 acres or thereby. It is not far from Invercargill and will yet probably be a flourishing settlement. The bad weather and the incoming of winter have caused road operations to be delayed till spring. Bush Land, Malcarewa. —Mileage gravelled up to date, f of a mile; acreage rendered better accessible by last year's and previous expenditure on road, 400 acres; mileage proposed to be gravelled in all, |- mile. This road—which is entrusted to the Southland County Council—consists, up to date, of nearly -| of a mile of gravelling. The land is all bush-clad, and has been cut up into sections of from 5 to 15 acres. I observe that the Government have announced their intention of throwing Makarewa sections open on perpetual lease, under the Village Special Settlement Regulations. This step will no doubt facilitate the occupation of unsold sections ; but, of course, it will necessarily have i ■■ effect of making the above road expenditure less immediately reproductive. The township is graduau) getting settled, and in view of the quality of the land and its accessibility to Invercargill and to the railway, it will, I have no doubt, become, by-and-bye, a thriving and comfortable settlement. Seaward Forest to Coast.- —Mileage bush felled and cleared, 2£ miles; mileage formed, J mile > acreage which will be rendered better accessible, when current vote is expended, 5,000 acres. This road, the construction of which is being supervised by the Southland County Council, extends from Oteramika Bight, on the north edge of Seaward Bush, through the Bush to what is known as Seaward Moss. The entire road through the bush has already been bush felled and cleared, the operations for the current year being confined to the forming of road, the construction of the necessary culverts, and to gravelling in places that are naturally too soft for traffic. To connect the road through the bush with the formed district road to the north, some expenditure will be incurred ; but this will be supplemented by the Southland County, the expenditure for the entire road being within the-sum stated as available. There is a large extent of land south of Seaward forest, much of it no doubt of little account, but here and there are exceptional patches of passable land, and I have no doubt that the road expenditure will ultimately repay itself. Hitherto, owing to its inaccessbility, it has been regarded as a complete waste, and would, doubtless, have remained in this state for years, had something not been done to connect it with a settled district and to make it accessible to settlers Seaward Moss to Awarua Bay. —Mileage proposed to be gravelled and improved, 2 miles ; mileage re-formed and gravelled, J mile ; acreage rendered better accessible by road, when formed and completed, 2,500 acres. This road, the supervision of which has been undertaken by the Southland County Council, extends from the Awarua Bay, northward, to the terminus of the gravelled part of the WoodendAwarua road. Forty chains of gravelling and re-forming have been done to date, the bad weather and approaching winter having caused operations to be suspended till spring. The road, when completed, will form a much needed link in the chain of communication from Woodend to the coast line. Some of the land intersected by the road is very wet, and there is a difficulty in regard to outfall drainage. Apart, however, from giving access to sections abutting on the road itself, the road opens up direct communication, from Woodend, with a large extent of country, which, practically, cannot be approached in any other way. Of course there is a large amount of useless land in the heart of Seaward Moss itself, but along the line of road, and along the margin of Awarua Bay, as well as on the Tewaewae peninsula itself, there is a considerable extent of land of a passable character, which the road will gradually, but ultimately be the means of opening up for settlement. West's to Mohotua, or Blocks 11. and 111., Campbelltown. —Mileage formed and ditched, including culverts, fof a mile ; acreage rendered better accessible by proposed expenditure, 800 acres. This road, which has been undertaken by the Southland County, is an extension of the road from West's, on Bluff Road, down Mokotua Creek, to Block XII., Campbelltown Hundred. As stated above, 60 chains have been formed and ditched, and 7 culverts constructed. The amount spent was not large, and a good many sections will be opened up by the expenditure. The sections alongside have meanwhile been reserved until the present extension is completed-. Half-Moon Bay, Stewart Island. —These roads or tracks are now being proceeded with under the direction of the Public Works Department. As they have only lately been started, it would be difficult to give details in regard to the amount of work done. Out of the vote it is proposed to improve the connection between Half-Moon Bay and Horse-Shoe Bay, to improve the injured road along the latter bay, to open up the unsold sections in the township of Oban, to cut a track between Horse-Shoe Bay and Lee Bay, and to extend the existing track in the direction of Kaipipi Bay and Freshwater River. It would be impossible at present to fix the mileage proposed to be formed or cut, or to estimate the acreage which would be rendered more accessible. John Spence, Chief Surveyor.