5

a—4.

now enables provisions to be brought to Mount Criffel by pack-horses. These improvements have been so far completed to enable the track to be utilized. The cost of the work has been £150; of the amount £100 was authorized as subsidy, of which £33 lis. have been paid. Southland County, Otago. Roads, Waikaia Bush, and Waikaia to Whitcombe. —These are one road, although the subsidy was applied for at different times. The road commences about seven miles up the valley from the Waikaia Township, and terminates near Piano Flat, at the north boundary of the Waikaia District. The cost of the work is estimated at £300 ;of this amount £200 was authorized as subsidy, of which £166 13s. 4d. have been paid. Road, Waikaia to Switzers, and Waikaka to Township. —This is one road, and is now in course of construction, and will when completed give access to Round Hill, where mining is now being carried on. The cost of the work is estimated at £300 ; of this amount subsidy have been authorized up to the extent of £200. Tuapeka County, Otago. Track from Roxburgh Road to Campbell's and Pomahaka Creeks. —This is to make a passable horse-track from the Roxburgh Road over the Old Man Range, to get provisions and supplies taken to the miners at work in Campbell's, Potter's, and the upper portion of the Waikaia River. The estimated cost of the work is £450; of this amount £300 were authorized as subsidy, of which £12 15s. have been paid. Improving road from Waitahuna River. —This is for improving and forming the present road from the Waitahuna River towards Waipora, via Copper Mine. The estimated cost is £200; of this amount a subsidy of £133 6s. Bd. have been authorized. Road to Quarry and Approaches to Waitahuna Bridge. —This is a road for the purpose of opening out a quarry to procure stones to build piers for the new bridge across the Waitahuna River that is in course of construction, and also in making approaches to the bridge. The cost of the work is estimated at £200; of this amount £133 6s. Bd. have been authorized as subsidy. Maniototo County, Otago. Road, Shepherd's Hut to Vinegar Hill. —This is a road to give a better means of communication with Vinegar Hill, where a number of claims are at work carrying on hydraulic sluicing operations on an extensive scale. The estimated cost of the work is £100; of this amount £66 13s. 4d. have been authorized as subsidy. Wallace County, Otago. Road, Round Hill to Colac Bay and Orepuki. —This is really a road which is urgently required. There are a number of miners employed at Round Hill, and the present track is almost impassable for horses. It is corduroyed for almost the whole of the distance, which is about four miles, and in places the grades are very steep. A new line of road has been laid off, and a portion of it is in course of construction. The estimated cost of this work is £525; of this amount £350 have been authorized as subsidy. Fiord County—Otago. Track, Dusky Sound. —A subsidy of £200, on the principle of £2 to £1, has been authorized to construct a track to open up the country in this locality, in order to enable the miners to have an opportunity of prospecting the country. Prospectors have been in this locality for several years, who state they have discovered copper and graphite, the latter of which is of excellent quality; but it is questionable if they have yet succeeded in finding any lodes of a payable character. This is a portion of the country which is very little known; and, unless tracks arc made to open it out to enable men to get provisions, it may lie for many years before systematic prospecting is carried on, except some one is fortunate enough to accidentally strike a rich metalliferous lode. Several other small tracks have been undertaken by the counties, which have been subsidized; the whole of these appear in the tables appended hereto. Subsidized Roads to open up Mines other than Gold. Road, Kanieri Coal-field, Westland. —A road is in course of construction in order to give facilities for the development of the coal-seams that are known to exist in the Kanieri district. 'It is estimated that an expenditure of £600 will be required for this purpose; of this amount £300 was authorized as subsidy, of which £53 ss. 4d. have been paid. Track, Ohinemuri Coal-seam, Thames. —A coal-seam has been discovered about half a mile up a creek on the Paeroa side of the range from track leading from Waitekauri to Paeroa. This road is to assist the development of this coal-seam, and to enable the coal to be brought to market. The estimated cost is £300; of this amount £150 was authorized as subsidy, of which £60 have been paid. Track, Richmond Hill to Copper Mine, Nelson. —This is a horse-track over Richmond Hill to the copper-mine at Copper Creek, which is a tributary of the Roding River, in the Nelson District. The estimated cost of the work is £469 13s. ; of this amount £313 12s. was granted as a subsidy, of which £209 4s. has been paid.