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MARLBOROU GH. Bai Valley to Blenheim. —A contract was let for the construction of four miles and threequarters of road between Kaituna and Tuamarina, the work on which is now making fair progress. About a mile and a quarter has been finished, and fifty-seven men are employed upon it. It was arranged to place the Nelson "unemployed" on gravelling the Rai Valley formation, but, out of twenty-seven names on the Mayor's list, only four turned up at the work, and two of these left after a very short visit to the road. Cable Bay Boad. —This road was maintained up to the 30th ultimo, but the men have now been discharged, and the work will devolve on the local authority. Mr. G. Fitzgerald, Assistant Engineer, has had charge of these roads.

WESTLAND. Pounamu to Teremakau (Vote, £200). —Length nearly four and a half miles, making accessible about 1,200 acres of good agricultural land. A mile and a half was completed in the year 1887-88, and there is at present a contract for the construction of another mile (section 4) in progress—clearing 33ft., formation Bft., and metal sft. The contract price is £162 Is. The road for the greater part is taken along the line of an old horse-track, and hence the very low cost for construction. Cook's liiver Flat (Vote, £1,300). —Length eight miles, traversing a block of 4,000 acres of very good land, and making accessible about 5,000 acres of second-class agricultural land. A contract for the construction of 5 miles 13 chains of this road was let in February last, and about two miles of the road are already finished. The contract price is £906 18s.: clearing 33ft., formation 7ft., and metal 4ft. wide. The two and three-quarter miles of this road not under contract yet pass over easy country, and the cost of construction will be fully covered by the balance from vote of £1,300. Mahitahi to Paringa Boad (Vote, £1,600). —Length six miles, making accessible about 5,000 acres of good settlement lands. Four miles and a half of this road were constructed during 1887-88, and the remainder was finished this year. Mahitahi to Paringa forms part of the Main South Road, and its construction consisted of clearing 33ft., formation 7ft., and metal 4ft. The contract for the six miles amounted to £1,574 11s. In addition to the above constructions the department had under supervision a number of goldfields tracks, subsidised by the Government, and the construction of Cedar Creek Road, eight miles in length, which will be completed next month. The latter is a dray-road (12ft. formation and 10ft. metal) made, primarily, to give access to the Cedar Creek reefs, but it is also opening several good blocks of land along the banks of the Totara River. Geehakd Muelleu, Chief Surveyor.

CANTEEBURY. Main Eoads. Christchurch to Hokitika. —The road from Springfield to Bealey has been maintained since the Ist April, and a small party of five men have been engaged in some diversions in the Bealey Valley. Kaikoura to Clarence. —This road is now finished to within about four miles and a half'of the Clarence Bridge. It has been constructed entirely by the " unemployed," of whom fifteen men have been engaged on it since the Ist April. Lake Ellesmere Drainage and acclamation. —The contract for a new channel for the Halswell River and embankments, to retain the overflow of the lake, and other works in connection therewith, was completed on the 28th June. The total cost of the works, including liabilities, is £5,702, and 5,807 acres of the land rendered fit for occupation thereby have been surveyed for sale. All the above works have been carried out under the direction of Mr. F. Withers, Assistant Engineer. Roads to open up Ceown Lands. No new road-work has been started in Canterbury, the expenditure having been limited to some small balances previously authorised to be expended on the roads which I fully enumerated in my report last year, with the exception of the Mount Cook Road. Kuku Pass Boad. —A contract was let by the Ashley Road Board for £193 to make cuttings into and out of creeks, side-cuttings, drains, and fords between Mr. Milton's sheep-yards in Lee's Valley and the east bank of theJßiver Ashley. This work included clearing several large slips which had occurred in some of the larger cuttings near the Kuku Pass and rendered the road impassable. The road is now reported to be open, and to make a good summer road from "White Rock Station over the Kuku Pass and Okuku and Lee's Saddles down to the River Ashley. Other work has prevented me from finally passing this road, and I cannot now do so till next spring. 4—C. la. '