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Olentui Forest Road. —Contracts were let by the Ashley Eoad Board for £59 18s. 9d. for additional metal to be put on the road and sundry small alterations between the edge of the bush and the saw-mill, and another for £77 Bs. to widen the road beyond the saw-mill, remove slips, make a ford across a large creek, and a further cutting to get up the terrace on the other side of it, as noted in my report on this road last year. This work is completed, and I propose visiting and passing it shortly. Boadtto Mount Cook and to G-laciers. —The sum of £430 was authorised to be spent on making a new piece of road a little over a mile in length. The work was undertaken by the Mackenzie County Council by day-labour, and has cost, according to their returns, £522 125., of which sum they ask for £500 from the Government. Mr. Brodrick reports that the work is thoroughly well done, and that the cuttings entailed more blasting than was anticipated when the specifications were prepared, owing to a great many large isolated rocks of a very hard blue granite being found beneath the surface. The road is made where a nasty place had been washed out by a flood in the Tasman Eiver, and the piece of road new formed takes the track out of the river-bed, and is a very great improvement on the old road. The road was carefully graded and laid out by Mr. Brodrick, the District Surveyor, the specifications being prepared by Mr. Wither, the District Engineer, and the work was carried out under the immediate supervision of Mr. O'Connor, who spared no pains to get the specifications properly carried out. Ohau Bridge. —This work is being undertaken by the Waitaki County Council, plans of it having, as I understand, been prepared and approved. Boads in Reserve 1263 (Village Settlement, Pig-hunting Creek). —The sum of £82 13s. 4d., referred to in my report last year, has been paid this year, and a further sum of £50, the expenditure of which was authorised, has been spent in making a new piece of road across a gully. I have not yet inspected this work. ■John H. Bakbe, Chief Surveyor.

Summary of Road-works executed in the Canterbury District for the Twelve Months ending the 30th June, 1889.

OTAGO. In addition to the tabulated statement which I forward herewith, I will make a few remarks on some of the works executed. On the track from Milford Sound to the Sutherland Falls three huts have been erected, and two huts have been put up on the track from Te Anau Lake. These, with the beech hut erected last year, will provide shelter for a limited number of tourists, and will obviate the necessity for carrying tents. Both tracks have been improved during the past season, but there is still a good deal to be done to them before they can be available to any but hardy tourists. The original track exjjlored by Mr. Strauchon through the Tautuku Bush extended from Waikawa to Catlin's Eiver. In locating the permanent line it has been found desirable to take the road up the Taukupu Valley, and this road will eventually connect with the road down the Mokoreta Valley to Wyndham. The road in Block VIII., Glenomaru District, was begun by the Clutha County Council, but the" lessee of section No. 37 would not allow the Council to go through his ground. I have since arranged matters with him, and have formed the road and put in the culverts by " unemployed" labour. C. \V. Adamb, Chief Surveyor.

Name of Eoad. Cartroad. Bridle - road. Graded in Addition. Bridges not included in Roads. Contracts in force. Area open. Eemarks. luku Pass Eoad ... Jlentui Forest Eoad \Iount Cook Eoad )hau Bridge Reserve 1263 Eoads Miles. 5-5 1 1 Miles. Miles. No. 1 1 Acres. 75,000 1,000 Pastoral country. Bush land. Eoad to Mount Coo' Glacier. Village settlement. 6-9 0-75 160 Totals 8'25 6-9 2 76,160