31

C—lA

Makawiho to Maintain Road. —A bridle-road in continuance of the road last referred to ; total length, 7 miles; survey and plans completed. A contract at Mahitahi end of 3 miles 7 chains let; clearing 33ft., formation 7ft., metal 4ft.; price, £485. This contract is almost completed, all the clearing being done; but there remains at date hereof 32 chains each of forming and metalling. The contrast date for completion has been exceeded. Progress payments mads, £250 15s. 7d. The whole road will give access to 3,000 or 4,000 acres of good land. Gook's River Flat (to Hunt's' Beach) Road. —■ Also a part of the Main South Boad, and intended to complete one of the gaps therein, part has been surveyed (4 miles 57 chains) and of this part two contracts for total length of 1 mile 20 chains are let, total contract price £228 6s. 6d.; clearing 33ft., formation 7ft., metal 4ft. Work on these has only been commenced. Survey is required from the end of the 4 miles 57 chains, above alluded to to Hunt's Beach. When completed the road will give access to 5,000 or 6,000 acres of good land. Pounamu to Teremakau Road. —Length about miles, making accessible the balance of former deferred-payment block, and land surrounding on north bank of Teremakau Eiver, about 1,200 acres in all. One mile completed during the year : total completed 2J miles, clearing 33ft., formation Bft., metal sft. To the credit of the Grey County Council within whose jurisdiction the deferred-pay-ment block above referred to exists, there stands in the local bodies deposit account a sum of £34 15s. 6d., derived from thirds received from payments for holdings in said deferred-payment block. Jackson's Bay to Cascade and George River Districts Road. —Total length of this road 9 mile 22 chains 70 links. The work done to date by small contracts (of about a quarter of a mile each) issued to the Jackson's Bay settlers is clearing 5 miles 30 chains 70 links; forming 3 miles 22 chains 70 links; metalling, 3 miles 22 chains 70 links. Amount expended during the year £31 18s. Bd. As the last contracts were just completed at end of the month of June; their length is returned, but, as payments are not yet made, they will fall into next year's expenditure. Work finished during the year 1 mile 40 chains. Paroa to Teremakau Road.—A rough trial survey of this road was made by the Contract Surveyor, B. J. Lord. Length 3 miles 58 chains, and rough estimate of cost of construction has been forwarded for a road, comprising clearing 33ft., formation 17ft., and metalling 12ft., with two bridges over the Saltwater Creek and New Eiver respectively. Pboposed Boad-woeks fok Yeae 1891-92. Cook's River Flat to Hunt's Beach Road. —Survey extension of this road to Hunt's Beach has been recommended. Proposed route traverses a block of good land. Cascade River to Barn Bay. —This line is required and has been recommended for survey and construction. It will afford closer communication and shipping facilities at an available port from good agricultural and pastoral country, and taps an area deemed to be rich in minerals. Paroa to Teremakau Road. —If it is decided to construct this road, full working survey, levels, cross, and longtitudinal sections, &c, will have to be made, plans and specifications prepared, and tenders invited. John Stkauchon, Chief Surveyor.

Statement showing Payments to Local Bodies in the Westland Land District during the Twelve Months ended 30th June, 1891, from "Thirds" of Deferred-payments and Perpetual-lease Lands.

KEPORT ON ROADS UNDER THE CHARGE OF MR. P. WITHER, ROAD SURVEYOR. 1. Hokitika-Ghristchurch Road Maintenance. —That portion of the Hokitika-Christohurch Eoad between the Kowai Eiver, 3 miles from Springfield, and the summit of Arthur's Pass, about 55 miles from Springfield, has been maintained in good order during the year ended 30th June, 1891, at a total cost of £1,712 19s. 9d. 2. Christchurch-Hokitika, Road Construction in Bealey Valley. —The construction of a portion of the mail-coach road up the Bealey Valley on the hillside (to be used instead of the track up the river bed, which necessitates crossing the Bealey Eiver a number of times, and in flood-times the coach is frequently delayed) was began in July, 1888, to give work to the Christchurch unemployed, and the work has been stopped several times in the summer months. After a stoppage for a few months work was resumed in July, 1890, and was continued until the end of October, 1890, when the men were paid off. The work was started again on the 2nd January, 1891, and has been proceeded with continuously since then. The work, which has been in hand since Ist July, 1890, and 30th June, 1891, extends from 47m., 70 chains, to 49m., from Springfield. The greater part of the road formation is finished, but about 15 chains of heavy rock-work still remains to be done, and until that is completed the new road cannot be used for traffic. The money expended for the period above mentioned is £1,929 4s. 9d. 3. Drainage Works (Lake Ellesmere.) —In order to carry out the works included in the road and embankment contract, a contract was advertised to let out Lake Ellesmere. The contract was let, the price being £39, and the cost of advertising, inspection, &c, was £11. The road and embankment contract — which comprised making an embankment 20ft. wide on top, 1 mile and 31 chains

Local Bodies. Deferredpayment and i Perpetual- I lease Lands, j Small Grazingruns. | Total Length, Locality, Description and Particulars o! j Payments. Work authorised by Land Board. r estland County Council Totals £ s. d. .. 66 4 5 .. 66 4 5 £ s. d. j £ s. d. 66 4 5 Repairs and additions to Kokotahi and - — Okarito Roads. 66 4 5