31

D.—l

■37 chains, divided into five contracts, employing 42 men building bridges between the Arahura Eiver at 4 miles 57 chains and the end of Kapitea Contract at 10 miles 35 chains, divided into four contracts, employing 36 men , finishing the laying of pipes, earthworks, and culverts from Teremakau at 14 miles 62 chains to Greymouth at 23 miles 51 chains, five contracts in progress, employing 28 men in all, fourteen contracts in progress, employing 106 men. These works are being carried out in a satisfactory manner and at a reasonable cost. Surveys. —A branch railway-line from the Greymouth-Hokitika Eailway alongside the Kumara beach road to Kumara, length 4 miles 10 chains, has been located, and plans and estimate prepared. Land-plan Surveys. —The land-plans of the Greymouth-Hokitika Eailway from 10 miles to 14 miles 62 chains, are in hand, the field work being completed, and the plotting is in progress. Seaward Bush Eailway Waituna Section. —This section begins at the terminus of the opened portion of the line, at 11 miles 18 chains. Work on the co-operative principle was begun on this line on the 21st December last, with sixty men, and there were about eighty-five men on the ground by the end of the year carrying on the formation of the first 4 miles of the section, and the work is proceeding satisfactorily The amount expended to the 31st March was £2,732, and the net average wages earned ■Bs. per day Catlin's Eiver Eailway Glenomaru Section (6 miles 18 chains). —Formation, permanent-way, and station This contract was completed on 9th July last, and opened for public traffic on the 22nd of same month. Catlin's Section 46-J- chains). —Tunnel, formation, permanent-way, and station buildings This contract, which is a continuation of the line from the Glenomaru Section, is behind time. The contractor has been called upon to push the work more vigorously, and it is estimated that the contract should be finished in July next. Co-operative Works. —The formation of a further portion of the line, about 2 miles 28 chains in length, was put in hand under the co-operative system, and work was commenced with sixty-three men on 29th April, 1891, and about a month later seventy additional men were employed. The work consisted of bushfelling and clearing, and earthwork. The works were stopped on the 14th November, when some of the men were transferred to the Otago Central Eailway works. The total cost of the work executed amounted to £7,035, and the net average earnings of the men were at the rate of 6s. lOd. per day Otago Central Eailway Middlemarch to Hyde Section. —The work of the formation of this section on the co-operative system was begun on 23rd October last, when 175 men assembled on the ground and commenced work in seventeen parties of about ten men each. The work, which extends over about 10 miles of the line, consists chiefly of earthwork and masonry culverts, and satisfactory progress has been made. The total cost of the work to the 31st March amounted to £10,530, and the net average earnings to 7s. Id. per day Surveys, Otago District. Seaward Bush Railway. —Some necessary resurvey work was carried out on the Waituna Section before the co-operative works were put in hand. The survey of the land required for the first ■3 miles of this section has also been made during the year, and the plans thereof are in forward state. Otago Central Railway. —Owing to the length of time that elapsed since the original workingsurvey was made, about 10 miles of the line had to be repegged before the co-operative works were commenced. During the year, also, the survey has been made of the land required for the railway from Mullocky Gully to the Sutton Stream, a length of 26 miles 10 chains, and the plans of this survey will be put in hand shortly Sleepers. The contract for delivery of 10,000 sleepers at Putararu was completed in July last. Tenders were invited for the supply of 10,000 sleepers for the North Island Main Trunk Eailway (south end), and two contracts for 5,000 each were let on the 26th March last. Tenders were received for the supply and delivery of 1,500 sleepers at Wellington, and contracts for the same have since been entered into. Eight contracts were entered into during the year for the supply of a total of 16,300 sleepers for the Westport-Ngakawau Eailway extension, and have all been completed. The supply of 19,000 sleepers for the Greymouth-Hokitika Eailway has been contracted for during the year in thirty-eight contracts of 500 sleepers each. Fourteen of these contracts were completed during the year, and the remainder were in progress on the 31st March. Co-operative System. The principal formation-works of most of the sections of the railways in process of construction -during the year are being carried out on the co-operative-contract principle, under the direction and control of the Engineers in charge of Districts. Satisfactory progress has been made generally with the works, all of which are being executed in a superior manner, and at moderate cost, besides affording employment for a large number of men, who are enabled to earn a fair rate of wages whilst engaged on these co-operative contracts. EOADS AND BEIDGES. Auckland District. Boad to Puhipuhi Beefs (7 miles 65 chains). —A little finishing work was done to the formation -at the upper end, and there is now a fairly good unmetalled road, although somewhat narrow