D.—l

V

EKETAHUNA-WOODVILLE. In my last year's. Statement I was able to record the fact of the last section of this line having been opened for traffic, thus completing through-communica-tion between Wellington and Napier via the Bimutaka. A good deal of finishing-work still remained to be performed, which has since been done. The expenditure on the line last year was £23,869, but, as liabilities existed at the close of the year to the amount of £842, and some other items have been authorised since, it is necessary to ask for a vote of £1,500 to finally close the accounts in connection with this railway. Wellington-Mastebton . The survey promised in last year's Statement to determine whether or not a better route was available over the Bimutaka Mountains than the present incline-line was put in hand as soon as an experienced officer could be spared for the work. The survey is not yet complete, but, even as far as it has gone, it has fully justified the hope of finding a more favourable line which I expressed last year. With a mile-and-a-half tunnel under the saddle which is crossed by the old coach-road, and at a level 250 ft. lower than the Summit tunnel on the existing railway, a line can be obtained between Kaitoke and Featherston that would be seven miles shorter than the present line, and would have no gradients steeper than 1 in 40, and no curve sharper than 10 chains radius, compared with gradients up to lin 15, and 5-chain curves, on the existing line. The estimated cost of constructing the suggested deviation is £200,000. Favourable as this result is, still more favourable results can be obtained by way of the Tauherenikau Valley. By this route a line can be obtained which will afford gradients not steeper than 1 in 60, and a tunnel under one mile in length, with a greater shortening of the line than by way of the coach-road route. The line by this route would also be less expensive to construct. Having thus ascertained that the Bimutaka Mountains can be crossed on moderate grades, I have now directed the surveyor to make further explorations in order to ascertain whether it is possible to eliminate the long l-in-35 grades between the Upper Hutt and Kaitoke. If this can be done it will be evident that a line can be formed between Wellington and the Wairarapa having no gradient steeper than lin 60. I hope to be in a position to place fuller information on the subject before honourable members prior to the close of the present session. Blenheim-A wateee. So much survey-work has been in hand by the department during the year that it has been impossible to spare a reliable officer to make the contemplated survey of the extension of this railway to a junction with the North Canterbury railways. The work has not been lost sight of, and will be put in hand as soon as a favourable opportunity presents itself. In the meantime, and as the purchase of the Starborough Estate has now been accomplished, it has been decided to at once resume construction-work between Blenheim and the Awatere. An engineer has been selected to take'charge of the work, who is already on the ground, and the actual work of construction will be commenced immediately. A substantial iron cylinder-bridge has been designed for both railway and road traffic over the Awatere Biver, and tenders for its construction will be invited shortly. The construction of this railway is at present only authorised to the Awatere (Starborough), but arrangements have been made to locate the line as far as the southern boundary of the Starborough Estate, so that the necessary land for the future continuation of the railway southwards may be reserved in the plans of the estate which are now being prepared for the purpose of placing the property in the market. The vote proposed for the Blenheim-Awatere Bailway this year is £8,000, which will be sufficient to meet the charges which will come to book up to the 31st March next. Otago Centeal. I stated last year that the construction of this railway between Kokonga and Banfurly was being delayed by the slow progress of the contractors for the iron