o.—l

The principal work in Marlborough—in addition to numerous settlement roads—has been the continuation of the Cheviot-Kaikoura Eoad, which is now in process of formation round the Kahutara Bluff, where the works are very heavy, entailing in one place a tunnel of 56 yards in length. On completion right through this will become one of the main roads of the colony. Maintenance of existing main roads has been the principal work in the Westland District, which includes the Hokitika-Christchurch and the Beefton-Hokitika-Boss Boads, on both of which a great deal of work has been done, besides the extension and formation of short lengths of other roads, and also of bridges. In Canterbury the maintenance of part of the Hokitika-Christchurch Boad and roads leading to Mount Cook have been the principal works undertaken. Works have also been in hand in connection with some of the estates acquired under the Land for Settlements Acts. In Otago the works have consisted principally in the improvement of the main road Catlin'sWaikawa, and of settlement roads in that neighbourhood. It is important that the above road should be metalled throughout, as it is one of the main roads of the colony, and leads through a district where a great deal of settlement has taken place during the last few years. Of the considerable number of works carried out in Southland, either by the department or the local authorities under Government grants, the most important, from the colonial point of view, is the suspension-bridge over the Waiau Eiver, which was built by contract under Mr. Howorth's direction. The span is 366 ft., with a width of roadway of 12 ft. The cost of the bridge was £5,468, without inspection, &c, and it is a handsome structure, as will be seen from the picture given in the Appendix. It affords ready means of access to a large stretch of country on the west side of the Waiau, a river that is one of the most impassable in the country. The following is a return of the number of men employed on co-operative works during the year:—

Return of Co-operative and other Labourers employed by the Lands and Survey Department on works for the Year ended 31st March, 1899, showing Average per Month for each District, and Average for the Year ended 31st March.

HEAD OFFICE. Maps, etc. Mr. F. W. Flanagan, Chief Draughtsman, reports : — The demands on the drawing office continue to increase both in volume and variety of work. Urgent miscellaneous duties which included requisitions from other departments have occasionally taxed the full strength of- the staff. While, however, these duties and the routine duties of the office have been satisfactorily performed the publication of the 80-chain maps and the compilation of new county maps have been temporarily delayed. The new ten-mile map of the colony has been proceeded with uninterruptedly, its early publication being regarded as essential. Two, and frequently three, lithographic draughtsmen have been kept fully employed in the photo-litho. office. The demands for "process " illustrations by other departments have now reached that stage when, for the sake of economy and expedition in turning out creditable work, it should be regarded as essential that the photograph to be operated upon be one which will allow of clear reticulation, or, in other words, the photograph must not be a sunlight picture throwing dense shadows. The class of photographs operated upon have been very inferior, necessitating laborious improving in 197 instances. Under your instructions I inspected the local survey offices at Chrisfchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill during March, and reported on the draughting branches of each office. Fifteen new 80-chain maps of survey districts have been published, viz.: Makuri, Cobden, Brighton, Kaiteriteri, Maungatapu, Pakawau, Mawhera-nui, Lyndon, Waimea, and Steeples, compiled and drawn in the district survey offices, and Weber, Totara, Southbridge, Waipori, and Benger, compiled and drawn in the Head Office. New editions of 80-chain maps of the following districts have been printed and published, viz.: Wairau, Cape, Waitara, Wairaki, Winton, New Eiver, and Taringatura. The 80-chain map of Wairarapa South County, referred to in last year's report, has been prepared for publication in four sheets. This map contains fifteen survey districts, and, although primarily a county map, the data is sufficiently reliable to admit of the districts being accepted as preparatory to the issue of maps of each district separately. iii—C. 1.

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District. April. May. June. July. August. September. October. fovember. lecember. January. February. March. Average. Auckland Taranaki Hawke's Bay .. Wellington Marlborough .. Nelson Westland Canterbury .. Otago Southland Nurseries 366 224 137 518 75 6 26 2 122 66 376 269 167 482 [ 71 j 36 399 309 230 508 60 '30 424 346 244 570 56 1 21 18 88 58 412 352 281 621 56 6 12 16 88 77 387 307 307 622 59 3 12 10 90 85 376 283 305 618 101 9 14 10 99 62 379 245 289 513 105 3 15 9 93 49 332 182 204 462 15 18 9 139 38 244 112 153 450 13 23 11 109 45 25 329 126 176 429 16 9 39 23 132 78 26 336 143 196 447 13 15 53 24 73 71 23 363 241 224 520 53 6 25 13 101 61 25 99 53 80 47 Totals .. 1,542 1,553 1,663 1,826 1,921 1,882 1,877 1,700 1,399 1,185 1,383 1,394 1,632 Average for the year, 1,632.