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Cheviot Section (23 m. 30 eh. to 31m. 65 eh. from Waipara). —The earthworks have been finished up to Tormore Station at 26 m. 40 eh. The line crosses an old slip in the Hurunui Gorge. A considerable length of drainage drives has been put in to drain this slip, which is still moving; so far these appear to have been successful. The rails have been laid on the first 2 miles of the section. A contract for station buildings at Tormore Station has been finished. Earthworks are well advanced over the remainder of the section. A start has been made with the bridge over Benmore Creek. Ngahere-Blackball . The earthworks have been in progress during the year, and some progress has been made. The combined road and railway bridge over the Grey River has been used for road traffic for about a year. Some damage done to the approaches by a high flood has been repaired. Coal Creek Railway. Some works in connection with station-yards have been completed during the year. HOKITIKA-ROSS. The section of this line up to Mahinapua Lake was opened for goods traffic in May last—a length of 6 miles 13 chains. The earthworks are nearly complete on the first 11 miles from Hokitika, and in progress over other 2 miles. The Mahinapua bridges contract has been completed. A contract to build all the remaining bridges on the line has been let. The rails are laid on the first 7 miles, and the ballasting is partly done. Station-platforms have been built as far as the rails are laid. Otago Central Railway. All the culverts and earthworks are complete up to Clyde, at 135 m. 40 eh. from Wingatui Junction, except trimming for platelaying. The second bridge over the Manuherikia River is finished, and the third bridge over the Manuherikia, near Alexandra, is well advanced towards completion. This is a combined road and railway bridge. Short-span timber bridges have been finished over creek at 124 m. 3 oh., Galloway Creek, and Manorburn, and a bridge is now being built over Waikerikeri. Fourteen miles of rails have been laid during the year. The ballasting is completed to 121 m. 18 eh., and partly done to rail-head at 124 m. 58 eh. The Chatto Creek Station buildings are being erected by contract. Lα WRENCE-ROXBUH GH. Work was begun in January last on the extension of the railway from Lawrence to Roxburgh, and some progress has been made with the works on the first 4 miles. Catlih's Riveb Railway Extension. A length of 4 miles is at present under construction. The bush-work on the first 2f miles is completed. The earthworks are almost complete on the first 1| miles. The earthworks for the Houipapa Station are about three parts finished. The line runs over some swamps, requiring special provision for supporting the banks. A contract has been let for the erection of a bridge over the Catlin's River. The steelwork is being manufactured, but at present it is impossible to get any materials on to the site owing to the condition of the roads. Riversdale-Switzer's Railway. The rails have been relaid on the first 2 miles of this line. Timber is under order for flood openings at the Mataura River, and earthworks will be started as soon as possible, and also the erection of the flood openings. Seaward Bush Railway Extension. A start has been made with the earthworks on 2£ miles of this line from 26 m. onwards The bush has been felled for 3J miles, beginning at 28 m. 58 eh., and on about a mile of this length the timber has been burned. Orepuki-Waiau. In February last work was begun beyond the end of Waihoaka Station yard at 40 m. 20 eh. from Makarewa Junction. The bush-work was done previously up to 46J m., and the earthworks have now been started, and good progress has been made on the first l£ miles. Work has been greatly retarded by wet weather. Surveys of New Lines, Land-plan Surveys, etc. The land-plan survey of the Kawakawa-Grahamtown Railway south from Kawakawa to Hukerenui has been finished. The permanent survey for the Helensville northwards line has been extended from 66 m. to 69 m. 20 eh., and the land-plan survey has been completed to the same point. Alternative trial lines have been run for the extension Paeroa-Waihi line for short distances beyond the present terminus. The land-plan survey for 8 miles of the Gisborne—Karaka Railway from 18 m. to 26 m. has been finished, and the plans approved. The permanent survey of this line has been finished up to 26 m. The trial-survey has been extended over the dividing-range and down the Pakihi River Valley to the low ground, and is now up to 76 m., about. 9J miles from Opotiki. The line sur-