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veyed traverses very difficult country on the Opotiki side of the dividing-range, and the construction of a line down this valley would be very costly and the curves very sharp. The grade is 1 in 50. The land-plan survey of 13 miles of the North Island Main Trunk line from 116 m. to 129 m. has been finished. A trial surve_y for ballast-line was run from a point on the North Island Main Trunk line near Waimarino Station to a scoria cone, a length of about 10 miles. The works would be light. Alternative surveys have been made for a branch line from Eltham to Opunake, 23J miles long; from Te Roti to Opunake, 22 miles long; and from Stratford to Opunake, just over 26 miles long. All information is now available for the preparation of comparative estimates. The survey for the tunnel through the main range at Arthur's Pass, on the Midland Railway, has been partly finished, so far as to enable contract plans to be prepared. Some of the triangula-tion-work has yet to be checked, and the centre-line of the tunnel has yet to be ranged permanently. An examination of the country has been made for a railway-line from Darfield to Norwood. A survey party has been engaged during part of the year in doing the permanent survey of the Catlin's River Railway. This is now finished up to 30 m.; and about 22 miles of trial lines for alternative routes were done during the year. This same party was engaged on repegging 8 miles of the Riversdale-Switzers Railway, and also in permanently surveying part of the Law-rence-Roxburgh Railway in advance of the works now in progress. Sleepers. Under contracts and agreements for the supply of sleepers, the deliveries during the year ended the 31st March last were as follows: Auckland District—2o,462 totara, 1,102 puriri, 12,486 ironbark; Rangitikei district—2o,967 totara; Westport—l9,oso yellow-pine; Westland, 120,229 silver-pine; Otago—4oo black-pine, 5,400 totara. ROAD-BRIDGES, ETC. A contract has been let for the erection of a road-bridge over the Motueka River, at Alexander's Bluff. A contract for the erection of a road-bridge over the Taramakau is well advanced. A contract for the repairs to one of the piers to Taylorville Suspension Bridge is completed. A contract has been let to rebuild the Arnold River Road-bridge. A contract has been prepared for the erection of a bridge over the Wataroa River, Great South Road. The bridges on the Reefton—lnangahua Railway are being planked for road traffic over the creeks and streams that are at times dangerous. The railway-bridge over the Manuherikia River at Alexandra, Otago Central Railway, is also being planked to take road traffic. Contracts are being prepared for road-bridges over the Buller River at Fern Flat and over the Big Wanganui River, Great South Road. Plans for a bridge over the Waikato River, at Cambridge, were reported on. Various minor works have been completed during the year on the Denniston Hill Road, Westport—Waimangaroa Road, and Ahaura—Haupiri Road.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS. Auckland District. Departmental Buildings. Auckland. —Some alterations were made in Customs Office to accommodate the Shipping Officer. Some interior renovations have been carried out. Thames. —A few fittings were provided in Courthouse. Goromandel. —Some fencing was erected on one boundary of property. Tauranga. —The building has been rebuilt, furnished, and occupied. Gisborne. —The Post-office rooms have been decorated, and small repairs effected generally. Post-offices. Mangonui, Whangaroa, Kawakawa, Rawene, Russell, Waitvera, Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Strand Arcade, Onehunga, Neivton, Opotiki, Te Awamutu, Kihikihi, Te Aroha, Gisborne, Parnell. —Minor works have been carried out at each of these offices. Helensville, Waipu, Birkenhead, Cambridge, Rotorua. —Reports on proposed works have been furnished. Auckland. —Fire-prevention appliances have been amplified. Sundry repairs and minor alterations and additions have been carried out. Parnell, Whakarewarewa, Waipiro Bay. —New offices have been erected at these places. Whakatane. —Tenders for a new building have been invited. Maketu, Taupo. —Repairs are being effected at each office. Tokomaru Bay, Tuparoa. —Tenders have been accepted for erection of new building at each place. Courthouses. Auckland, Supreme. —Alterations were made to provide a room for the Arbitration Court, the library was enlarged, and sundry repairs, particularly to roof-slates, were carried out. Auckland, District. —Repairs to drainage, and interior renovations were effected. Hamilton. —A new building is being erected. Huntly. —A new building was erected here.