D.—l.

At the partially completed water-drive at 31 m. 6 oh.. (Kaingapipi Stream), a slip over the portal was cleared away, and service-track restorations made to enable co-operative contract driving to be resumed. Stone-rubble toes for protecting embankments against wave action were erected from 23 m. 73 ch. to 24 m. 11 ch. These are to be faced with a low concrete sea-wall; 50 lineal feet of the latter was completed. On the cessation of work in 1931, under arrangements with the Wairoa Electric-power Board, the 11,000-volt line had been duplicated from Wairoa to Nuhaka and a new line extended to Waikokopu, at which point supply was being given by the Board. The Department undertook the erection of the line from this point to the Waikoura Tunnel, the last tunnel on the line, and had erected all the poles and strung several miles of wire. Owing to lack of maintenance a considerable amount of repair work was incurred on the completed portion, and a strong party was put on to this, and is carrying on with the erection of the remainder of the wires. The works system was overhauled from Waikokopu to the main office at No. 3 Camp. At the end of the period employees totalled 129, and the number was being rapidly increased. Wharerata Section. —From 14 m. 40 ch., Gisborne Chainage, to 33 m. 72 ch., Waikokopu Chainage : This is the heaviest section between Waikokopu and Gisborne. Work has been mainly confined so far to the erection of workmen's accommodation, reopening service roads and tracks, clearing waterdrives, and draining. Twelve single men's huts were repaired and re-erected for staff quarters. Thirteen wooden, married quarters were repaired. Nineteen single men's huts were repaired and re-erected. Thirteen single men's tent quarters were erected. One new married tent quarters has been erected, and others have been transported to the sites ready for erection. Repainting of old quarters is being proceeded with. The Y.M.C.A. recreational building was reopened and placed under the charge of a resident secretary. All access roads and tracks have been opened up for the Wharekakaho Valley and Beach Camp Section between 18 m. 40 ch. and 20 m. 30 ch., Gisborne Chainage. The Tikiwhata Road leading to the southern portal of the Coast Road tunnel (46 ch. long) has been cleared of scrub and slips, but the extension of this road to the turntable in the Tikiwhata Valley requires some further rej>airs. The foot track to the north end of the Coast Road (149 ch.) tunnel has been opened up. Water-drives were reopened at 18 m. 73 ch., Gisborne Chainage, and at 36 m. 8 ch., 35 m. 65 ch., and 35 m. 34 ch., Wairoa chainages. Work on formation has been confined to preparations at various points, comprising clearing scrub, draining cuttings, repairing and relaying service track and trucks. The number of men employed at the end of the period, exclusive of staff, was seventy-two and was being rapidly increased. Gisborne Section. —From 7-35 ch. to 14 m. 40 ch. ; length, 14 m. 47 ch. : No construction work was actually done on this section before the end of the period. Napier-Gisbobne Railway. Napier-Putorino Section. —0 m. -37 m. 35 ch. ; length, 37 m. 35 ch. A start was made to clear up this section as soon as the work was authorized by Cabinet shortly before the end of the period. All growth has now been cleared from the track and the rails uncovered as far as the 16 m. peg. Between 12 m. and 16 m. two muck trains have been used to clear slips. The length between Napier and Eskdale is being heavily ballasted and regraded to eliminate earthquake damage, and a gang of artisans is engaged in repairing culvert damage. The work of lifting and reconditioning the line has been very heavy over the first 8 nr., owing to the large amount of uplift on the shingle ground during the 1931 earthquake. No actual final lifting has yet been completed. Slips and bank subsidences have occurred chiefly in the upper reaches of the Esk Valley —i.e., 13 m. to 20 nr. —and all slip material has been utilized to raise and widen weak banks. Two muck trains have been employed, and to date have shifted 8,012 cubic yards between 12 m. 30 ch. and 16 m. 5 ch. The ballast-pit at the 5 m. peg was open to use, and to date 11,790 cubic yards of ballast were loaded and removed by the ballast train hired from the Railways Department. The 2 ft. culvert at 7 m. 13 ch. has been replaced by 18 in. pipes 24 ft. long. The washed out culvert at 7 m. 59-29 ch. was repaired and the bank made good. The 6 ft. flat-top culvert at 14 m. 2-81 ch. is being protected by means of a reinforced-concrete spillway. Tent-accommodation for forty men has been erected at Waipunga (15 m. 20 ch.), together with cookhouse and bathhouse. A total of 118 men is at present "employ ed~cm this section. Putorino-Wairoa Section m. 35 ch. -70 m. 67 eh. ; length, 32 m. 32 ch. : For the major portion of the year under review the only work carried out was maintenance of the Mohaka Viaduct steel. Spread over t.wr years, a programme of cleaning and painting with two coats of paint was practically complete 3n onset of winter conditions necessitated the closing-down of this work. Towards the end < ' Vstr actions to proceed with completion of the line were received, and at the close of tb ' ell. in hand, upwards of ninety men being spread over the section in general r " PI? 1 crushing installation at the south side of the Mohaka Viaduct to pr he section, and tenders are to be called immediately for the hau" for the northern section, large quantities being required

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