D—l

of Wan.ga.nni the re-formation and metalling at Nukumara have been completed over 3£ miles. On the National Park-Wanganui Highway (Parapara Road) improvements are in progress on eight lengths. The reconstruction of 4 miles from Greatford to Cliff Road is complete except for 1 mile of sealing. On the Pipirika-Raetihi-Ohakune Highway 3 miles of reconstruction has been carried out, also a short length on the Greatford-Ashhurst Highway. In the ■district 23 miles of resealing was carried, out. The two Wellington districts again record an extensive resurfacing programme, comprising 77 miles of resealing (including plant-mix) and 9f miles of original sealing.. In the Taita Gorge 500 30 cwt. concrete slabs have been placed to check river-erosion. On the Wellington-Paekakariki Highway work isj in progress on the new alignment between Johnsonville and Tawa Flat, 5| miles, the earthwork completed being equal to a one-half-mile length of formation. On the Upper Hutt l -Waikanae Highway new sealing was applied over 4\ miles near Upper Hutt, and three-quarters of a mile at the northern end. The 60 chains of major deviation on the Hayw ar d Sr-P ar em at a Highway between Hay wards and Judgeford is in active progress, being approximately half-completed. The total earthwork involved is some 200,000 cubic yards. This work has been commenced earlier thanj otherwise would have been the case to facilitate the installation of the Wellington City water-supply pipeline in its final position. On the Hutt County section of the Masterton-Wellington Highway a length of 40 chains has been widened to provide extra traffic lanes and an 80 ft. Bailey bridge erected temporarily as part of this widening until the new HulPs bridge, which has now been commenced, has been completed. In the Masterton and Wairarapa South Counties shoulder-widening has been carried out over 2| miles, also three-quarters of a mile on the WoodvilleMasterton Highway. The 217 ft. Ngawapuruai overbridge has been completed to deck-level, and a contract let for the approaches. The 220 ft. Tutaekara Bridge on the highway of that name has been completed, also several smaller bridges on other highways in the district. A major slip on the MastertonWeber Highway has continued to give trouble, and a 94-chain deviation to avoid this is proposed. Traffic is being' maintained by means of a short, temporary bridge. In the Nelson-Marlborough district the chief items undertaken have been the reconstruction of the 6-J mile Para-Tuamarina section of the PictonChristchurch Highway, the raising of 22 chains at Spring Creek; above floodlevel, the preparation for sealing of 3 miles on the Wangamoa Hill, and the reconstruction of If miles near Takaka. The 100 ft. Jubilee Bridge, with 26 chains of approaches, near Motueka, has been completed, and the 50 ft. Brown River Bridge in the Rai Valley is in progress, the approaches, totalling 47 chains, being completed. A contract has been let for the 681 ft. bridge over the Waimea River at Appleby, and the work has been commenced. Works in the West Coast district have been delayed by man-power and material shortages, and have been confined principally to bridge and culvert renewals. Flood-damage during the winter included several major slips, the principal (disaster being the collapse of the combined road-rail bridge at Larry's Creek on the Inangahua-Greymouth Highway. A Bailey bridge was erected within a week to provide for the highway traffic.

58