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MOUTERE AND MOTUEKA.

Moutere.—From Upper Moutere (near Benson's), the further portion of a dray road into Dove Dale has been completed, altogether about eight miles long, striking the road down the Dove about a mile above Cuckoo Point. This road is considered as a great boon by the settlers located along it, both on the Moutere and Dove Dale side of the dividing range.

Moutere Bridge.—This has been well tarred and painted, and is in a good state of repair.

Motueka.—The road from here to the Wai-wero, and beyond to the Orinoco, has been improved, and made useful for cart traffic. A card road has been opened up the Orinoco Valley, branching from the above road about 2½ miles, giving access to all the land already settled upon. This is a promising district, and much improvement has been effected in it of late in the way of clearing and fencing.

The pound at Motueka has been repaired and gravelled, a piece of work which was much needed. The jetty has been thoroughly repaired, in fact nearly the whole of the work has been renewed, in a most substantial manner. This will now be a good opportunity for handing the jetty over to the care of the Road Board, and of introducing a bill into Council empowering the Board to lety rates for the use of it.

RIWAKA.

Riwaka.—A substantial foot-bridge has been erected here, and a right-of-way acquired to it on each side; the district has long felt the want of such a bridge, which will be a great convenience.

This district has also been thoroughly repaired, and new approaches made to it.

The foot-bridge proposed to have been built over an armlet of the Motueka river, at Edelsten's, has not been erected. It was supposed that the members of the Road Board, from their local knowledge of the site and its requirements, would furnish some information as to the best kind of bridge to be erected, and they were invited to consider the subject. A plan and specification of a bridge intended to be adapted to this site was also forwarded for their approval. Having only a few days ago received their answer, I have not yet taken steps to have the bridge erected. The amount voted, I will believe, be too little for the purpose.

TAKAKA.

Takaka.—In this district the following works have been executed, viz., road over the hill, has been, I believe, thoroughly repaired from end to end. The young bush has been cut down, having grown so much on each side of the track as to impede the thoroughfare; the drains have been repaired and the cuttings cleaned out; from some of the latter it was found necessary to remove, by blasting, several large rocks, which by the wear and tear of the road and the action of the weather had become exposed, so as to be dangerous.

On the East Takaka bridge road several slips have occurred, and have been removed, also several large fallen trees which had completely blocked up the road. On the East Takaka dray road several contracts have been completed (a few are still in hand) for those works previously left unfinished, and which were necessary to open the road for cart traffic from Clifton to the junction of the road with the bridle track mentioned above. The works have principally consisted of bridges, cuttings, and ditching, and forming along the softer parts of the road.

Cross Road, from East to West Takaka roads, joining the latter at the junction of the Waitapu and Motupipi roads. The felling and clearing of the

bush on this line, about two and a-half miles, has been let in three contracts, two of which are completed and the third nearly so: some cuttings, &c., will be required to complete this work, specifications for which are now being prepared.

Branch Road, joining East and West Takaka roads about four and a-half miles above the latter has been completed, after a considerable delay, by embanking, across the swampy part of it with logs, stones, and gravel.

Cross Road, Clifton to Motupipi. The necessary steps have been taken (after considerable delay owing to difference of opinion as to the best line to be chosen) to procure a Magistrates' order for opening this road. It connects the Clifton district with Motupipi by a branch road from the East Takaka road, about one and a-quarter miles from Clifton, thence across the Motupipi river to the Main Trunk road, crossing the latter, and proceeding thence to the landing-place at Motupipi wharf. This road will require some expenditure to make it available for cart traffic.

Waitapu.—A Magistrates' order has been obtained for an extension of the Waitapu road through private land to Waitapu wharf, and the road thence over the Takaka mud-flat has been more efficiently marked out by an additional number of beacons.

Proposed New Road.—On my last visit to Takaka I was requested to examine a line of road which would avoid the crossing of the dangerous ford on the Waingaro River, by diverging from the West Takaka road just above that river, through Messrs. Dixon and Bromley's land, crossing the Takaka at an excellent shallow, permanent ford, and thence nearly in a straight line to a point about midway on the cross road leading to the Waitapu and Motupipi junction.

The opening of this line would render travelling in the district much more certain and safe during freshes than by the present road. I have reported on it especially, giving plan and estimate of cost, with other particulars.

Court House and Lock-up.—I examined several proposed sites for this building, and finally chose one near the junction of the Waitapu and Motupipi roads, as being in a central position and easily accessible. The land belongs to Mr. Ross, who will sell a piece sufficient for the purpose. The great difficulty is to find a suitable central site that shall be clear of floods, and easily accessible from the surrounding road boundary. A plan and specification for this work has been prepared, and it will shortly be advertized for tender.

COLLINGWOOD.

Collingwood.—The sum voted for repairing the bridle track from here to Takaka was divided and placed in the hands of the two Road Boards for disbursement, as was also the sum voted for the Hcaphy-road, placed at the disposal of the Collingwood Road Board.

Slate River Bridge.—The sum asked for and voted for the repairs of this bridge, will, I think, be reduced by repairing it as a foot-bridge, and obliging horses and cattle to use the ford, which is a good one.

AMURI.

Amuri.—The several contracts for forming a dray track up the Waiau-ua River from the Hanmer Plain have been completed, the payment for the work being made in land. A horse road has been laid off as a continuation of this to Lake Sumner and the Upper Hurunui; a specification for the work has been prepared, and the work put in hand.