82

Waiau-ua Bridge.—This bridge has been thoroughly
overhauled, all the bolts and nuts have been well
screwed up, which operation was rendered necessary
by the shrinkage of the timber, and the whole of the
structure has been well tarred.

Glen Allen Gully Bridge has also been examined,
screwed up, and tarred all over.

Court House and Lockup.—This building, for
which plans and specifications were prepared here
and sent to the Amuri for tender, has been com-
pleted at a cost rather beyond the sum voted for the
purpose.

WEST COAST.

Grey District.—Without going into small details,
I shall give a short enumeration of the works which
have been executed or improved during the past
year, viz.:—

Completion of dray road from Cobden to the sea-
beach.

Formation of a dray road around the Rocky
Gorge from Cobden to Coal Creek.

Construction of a substantial cart bridge across
Coal Creek.

Completion of horse road from Twelve-
Mile, by making side cuttings in rocks, metal-
ing soft portions of road, &c., &c.

Improvement of horse road thence to the Little
Grey, about twenty miles.

Completion of horse road up the Little Grey, and
over the saddle into the Inangahua, about
twenty miles.

Several branch roads to the various diggings have
also been cut or improved for horse traffic;
amongst others, to Moonlight's, six miles; to
Duffer's Gully, five miles; to Red Jack's, nine
miles, &c., &c.

Road by the Ahaura to Amuri.—This road is one
which, from its importance for the purpose of driv-
ing cattle and sheep, deserves consideration. Al-
though it has been used continually since the com-
mencement of the Grey diggings, it has never
been in a substantial state of repair; in fact it was
only opened as a preliminary sort of track, and was
never finally finished as a road. As at present laid
out, the portion of it in the upper Ahaura is liable
to constant damage from floods, and nearly every
fresh party going through is obliged here and there
to cut new lines through the bush to get the stock
along. I should recommend that a considerable
outlay be made on this road, with a view to make it
permanently useful. The line should be well ex-
amined and altered where necessary to improve it
previous to any work being done.

Horse road from Grey to Buller.—The journey,
from the Grey to the Buller has now been for some
time practicable on horseback, a distance of about
seventy miles. This work is one of the greatest
improvements yet effected in connection with the
opening of the south-west gold-fields. It is, how-
ever, far from being yet, what may be considered in
a proper state for carriage, and a good deal
of metalling will be required in several places to
render it permanently useful during the winter.
This is to be taken to have these parts of the
road finished without delay.

It has been proposed to open a road from Brighton
inland to the Little Grey, the object being, besides
opening up the country, to supply the latter district
with goods cheaper than by sending them up the
Grey. The country has not been yet thoroughly
explored, but the proposal is worthy of attention.

Buller District.—In this district parties of men
have been engaged in making a horse track up the
Inangahua river to join that from the Little Grey.

This work is completed, and is in length about
twenty-one miles.

Also, in completing and improving the horse road
from the Inangahua down the Buller to the port. I
hope to have several material alterations made in
this road for the better, in avoiding some of the
steepest portions of the road, and substituting others
of a more level character. It will be remembered
that, when this road was made, the upper portion of
the road was only a walking track, and all ex-
pensive cuttings were avoided as much as possible.
Another party is now engaged on that part of the
road between the Inangahua and the Lyell, formed
as a walking track; and above the Lyell, the real
from that river to the Maruia, another is now en-
gaged in making a substantial horse road. We have
succeeded in getting a line nearly level round the
Rocks to eight-mile Creek, above the Lyell, the real
distance being about six miles and three-quarters,
instead of climbing over the ridge and crossing
Manuka Flat. This is an immense improvement, as
the old line was excessively steep and tedious on
both sides. From eight-mile Creek to the Maruia,
we are now improving the road for horses, and put-
ting in bridges and fords along the old walking
track.

I have had some examination of the Buller made
above the Lyell, with the view of establishing on it a
horse-ferry, or of building a bridge—the latter will
be preferable; and now that the road is nearly
finished, I propose to make a more minute examina-
tion of the locality, and proceed with the work as
quickly as possible.

At present an ordinary ferry is kept a little below
the Lyell, and a ferry house has been built in con-
nection with it on the South bank.

Court-house and Lock-up.—A new court-house
and lock-up has been built at Westport, but the ac-
commodation afforded by them will not be sufficient
in view of the increasing population of this district.
Plans for extending the amount of accommodation
for police purposes have been submitted by the Com-
missioner, and it will without doubt be necessary to
have them carried out without delay.

Wharf.—It is also apparent that we must very
shortly provide extensive wharf accommodation in
the Buller, which, however, must be done on some
comprehensive plan, after a careful examination of
the banks and channel of the river. A new flag-staff
and signal-station has been erected at this port.

Plans have been prepared, in anticipation of the
want of a new Custom-house at Westport; at pre-
sent, one of the old Government buildings is used for
the purpose.

Upper Buller.—A good cart-bridge has been built
over the Upper Buller, a little below the "Slips," in
connection with the South Buller road; this has
long been needed, as the Buller is at many times
dangerous to cross, either for horses or foot-passen-
gers for several days or even weeks together. The
dray road has been well improved and repaired, and the cart-
road has been extended up the Howard to within a
short distance of the Howard stores. From the
turn-off in the Big Bush to the Little Lake, the
dray road has been well improved and repaired, the
culverts and bridges made good, and all the soft
parts well metalled and drained. I should have
stated amongst the probable and almost immediate
wants of Westport, the clearing of at least a portion
of the streets of the town, in order to give access to
the freehold sections. It will also be necessary to
make ample provision for the opening of many new
roads to the diggings, which may consider as
certain to be discovered before long in and around