addition to the Lunatic Asylum for the accommodation of male
patients;—this work is now in hand, and comprises six new
cells, and an exercise ward, as well as a bath-room. The
adjoining exercise yard will also be enlarged in connection with
this work—which I expect to see completed in a few weeks.

Foot-bridge, Maitai Valley, Nile-street East.—This bridge
has been satisfactorily completed for some time. A contract is
now in hand for tarring and painting it, which will be finished
in a few days.

Maital River Banks—Protection of Roads and Bridges.—
The works undertaken for this purpose have so far proved
effectual, although they have not yet been tested by any very
heavy floods. I have used heavy rocks, wherever practicable, as
a means of rendering the work permanent and substantial. The
breakwater, proposed in my last report, has been erected in the
bed of the Maitai, opposite the junction of the Brook-street
stream; its action, however, is not so satisfactory as I could
have wished, there is still a heavy deposit of shingle after
floods in the bed of the Maitai, immediately below it and
within its line the amount of deposit appears to depend on the
fact whether the Brook or the Brook is in strongest flood;
if the former, the deposit is likely to be very great. I think
this might be remedied by a small additional outlet. Under
the above heading certain sums have been spent on the river
banks to meet immediate solicitations from private individuals.

Road to Quarantine Ground, &c.—This work was
finished shortly after my last report, and there is now a road
across the swamp, which, however, from the loose nature of the
material of which it was formed, (being only the peaty soil from
the ditches laid on fascines), will require some further work to
make a good hard road; and beyond the swamp a further out-
lay could be made with advantage in reducing some of the hilly
parts of the road, and in improving what has already been done.
In addition to the work first contracted for, the foris across the
tideways will be improved by digging out the mud, and cart-
ing in stones to form a hard causeway in each.

Pelorus Road.—Repairs.—The principal of these have been
required within a short distance of Nelson, where the road
itself threatened to wash away the entire width of the road for
some chains; this part has been protected with state and
wattle work, and with heavy stones and rocks. Other repairs,
more than along the whole length of the road, have been
executed from time to time, and a few more are now required,
in the main beams was mostly the Heringa bridge, situated at
the extreme end of this road, was very much decayed and in a
dangerous state, it is considered, would last for some years to
come, with a few repairs.

Bridges.—Maintenance, &c.—Under this head have been
kept in repair the roadways of different bridges; a portion of
the vote was applied to the protection of the south approach
to Collingwood-street bridge, which was in danger from the
ravages of the Maitai river; another portion in repairing the
stone causeway and approach to the Wairoa bridge, on the
southern side, as well as the floor of the bridge itself.

Road from Pigeon Valley to Motueka Valley.—A small
portion of this vote only has been expended, and that under a
contract for widening and improving the side-cuttings on the
ridge between Stanley Brook and Motueka Valley in such a
way that the portion of the road may now be used for cart
traffic; this improvement is considered as a great boon to the
district.

Road between Wai iti, Motueka Valley, Motupiko, Tad-
mor and Tui.—In expectation of the vote of this
vote being available, I had prepared a specification and estimate
for the dray road up the Motupiko Valley, a work which is
much needed; it has, however, not been proceeded with, a
small sum only having been paid to the District Road Board,
to be expended on those parts most needing attention.

Great South—Waiwero to Motueka.—No expenditure has
yet been made on this track. I have, however, examined the
country, and determined, generally the line of the track to be
adopted. A surveyor is now engaged in laying it off, and will
furnish a correct plan of the line shortly. This track will be
of great importance, not only to the Waiwero district, but to
all the settlers at Ngatimoti, and the Orimoco Valley to cross in
to Nelson, or to the Tui, or otherwise to all travellers coming
to Nelson, or to the Motueka district.

Road—Clifton to Motupiko, the Takaka Road Board had
completed the remainder of the less work on this road, which
have examined, and which will prove to be of the greatest
service to the district, as it was very much needed.

Waimea Bridge.—This bridge was formally opened to the
public on September 24th, after completing the approaches, and
the stone causeway across the second or dry channel of the river.
All the work as yet stands well, though we have not had any
very heavy floods since its completion. The road had

now been in a condition to be painted, having stood during the
whole of the summer and being by this time well seasoned.

Cart-bridge—Wai iti.—This bridge was completed in the
opened for traffic in the early part of December, 1868. It is a
timber bridge, and consists of eight spans of 36 feet each, the
roadway being 10 feet wide, with a three-feet footpath on each
side. In this bridge one of the simplest forms of construction
has been adopted, the floor resting on transverse joists, which
in its turn rest on the main beams or girders. The last are stiffened
the ends by projecting corbels, which lie on the piers and abut-
ments, which consist of totara piles well driven, and cased with
stout planking.

My attention is intended to connect the districts of Waimea
South and Waimea West, a new cross road having been made
in the latter district to meet it. It supplies a want reported to
be very much felt in this part of the country.

Cart-bridge—Wai-iti—at Fox Hill.—This work has not
been proceeded with; plans and sections of the intended site
have however been taken, and final plans of the bridge
itself have been made, as well as copies of those of the ironwork
for transmission to England.

Cart-bridge—Motueka River.—The only work done in
connection with this vote has been to take exact measurements
and soundings of the river at the site selected, (the only one in
fact where a bridge could be built, with our limited resources),
and to drive four trial piles, with the view of testing the nature
of the bottom.

The driving, although apparently into a loose shingle bed,
was very hard and difficult, but the rock bottom was reached
with all the piles, at a tolerably uniform depth.

The shingle over-lying the rock would appear to be very
densely compacted and cemented together, and is not liable to
be moved in floods, even at the surface; so that a good founda-
tion may be relied on.

On my visits to this place, I heard much dissatisfaction ex-
pressed at the expense of so much money being spent on a
bridge, which, from its being situated in such an out-of-the-way
place, would scarcely over be used.

There is no doubt that on this ground it never will be used,
except in high floods, and on these occasions it will be serviceable
for travellers from and to Riwaka and Takaka, and in cases of
emergency. In the very highest floods it would however be
absolutely necessary.

It has been suggested that a horse-ferry would answer every
required purpose at this place, and that suggestion is worth con-
sideration; it must, however, be borne in mind that this would
involve the expense of a ferry-house, and the salary of a ferry-
keeper; as no one could make a living by the ferry fees, seeing
that the use of the ferry would be only occasional. It is stated
that this river during the winter, at times, cannot be crossed for
several days for weeks together, it seems very desirable there-
fore that some provision should be made for crossing at these
times.

Hurunui Bridge.—This work is being executed by the Canter-
bury Government. I had an opportunity of seeing the contractor
for the work during the month of January, and he then informed
me that about seven spans were completed, the total number
being seventeen spans of 40 feet, and four of 25 feet each. The
site, originally fixed to be on the main line of road, has
has been changed, and the bridge is being erected about 1\ mile
lower down, where, on the north side, high rocky abutments
can be obtained, the other side being a low flat shingle bank.
Since the work has been in progress the Government of Nelson
two large floods had the engineer to propose the expediency
of increasing the width of the waterway (and necessarily the
expense of the bridge) of which increased expense, the Govern-
ment of Canterbury proposes that the Province of Nelson shall pay
one half. Of this proposal, I cannot see the fairness, as after sub-
mitting a tender to the extent of £6000, for the construction of
the bridge, founded on the plans as amended for the new site, and
after such approved tender had been accepted, the Nelson
Government, the Canterbury Government are virtually pledged
to complete the bridge, and alterations they may now think it
necessary to make, notwithstanding.

Karamea Road.—A portion of this vote has been expended
in improving the old road to the head of the Karamen, by way
of the Wangapeka River, a distance of about eighteen miles
above the Wangapeka plain. It is put in good o der for
horse traffic, and a stone ford constructed to cross the
Wangapeka, should be set up. The road up the Baton River
River bank has been repaired, and below the Baton, along the Motueka

Main South Road.—This vote has been expended in making
substantial improvements and repairs in different places along
the whole length of the road, a considerable portion having
been made to the Long Valley, where good wide side-cuttings have
been made to replace the old road on the flat, which was
constantly being damaged and rendered impassable by floods.
These cuttings have been gravelled, and I hope, to be found
to be a lasting piece of work, as also the other repairs which