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5. Streets and local improvements.
6. Harbor and signal stations.
7. Buildings, repair and fittings.

I. Buller Valley Roads.—On the main road up the Buller
River, a large amount of works have been done in former years.
In many parts, great distances of very good road exist at the
present time, but these parts are disconnected. The great
increase in the mining population above the Lyell, is alone
sufficient reason to propose the completion of this road as a
work of chief importance; but, in addition, there is the con-
sideration that this road forms a large part of the main trunk
line through the Goldfields. To complete the road to the
Lyell, about one and a-half miles of new road is required round
the base of the Ohika hill, to avoid the range over which the
present road passes, and which is dangerous, too steep and
difficult for a horse road. In this new piece there is a good
deal of rock-work and generally very heavy side-cutting, for
whom I estimate £1000. It is a short but difficult cutting in
the face of the solid rock, called Hawk's Crag, which is part of
the original plan for a road, but left untouched. I have
examined the place carefully, and am satisfied no other road
would answer as well or cost less for carrying the £300. It is
About one mile and a half new road-making over the Bleak-
water Hill, say £500. And for general repairs and restoration
of old work, say £700. On the Inangahua river little is
required, as we carry on to reconnect—in fact, the track
from the junction to the "landing," a point eight miles up the
stream; but to make a permanent road, it may be found neces-
sary to alter the road at the further end, in order to avoid some
loose and sliding rocks where the road is now blocked by slips.
To pass behind these rocks it might be necessary to form anew
about one mile of road, for which I put down £300. The road
between the Lyell and the Maruia has been damaged by slips,
and generally requires repairs, say £500. To complete the
thoroughfare from Nelson to the West Coast, either a bridge or
a ferry is wanted near the Lyell. Either would entail consider-
able cost. For a ferry, approaches would be required through
very rough and rocky ground, and for a bridge the carriage of
the necessary ironwork up the river in small boats would involve
expense—in fact an expensive character of such a structure in
the situation in question. I believe all requisite measurements
of the site for a bridge have been taken by the Provincial
Engineer, therefore I do not enter further into that matter. I
put down £1500 for the ferry and approaches, or for the bridge
over the Buller, £5000. And, lastly, for general maintenance
of the Buller Valley Roads, £500, giving a total of £5050 for

II. Grey Valley Roads.—Between Cobden and the A-road
ferry, I consider the route chosen the road is as good as can
be obtained; from thence to the new township of the Ahaura,
none of the present track is in a situation that warrants the
outlay even of the sums required during the year to keep it
passable. 1st—The new line I propose in continuation of the
scheme mentioned a for trunk line through the diggings is as
follows:—continuing the present road on the right bank of the
Grey from the present ferry about two miles higher up, where
a very much better and safer ferry may be established, crossing
the river at this point, I would take a new line of road direct
to the terrace ground near the river, and continue it along the
higher grounds over Redjack's Creek to Nelson's Creek terraces
and thence follow the succession of terraces, the Ahaura. This
will avoid all the river banks and shingle beds which have
hitherto been a constant trouble. I estimate, from Langdon's
Ferry to New Crossing, £600; and thence to Nelson's Creek,
£1800; and to the Ahaura, £1200.

2nd.—To render the road between Cobden and the ferry safe
from slips, it will be necessary to cut away the hill-side to a proper
inclination, and cut down the overhanging trees which do
much mischief by swaying in the wind, and damaging with their
roots quantities of ground, which eventually falls on the road.
About 5 chains require cutting back, to batter about 10 inches
to the foot, which will run the work to a considerable height,
perhaps, 40 feet; some 12 chains more require an average of
12 feet high. For this, I put down £150. This sum, judiciously
applied, should render the Cobden roading safe for the future.
To avoid the overflows in this section which are impassable at
ordinary floods, and highly dangerous when the river is rising,
about £300 would suffice.

3rd.—From the Little Grey junction to the Inangahua saddle,
the whole road is bad, and insufficient for the traffic even now
upon it. I would, however, only recommend formation of the
latter five miles, which even now are scarcely passable, and
during the winter and spring will only be travelled at great risk.
The further part of the road follows at present the windings of
a creek to gain the benefit of the stoney bottom, and when this
falls off, the road plunges into a dense bush; and when the
flounder amongst the roots and bog-holes for three or four
miles. A direct line could be struck over open plain
to avoid this bad place, and shorten the distance considerably.

Any attempt to improve the existing track would be a fruitless
expense. The road proposed on the open terraces would require
the upper soil, which is soft and spongy, to be thrown off, and a
hard gravelly surface would be laid bare, and of itself form an
excellent road; some part would be through bush, but without
a survey, it is not possible to state what distances are actually
required. I reckon, however, five miles at £250 per mile.

4th.—Great complaints have been made of the branch tracks
to Red Jack's and Nelson's Creek, and considering their require-
ments at the present time, I should have proposed, for Red
Jack's, £750; and for Nelson's Creek, £200. I should, however,
the Government decide to form the main road above described,
f'om the crossing to the Ahaura, these branch tracks would, to
a great extent, be done away with, as the main road would pass
through the centre of the diggings. Should it be found necessary
still to maintain a landing place at the foot of Red Jack's Creek,
some part of the above sum would be needed in this instance, I
therefore set down £500 for Red Jack's Creek.

Old established diggings have been steadily maintained at
No-Town, Duffers', and Noble's Gullies, for which I set down
£400, £300, and £200 respectively. These have occasionally
supported a considerable number of miners for years past, and
no help has yet been afforded by Government in the way of
tracks, those that exist, such as they are, having been made by
the inhabitants of the neighborhood. The Moonlight Creek is
a subject difficult to estimate upon without a more careful
survey than I have had the opportunity of giving it. To form
anything like a good road would cost a very large sum, and it is
not to be contemplated considering that the locality has retro-
gard-d. There are, however, several claims in work, and
applications are made for extensive leases on the quartz reef. I
should, therefore, propose a small sum to be laid out in
improving the passages of the river bed, say £150. Lastly, for
maintenance of the above Grey roads, £500.

The Amuri road has been proposed in connexion with
the branch tracks up the Ahaura. As a sum of £2000 was
voted last year and not expended, I need only say it is fully as
much required now as then, and I think the opening of the road
would assist greatly in the development of the Ahaura Gold
Diggings. Total for roads in the Grey Valley, £9350.

III. Roads on the Coast Line.—The main road from the
Buller to the Grey—it is of exists in fair condition on the whole,
the principal exception is in the instance of the road across
Cape Foulwind. This piece of road is formed by laying the
wood and vegetation that was cut in clearing the bush in the
line of the road, and covering of the cement, which forms the
substratum broken up is laid on the top. The constant
traffic of horses and drays the cement becomes pulverized and
reduced to a fine sand, which never binds or sets in the least;
underneath shows stray passing ploughs a deep furrow, and all
that will entail will be to fill it again with similar material. For
the last ten or eleven months, a man has been constantly
employed at £4 per week doing this. Now the scrub
underneath would have forms a durable road. I think the plan
to be adopted should be, to if the present road becomes much
dilapidated, to reform it in the day-to-day; and parts could
be thus created during the ensuing year; and other parts could
be kept up and made to answer as they are till a future time.
The most unsound parts, likely to require it during the year
might be renewed, as I propose, for £500.

Some improvements are needed in the Fox's river. The upper
part of the track lies in the river bed entirely, and some of the
crossing places have lately become dangerous. At the same time,
to make a road independent of the river would cost a far
higher sum than is warranted now. I therefore propose the sum
of £100 to form new approaches, &c., when destroyed by freshes.
The maintenance of this line will be costly as compared with
others.

The roads about Charleston, though now in fair order, require
a great deal attention, as the traffic is considerable, and the
roads are soft. Some of Brighton, the approaches to the sea
beaches are very liable to be destroyed by the sea; and the cuts
made in the Bluff tracks, though tolerably sound and substantial
yet whenever they do occasionally fall away, repairs are expensive
as the ground is rocky.

I estimate £1000 for maintenance of the roads on the coast,
including Addison's, Caledonian, and at the rear of Charleston.
In all cases of maintenance of roads, I would strongly recom-
mend the letting of suitable portions by monthly contracts as a
complete and convenient manner of providing for constant
repairs.

Communication between Westport and Charleston.—The road
from Westport to Addison's has been extended to the Shamrock
Lead, in the direction of Charleston; and a road has been made
from Charleston to Brown's Terrace on the way to Shamrock