Remarks.

The road between town boundary and Boundary Creek should be metalled; the traffic is considerable, averaging about ten days per diem. From Boundary Creek to the Waitaki the road is naturally very good, and requires nothing except at the Waitaki and at Oamaru Point, where some cutting must be done. A road party of forty men working for one month should finish the whole.

A contract was entered into with Mr. J. Thompson to build a bridge over Boundary Creek; this is now finished.

Contract 1 ... 659 7 7
" ... 419 5 0
" 2 ...
" 3 ... 544 17 10

Wages to Laborers and Surfacemen ... 136 10 3
Bridge, Boundary Creek ... 351 10 6
Pools, repairs, &c. ... 30 19 10

Total expenditure ... £9142 11 0
Unexpended balance ... 357 9 0

Amount of vote ... 2500 0 0

SOUTHERN INTERIOR TRUNK.

CLUTHA MOUTH TO INTERIOR.

(Sub-Inspector Small)

All the work that has been performed on this Section during the last six months has been done by daily labor. The Inspector reports as follows:—

One hundred and ten chains of road have been completed, sixteen chains of which were in swamp, and ninety-four chains side cutting. Ten culverts have been built. Ditches have been dug through swamps for a distance of seventy-three chains. The approaches to seven bridges have been metalled, and the road line cleared of flax for half a mile. The Inspector also reports that in order to complete the line of road from the Molyneux Township to the main South Road, it will be necessary to metal forty-five chains, to dig forty chains of ditches, and to build one bridge.

Expenditure.

Wages to laborers, surfacemen, &c. ... £1204 19 7
Tools, provisions, repairs, &c. ... 667 12 4

Total expenditure ... 1962 11 11
Unexpended balance ... 1037 8 1

Amount of vote ... £3000 0 0

NORTHERN INTERIOR TRUNK.

OAMARU TO INTERIOR.

(Sub-Inspector Stranachon.)

All the works on this Section for the last six months have been done by daily labor.

From the Marawennua for a distance of forty miles up the Valley of the Waitaki River side cuttings have been made wherever necessary. In swamps metal has been used. Forty culverts have been built. The road is now good for the distance of forty miles. An average number of thirty men (30) have been employed on this Section. The rate of wages has been 5s. 6d. per diem, with rations.

Remarks.

From the termination of the line of road now completed to the Lindis, is a distance of forty-five miles. Some large side cuttings will be necessary. The present road party should finish the whole in two months.

Expenditure.

Wages to laborers, surfacemen, &c. ... £959 10 3
Provisions, tools, repairs, &c. ... 774 8 11

Total expenditure ... 1733 19 2
Unexpended balance ... 266 0 10

Amount of vote ... £2000 0 0

CENTRAL INTERIOR TRUNK.

SADDLE HILL TO WEST TAIERI.

(Inspector Abbott.)

Contracts.

At the commencement of the six months there were three contracts in operation.

1st. W. Morton—Cutting ditches on each side of the road for a distance of two hundred and seventy-two chains.

2nd. Taylor and Gore—Cutting large drains from road line to Silver Stream, for the purpose of draining water from road. The drain is twenty feet wide, eight feet deep, and forty-one chains long.

3rd. Jas. M'Kenzie—Forming and metalling one hundred and forty-seven chains of road from Saddle Hill to Silver Stream.

These three contracts are now all completed.

Day Labor.

Four miles and a half of the road between Silver Stream and West Taieri have been formed. Two miles and a quarter of this distance are in banking, average height of banking two feet. Fifteen culverts have been built.