Remarks.

Several culverts have been built, and thirteen repaired. The average number of men employed was about seventy, and the rate of pay 6s 6d per diem. On the average two drays and horses have been employed on this section.

All that is now required in this section is that a few surfacemen should be constantly employed in making necessary repairs, &c.

Expenditure.

Saddle Hill to West Taieri.

The road from Saddle Hill to West Taieri is now finished, with the exception of three quarters of a mile, on Mr. Turnbull's property, about three miles from Saddle Hill. Mr. Turnbull objects to the road being taken through his property.

Contract 1 .......... £348 1 11
Contract 2 .......... 213 12 0
Contract 3 .......... 207 6 0
Wages to laborers, surfacemen, carters, &c. .......... 420 14 4
Tools, provisions, repairs, &c. .......... 8 14 0

Total expenditure .......... 1198 8 3
Unexpended balance .......... 801 11 9

Amount of vote .......... 2000 0 0

West Taieri to Interior.

(Inspector Abbott.)

Two contracts were in operation on this section at the commencement of the half-year.

1st. Bailey and Corcoran—Widening cutting three miles north of Taieri Ferry. The road for about two miles of this cutting has been widened from fifteen to twenty-one feet.

2nd. D. R. Evans—Forming about a mile of road between last contract and the Taieri Ferry.

3rd. During the six months a private contract was entered into with M. Corcoran for widening three-quarters of a mile of road between school-house, West Taieri, and Mac's Hotel. This portion of road was widened from fifteen to twenty-one feet.

Day Labor.

A road party of twelve men was engaged for three months after the 1st of April, in bridging streams and making side cuttings on the line of road near Campbell Thomson's station. During the last three months of the term two surfacemen were engaged on the road between Campbell Thomson's and the West Taieri.

The laborers on this section were paid at the rate of 6s. 6d. per diem, with rations.

Expenditure.

Contract 1 .......... £603 0 0
Contract 2 .......... 605 0 0
Contract 3 .......... 1575 0 0
Wages to laborers, surfacemen, cartage, &c. .......... 3655 11 4
Tools and repairs .......... 4 17 0

Total expenditure .......... 6463 8 4
Unexpended balance .......... 3536 11 8

Amount voted .......... £10,000 0 0

MAIN BRANCH ROADS.

Dunedin to Portobello.

(Inspector Abbott.)

There were three contracts in operation on the 1st April.

1st. Wm. Mitchell—Forming and metalling forty-one chains of road between Dunedin and Anderson's Bay. This contract was just being completed at the commencement of the term.

2nd. Messrs. Johnstone and Erskine—Forming and metalling forty chains of road from Dunedin towards Anderson's Bay. A small portion of this contract was finished at the commencement of the six months. It is now completed.

3rd. D. Proudfoot—Forming and metalling seventeen chains of road, between contracts 1st and 2nd. This contract is now completed.

Day Labor.

Shortly after the completion of contracts 2nd and 3rd, it was found that the road was not sufficiently strong to bear traffic. A road party of nine men and two drays were set to work at once. This party was at work for three months. The road is now excellent. Rate of wages for laborers was 7s. per diem. On the 1st April a road party of about thirty men was employed in extending this road towards Portobello Bay through the bush. This party was at work until the end of May, by which time they had formed about sixty-five chains of road. Rate of wages to this party, 6s. 6d. per diem.

This road is now metalled from Dunedin for a distance of ninety chains. About four miles more have been formed. It is not yet decided how the road is to be carried on to Portobello Bay.