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injuriously, for in fact there is no sludge now to be found near the line, except in the very bottom of the ditches, and there the sand is in most instances reached; and even if the last few inches were wet the prism of peat standing between the ditches is so dry and so thoroughly porous, that in embankments of such small depth formed not by waggon tip, but in most cases cast, and when deepest, wheeled in by barrows, it must have had abundant opportunity to dry.

The only objection I find to any of the embankments is, that the slopes are in some parts so sandy, that I apprehend it may be found necessary to face them, or at least top dress them with peat, in order to induce grass to grow, which will be requisite to secure them from being injuriously acted on by the wind.

The cuttings call for little remark; they are nowhere heavy, and slips to any considerable extent need not be apprehended. There may, I think, be some slight ones of the alluvial soil lying on the gravel in No. 2; but if this takes place at all it will be in the course of the ensuing winter; when the risk, such as it is, will still be that of the contractor.

I understand that some exception has been taken to the material from No. 4 cutting being turned to spoil, instead of being run into the embankments. This cutting is generally shallow, and is about one and a half miles long; to lead it all to bank would have necessarily been a very long job, and the rails furnished to the contractor by the Government would have been quite insufficient for the work.

As the contractor is only paid for the excavations, his turning it to spoil and making up the embankments from side cutting at his own expense, appears to me a very handsome concession on his part; he must be a loser by it; and the gain to the Province by the time saved is very great. I consider the work quite as good as if made from cutting. Peat and sand mixed in good proportions make a most excellent embankment; the only objection to it being some subsidence; but as that has to be made up by the contractor the public cannot lose. The low spoil bank by the side of the line is no disadvantage whatever, and much of the material may yet be required on the line.

A still more frivolous complaint has been made, that side drains were not carried along the side of this cutting in advance of the work; that is, that a particular provision adopted in order to dry very wet ground, was not also employed on a perfectly dry and sound terrace. As any length of drains cut in diminution or in excess of those contained in the schedule will be allowed for in the payment, any Engineer who should permit drains to be cut, where they would be evidently useless, would be guilty of great dereliction of duty.

The bridges and culverts are, in every respect, excellent, both in material and construction.

The timber facing of those portions of the embankments which are washed by the tide is not, in my opinion, a very satisfactory work. When designed it was, I presume, duly considered by those responsible for it; and as executed, it is better than the design.

The difficulty was great, as no stone was available at any practicable cost. The present plan was, I believe, adopted as a make-shift, and it is quite premature to say that it will not succeed; at all events, should it become necessary to adopt any other plan hereafter, it will certainly be much easier to do so when the completion of the line will facilitate the carrying of material.

The fence is put up at variance with the terms of the specification, and is a decided improvement upon it. It is a very good three-rail fence: posts of Totara or Matai, eight feet apart, rails of sufficient dimensions, generally of Rimu, but occasionally of Kahikatea.

The road across the Mokomoko Swamp will, when finished, be apparently equal to specification. The pitching is very good indeed; many large stones have been bedded flat at the sides of the road, as was necessary to afford some abutment for the pitchers. Whether the seating will prove to be sufficient, is a matter on which opinions may differ; but everything provided for by the specification seems to me to have been effectually done. The metal is still being broken over by hand, and therefore cannot yet be finally judged of; but it seems to me to be good and sufficient.

I have the honor to be,

Gentlemen,
Your very obedient servant,
THEOPHILUS HEALE.

J. N. Watt, Esq.,
A. Sheath, Esq.

It is hereby notified, that

Edmund Rogers, Esq.,
has resigned the office of interim Provincial Treasurer of the Province of Southland.

J. A. R. Menzies,
Superintendent.

Superintendent’s Office,
Southland, 1st April, 1864.