607

in and near Dome Pass. The contracts entered into during the year, were two for the re-formation of the road between Invercargill and the Waikewa Bush. These works, more especially that near town, have proved very useful, as—unless they had been performed, the road between Invercargill and the Waihopai Bridge would have been impassable during winter. A contract for the pitching and metalling of forty-two chains of the road near the Waihopai, has been nearly completed. This is an excellent piece of road, and will last for many years. The original contractors failed to complete the works, and the contract was undertaken by Messrs. Hare & Bull, who have carried out the works as yet, in a most creditable manner. The cost of this road, including the stone, which was brought from the Mokomoko, will be £1762 7s. 0d.

A small contract for the re-planking of the Waihopai Bridge, amounting to £83 15s. 0d., has been completed.

A corduroy road through the Waikewa Bush, is almost completed; it is one mile and forty-six chains in length, and will, when finished, cost £1850 17s. 3d. This outlay will provide for the earthwork, which is considerable, and for the sidings, which have been constructed at intervals of ten chains.

A contract has been let for the formation and gravelling of thirty-three chains of road, immediately south of the Makerewa Bridge. This work has been well executed by the contractors, Messrs. McNeil & Wilson. The cost will be £525 4s. 0d.

A portion of the road, immediately north of Last Bush, twenty-five chains and a half in length has also been constructed. The limestone, which is found in the immediate neighbourhood, was used as pitching, and gravel spread on the top. This piece of road, which is the best north of Wallacetown, cost £526 4s. 0d. A contract amounting to £430 2s. 6d., for the construction of culverts and approaches in Dome Pass, has also been completed.

During the early part of the financial year, large parties of labourers were engaged in constructing culverts and approaches, in and near Dome Pass, and in maintaining the long stretch of gravelled road between Winton Bush and Benmore. A few labourers were also engaged on the other portions of the road, as surfacemen. On the approach of winter, the greater portion of these labourers were dismissed, as it was found that their attempts to preserve the gravelled road in anything like good repair were utterly useless without great expenditure.

The condition of the greater portion of this road during winter, was bad. With the exception of the section between Invercargill and the Waikivi Bridge, and of the few portions further north, which had recently been constructed, the road was nearly impassable for days. The worst part was that between the Waikewa and the Makerewa Rivers; this was in very bad condition. Between Wallacetown and Winton, the road was bad, but still available for traffic, as the drays could spread, the road being unenclosed. The road through Winton Bush, was in good repair throughout the winter. With the exception of the small portion recently completed, the stretch of gravelled road between Winton Bush and Benmore was very bad, indeed the gravelled portions were little, if any, better than the ungravelled.

Beyond Benmore, the road, although bad, was passable. The works in and near Dome Pass have proved to be of great utility.

It has been found from experience, that the gravelled portions of this road are utterly unfit to sustain anything like heavy traffic, and that with the exception of one or two small sections, the heavy expenditure incurred in their construction has been almost entirely thrown away.

The fascine system is even more objectionable; the fascining is very expensive and only tides over one winter, and is, moreover, very troublesome in summer. This road will never be a first class one until it is metalled throughout, but that is of course out of the question at present on account of the enormous outlay that would be requisite.

I am of opinion that if the works which are hereafter described were carried out, and the loads carried by drays limited, that the road might be kept open for traffic during the winter.

The works necessary are as follows:—

Regravelling from Invercargill to metalled road, sixty-nine chains at £3 per chain ........................................ £207

Corduroy road, similar to that in Waikewa Bush, for four miles of the road between the Waikivi stream, at £1200 per mile ........................... 4800

Seventy chains of forming and gravelling between Wallacetown and Winton, at £8 per chain ............................ 560

Three culverts in the same section at £15 each .............................................. 45