611

thousand cubic yards of earthwork, forty-
one chains of road pitched and metalled,
and fifty-six chains of road metalled and
gravelled.

All the works on this contract have
been carried out in a satisfactory manner,
by Messrs. Campbell & Robertson. The
contract sum amounted to £2682 4s. 0d.

A few labourers have been engaged on
this road during the past year in main-
taining in repair those gravelled por-
tions north of the Aparima River.

This road was during winter probably
the best in the Province, the natural parts
being mostly on hard sound ground.

The few improvements that are neces-
sary to insure a continuation of its good
condition are—

Ten chains of formation and gravelling
over culvert approaches, near Riverton.

Five chains formation and gravelling at
Gummy’s Bush.

Thirty chains of formation and gravel-
ling north of Mount Pleasant.

The sum necessary for the execution
of those works may be estimated at £600.

Beyond the Otautau, this line of road
continues until it reaches the Great
North Road at the Dome Pass; it is on
this section almost entirely in a state of
nature, but the ground being hard, is in
fair condition, with the exception of two
portions, one over a bad swamp called
the Family Bog, and the other over a
stretch of swampy ground in Five Rivers
Plain. The necessary improvements
on those parts would cost £700.

INVERCARGILL TO RIVERTON BY NEW RIVER FERRY.

At the beginning of the financial year
the sum of £2441 14s. 9d. had been ex-
pended on this road, and contracts had
been entered into, on which payments to
the amount of £5521 9s. 3d. have since
been made. On the completion of those
contracts, a few months after the com-
mencement of the year, the road was in
the following state.

Between the junction with the great
North Road and the Waikewi Bush it
was formed, drained, and gravelled. This
section, with the exception of the half
mile next the Great North Road remained
in good condition throughout the winter.

In the Waikewi Bush the road was
corduroyed and gravelled. And between
the corduroy and the Waikewi stream
it was formed and gravelled. These two
portions were in good condition through-
out all the winter. About one mile of
the road between the Waikewi stream
and the Oreti Ferry was formed but not
gravelled, this section was very soft in

winter. The Waikewi stream was
crossed by a good timber bridge.

From the Ferry to Mitchell’s accommo-
dation House, a distance of forty chains,
the road was formed and covered with
gravel of very good quality.

Between Mitchell’s and the sea beach,
the road was unformed, but the soil being
of a sandy nature, it remained in fair
condition throughout the winter.

The beach makes an excellent road,
more especially when the tide is at its
ebb, at all seasons of the year. It may be
followed the whole way to Riverton from
the point where it is first struck.

No contracts have been entered into
for works on this road during the past
year, but a few surfacemen have been
engaged in repairing the gravelled
portions.

This road is about nineteen miles in
length (from the Geat North Road to
Riverton) and has five and half miles
formed, one of which is corduroyed
and four and a half gravelled. About
one and a half miles are unformed and
the remainder follow the beach.

This road was in good repair during
winter, with the exception of the portion
near the Great North Road, and the un-
gravelled part between the Waikewi
stream and the Oreti Ferry. If the
following works were executed the road
would be an excellent one for light
traffic.

Forty chains regravelling near
Great North Road at £8 per
chain ... £320
Eighty chains regravelling cordu-
roy in Waikewi Bush at £3 per
chain ... 240
Gravelling eighty chains between
Waikewi stream and Ferry, at
£8 per chain ... 640

£1200

WAIKEWA AND MABEL ROAD.

The sum which had been expended on
this road at the commencement of the
year, amounted to £1165 8s., and a con-
tract was in operation on which £123 8s.
4d. have since been paid. The works
which had been performed consisted of
culverts and approaches, and of embank-
ments over swamps. A few labourers
have been engaged during the past year
in repairing the culverts, which had been
badly constructed, and in maintaining
those portions of the road which had been
formed. Notwithstanding their endea-
vours this road was in bad condition dur-
ing winter. The works which are neces-
sary to make this road available for the