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arrangements have been made which will be the means of carrying out the contract
in its integrity at only a small additional cost to the Government.
The contract price
for the bridge is £3,430 ; Messrs. Barry and Co. are the contractors, and Mr. Vine
clerk of works. It will take four months yet to complete the bridge.

WAINGAWA BRIDGE.

This bridge is exactly the same design as the Tauherenikau, the only difference
being in the length, this is of 13 spans or 429 feet ; the same remarks apply to the
pile driving in this as to the Tauherenikau bridge. Mr. W. Francis is the contractor,
and Mr. Thomas Gibson the clerk of works. The cost will be £1539.

The above are the most important bridge works carried out or in progress during
the past year. Besides these, the whole of the small bridges have been more or less
repaired. The Waiohine bridge has been replanked, a portion is not quite completed
yet. Several of the bridges on main line from Bull’s to Wanganui have also been
replanked and otherwise repaired. Notwithstanding what has been done, the majority
of the small bridges, especially in Greytown and near Porirua, are in a very shakey
condition ; they are now, however, handed over to the contractors for repairs to roads,
who are responsible to the Government for their safe condition, and I believe that it
has only been on account of press of work and the unavoidable delay in starting a new
thing that they have not all been put in good repair.

ROAD WORKS.

A considerable amount of new formation and metalling has been undertaken
during the past year. All the unformed portion of the Great North Eastern line of
road has been or is now in course of construction. The first mile from Ray’s to the
bend in road was done by day labour, under the able supervision of A. Renall, Esq.
A second section of 22 chains has been constructed by the settlers who were burnt
out of their homes in Carterton, also under the same arrangement. The remainder
has been let in contracts, portions of which have been completed, and the other is still
in progress. I am also glad to state that the road from the Waipoua river on to the
Opaki plain has been undertaken, so that by winter the settlers in that large district
will have, comparatively speaking, a good road made on to the plain. Great additional
traffic may be anticipated on this line owing to the Scandinavian settlement about to
be established in the Forty Mile Bush. On the line to Castle Point several places
have been greatly improved by the roadmen, who have been kept on throughout the
summer. In order to make this line good for winter traffic it is necessary it should be
metalled, the formation is nearly all clay, and mostly through bush, that is on the
Taueru end. The Castle Point end suffered very severely with the rain and heavy
floods last autumn, but is now, I believe, in very fair condition. The thanks of the Government are due to Mr. J. Bennett and Mr. F. Maunsell for their supervision and
attention to the requirements of the line. Owing to the threatening aspect of the
Waiohine river last spring a contract was entered into with Messrs. Strawbridge and
Co. for the supply of fascines and stakes, in order to construct a groin near the inlet
of the creek at Kempton’s bridge. During the course of the work and before we had
commenced in the river bed, a flood came down and completely altered for the better
the course of the river—it was not necessary to continue the work. Although the
road will always be liable to be covered with water during freshets, I do not apprehend
that any considerable damage will be done. We have driven stakes on the lower side,
and twisted manuka between them to keep the metal on the road, it answers its purpose
admirably. The amount of Messrs. Strawbridges’ contract was £65.

During the autumn floods last year the Hutt river completely washed away the
road near Mr. Smith’s, Silver Stream. It was necessary to purchase from Mr. Sykes
and Mr. Smith a portion of land in order to make a deviation, the price was fixed by
two arbitrators, one on behalf of the Government and the other for the above named
parties; the award was equal to, or approximately £140. The road formed and
metalled was 22½ chains long. This part of the line has always been of great expense to
the Government. As I have before reported, the road should have been taken round
the hill, avoiding two bridges and the low flooded flat that is continually being washed
away. To make the deviation now would be a very expensive matter, as the cuttings
are heavy, and the land would have to be purchased. The present deviation will, if
watched and attended to, serve its purpose. The contract amounted to £101 5s, this
included the fencing. On the West Coast line a mile of road is now in course of
construction between Bull’s and the Rangitikei ferry ; this work was undertaken by
Mr. Bull upon a guarantee of ten per cent. on outlay, it has not yet been completed.
I believe it is the intention of the present Government to pay Mr. Bull the cash as
soon as he completes the work. This line will be used by the settlers upon the Ran-