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No. 2. Captain Preece (per Major Roberts) to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir,— Te Teko, 19th June, 1873. In compliance with instructions contained in a letter from the Under Secretary for Defence, dated 28th April, 1873, No. 87b, I have the honor to forward the following report of all road work done by my Company of Native Contingent for the information of the Hon. the Defence Minister : — In the month of January, 1871, tools having been obtained, a road 14 feet wide was commenced across the Titinaroa swamp the object being to cut off about six miles of the road to Matata by making a more direct line. Great difficulty was experienced in making this road, the swamp being 52 chains across, and being from 3to 9 feet deep, with a strong flow of water in places. Manuka fascines were cut, and laid across the swamp, and the men worked in the water up to their waist, throwing mud on the fascines ; the progress was necessarily very slow and laborious, as all the fascines had to be cut at a distance, and carried by men to the road. During the winter of 1871, the work had to be abandoned, in consequence of the quantity of water in the swamp, and was not again resumed until December, 1871, the men being engaged on a succesesion of expeditions in pursuit of Te Kooti. From December, 1871, to May, 1872, five fresh layers of fascines on one part and two on another part were cut and laid on ; the men were again employed working in the water, throwing clay from the sides to cover the fascines. Timber was squared and floated 20 miles down the Rangitaiki, through rough country, for the purpose of making bridges over places left open to carry off the water. A strong substantial bridge was made over the Titinaroa creek, and three bridge culverts were made in other parts of the swamp. In estimating the value of these bridges, I have only put a small price on them, but would beg to state that great difficulty then existed in getting timber ; the sleepers, sills, ifcc, had to be hewn out of trees (totara), and carried by hand a considerable distance, and then rafted down the river. From January until the 25th May, very few men could be spared for this work, in consequence of other road work and also expeditions after Te Kooti. In the month of May, it was found necessary to hire canoes to convey earth along the ditches on each side of the road to cover the fascines. By this means, the work was pushed on and completed. 39 chains of formation were made 20 feet wide from Titinaroa to Te Teko, over fern and manuka scrub. Side cuttings consisting of 880 cubic yards were made near Tarawera Lake on the road to Kaiteriria. 36 chains of horse track were completed at Ohui to make a short cut for packhorses going to Fort Galatea instead of keeping the cart road. At Ngatamawahine 751 cubic yards of side cutting were removed, and a bridge built 25 x 13, with 4 stringers, 2 sills, planking, totara timber, squared by Native Contingent, and rafted down the river 6 miles, and carried by men 600 yards. At Pokairoa 234 cubic yards of block cutting through clay and 508 cubic yards through cement and rock, 722 cubic yards of clay side cutting, bridge 26 x 13, with 4 stringers, 2 sills, totara planking squared out of solid timber by Native Contingent and carted 12 miles (hire of bullocks paid by Public Works Department.) At Pahekeheke 6960 cubic yards of clay side cutting, 528 cubic yards of rock side cutting, bridge 21 x 12, 3 stringers, hewn timber carted 14£ miles. At Tikitu 2551 cubic yards side cutting clay, 40 chains formation.

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iCHEDULE—I hnuei Particulars. Distances, &c. Value. Remarks. Brought forward '. Opening new bridle track to Niho o te Kiore '. Main road to Taupo from Niho o te Kiore Tuahu Cutting, Excavating rock on do do •. Tauranga-Taupo Road, Ateamuri Bridge approaches, side cutting, blasting and removing rock on do £ 379 18 s. d. 0 0 0 0 28 miles Bridging small swamps, &c. 1 mile 100 0 0 Heavy side cutting, culverts, filling up and levelling 800 cubic yards, at2sper cub.yd. 800 cubic yards soft rock and earth 1210 cubic yards of rock, at 4s per cub. yd. 80 36 242 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hard scoria Principally quartz boulders, Aim travertine and conglomerate Very hard indeed ; great difficult] in getting drills hard enougl Building retaining wall, both ends of Bridge .0. Sundry repairs to different roads .1. Cutting lines for Government Surveyors 40 0 0 15 18 0 0 0 0 Clearing off fern, ti-tree, &c. Tikitapu and Rotorua Road surve] 928 0 0 Gilbert ] Coe Hair, Captain N.Z.M., imanding Native Contingent. Kaiteriria, 4th June, 1873.