E.—3

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flourishing centres of industry, where now a few individuals struggle under all kinds of difficulties to maintain their existence. The other portions of the report will, I think, be found sufficiently clear in detail to show fully the progress that has been made during the year. EOADS NORTH OF AUCKLAND. (T. Heale in charge.) The works completed during the year may be enumerated as follows, viz., — 1. Dray road from Kaitaia to Awanui portage, four miles, sections 1 and 2, including bridges respectively of 101 feet and 99 feet long. 2. Mahurangi Bridge, 161 feet long. 3. Section 1 of the Mahurangi and Port Albert Eoad, two miles. The works in progress are as follows, viz., — 1. Wangarei and Mongonui Eoad, section 1, being a little more than five and a half miles. 2. Mahurangi and Port Albert Eoad, 429 chains. 3. „ „ 329 „ 4. „ „ 293 „ 5. Hoteo Bridge and its approaches on the same line of road. In addition to actual works, a large extent of road surveys has been executed, and plans and specifications prepared, viz.,— 1. Eoad through Victoria Valley, eighteen and a half miles. Advertised for tender on 22nd instant. 2. Oruru Bridge and approach, in continuation of the above towards Mongonui. 3. Eoad from Waitangi—Hokianga Eoad to Te Whau, nearly twelve miles. Tenders for this were received on the Bth, but the work has been postponed for a while. 4. Eoad in continuation of the Kaitaia Eoad to the deep water at the mouth of the Awanui Eiver in Eangaunu Bay. 5. Eoad from the point on the Bay of Islands Eoad from which No. 3 starts, south through Pakaraka to Kawa Kawa. There have also been exploratory surveys made of a line of road from the town of Mongonui to connect with the Victoria Valley Eoad by Oruru, and also the Whangaroa Eoad. A complete survey has also been made of a line of road from the Bay of Islands Eoad by Pakaraka to Kawa Kawa. This would join at the north end with the Whangaroa and Mongonui Eoad, and at the south end with that being made from "Wangarei to Kawa Kawa. An exploratory survey has been made of the country between Awanui and the "West Coast for a line of road in continuation of that from Mongonui to Awanui, so as to complete the communication between the East and West Coasts. (H. Alleigiit, Provincial Engineer, in charge.) The works under Mr. Allright's charge were described generally in last year's report under fourteen heads, and he now reports that all the works are completed on these roads, with the exception of a small culvert on No. 10. The details completed and as at first planned for last year's work, are as follows, viz.,-— Section I.— Whau, Bridge to Kaukapakapa. —Thirty-one miles through open undulating fern country. Contract I—Two-tressel1 —Two-tressel bridges near Waikorniti Inn, each 24 feet; earthwork to ditto 2,250 cubic yards, ditching and forming 10 chains, fascining 7J- chains. Contract 2—Truss bridge over Canty's Creek, 55 } feet long ; earthwork to ditto 712 cubic yards, forming and fascining 4 chains, clearing scrub and cutting ditches 7 chains. Contract 3—Truss bridge over Prior's Creek, 69 feet long; earthwork to ditto 1,500 cubic yards, forming 11 chains, fascining 3-J- chains. Contract 4— Two log culverts and GO cubic yards earthwork. I Section 2. — North Shore to Mahurangi, forty-six and a half miles, and Lucas's CreeJc to Hiverkead, ten miles.—Fourteen miles of the former are in heavy bush, and the remainder in undulating fern land. The works are a tressel-bridge over a stream near Lucas's Creek, 46 feet long ; earthwork to ditto 500 cubic yards, clearing high manuka 17 chains, fascining 1^- chain. Contract 1— Widening and clearing bush road 542 chains, one culvert, earthwork 300 cubic yards. Contract 2 — Widening and clearing bush road 452 chains, fencing 5 chains. Contract 3 — Two 20-feet culverts ; repairing bridges and approaches. Contract 4 —Cutting and clearing one mile and a half of bush 1 chain wide between Huston's landing and the Pahoi; clearing, ditching, and fascining 16 chains of bush road. Contract s—On road to Eiverhead, truss bridge over Eangitopuni Stream, 99 feet long; earthwork to ditto 700 cubic yards, forming and fascining 3 chains ; and one 14-feet culvert. Section 3.— Kaukapakapa to Mahurangi, twenty-three and a quarter miles, fifteen of which are through heavy bush, and the rest broken fern country. Contract I—Tressel-bridges, 50 feet and 48 feet, over the Totara and Komakoriki Creeks; earthwork to ditto 220 cubic yards. Contract 2—Tresselbridge over the Onehunga Creek 40 feet long, and truss-bridge over the Araparera Creek 75 feet long ; earthwork to ditto 1,110 cubic yards, bush clearing 4 chains. Section 4. — Kauhapahapa to Fort Albert, thirty-nine miles, one-half of which is through heavy bush, and the remainder broken fern ranges.—One bridge over Wharehore Creek, 292^ feet long ; earthwork to ditto 1,540 cubic yards ; fascining two creeks and a swamp, 4 chains. Section 5. — Mahurangi to Mangawai, twenty-nine and a half miles, one-fourth of which is in bush, the rest in broken fern ranges ; also, Manqawai to Port Albert, twenty-one miles, through undulating fern country. Contract I—Two1 —Two tressel-bridges over Glcneden Creek and west branch Matakana Creek, 50 feet and 41 feet long; earthwork to these, 200 cubic yards; fascining 5 chains; widening and clearing bush road, Matakana to Omaha, 422 chains ; and on Port Albert Eoad from Mangawai, 1,000 cubic yards earthwork and 5 chains fascining.