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ROADS TO OPEN UP LANDS FOR SALE. Extracts from the Reports of Chief Surveyors having their general oversight; DURING THE YeAK ENDING 30tH JUNE, 1881. Auckland. Takahue or Victoria Valley to Herd's Point, Holdanga. —This line, although mentioned in the appropriations as two, is continuous between the above places. It has been completed during the year, and is now open for horse-traffic from end to end. It runs for the greater part of its whole length through Crown lands of very fair quality, and some of them of very superior quality, though nearly all forest. It has supplied a much-needed want, by giving a good line of communication between two settled districts hitherto only in connection by long round-about roads. The works are pretty heavy in places, owing to the fact of our having had to cross a range the saddle on which is 1,160 feet above the sea, but the grade of 1 in 10 has everywhere been maintained. The total length is 28 miles, costing, with inspection and part survey, £4,938, out of which 21| miles have been made this year. A few slips have occurred, which it is only natural to expect, but these have now been cleared away. Kaihu to Maunganui Bluff. —Owing to difficulties with the Natives, only 8| miles, at a cost of £872 os. 10d., have been constructed on this line, but that covers the most difficult portion, thus avoiding the fearful road over the bluff. The usual grade has been maintained right through; there is, therefore, now a good cantering road, where, formerly, the traveller had to drag his horse through mud knee-deep in winter, and nearly as bad in summer. The Native difficulty, which has hitherto prevented the completion of this line to the navigable waters of the Wairoa River, consists in the demand for payment for the land taken by the road. Parore, the resident chief, is the cause of this, though all the other Natives will raise no objection to the road, and, indeed, would gladly assist in making it. It would be wrong in principle to pay for this road, which has been taken under the rights secured by the Native Land Act; whilst it is, at the same time, an important matter to get it opened, for, as soon as the surveys of Crown lands now going on are completed, a number of settlers will be ready to locate themselves there. Kaihu to Kaikohe (or Hokianga). —This line is a branch from the above, and is intended to run through the Waoku plateau to Hokianga; the line has been explored, and about 5 \ miles made. Here we adopted a different system, by actually making the road by paid labour, under the supervision of Mr. Palmer, or by letting it in piece-work. At present we are clearing a 12-feet track through the forest, making side-cuttings or bridges where necessary, so that it will be available for horse-traffic; but, as the sun is not let into it, of course the road will be very bad in winter. The line runs through very good lands, all of which will be soon taken up after the surveys have been completed. The cost of making this 5-| miles is about £240. Waikato River to Block VII., Awaroa. —This road starts from Churchill, on the Waikato River, and is intended to open a large extent of Government land, which has hitherto had no outlet at all. In all 10 miles have been constructed, at a cost of £1,272 Bs. 2d,, most of which was absorbed by some heavy swamp-works near the river. The works have now very nearly reached the deferred-payment block, and should be contimied to the West Coast, through the Government lands in that locality, all of which are suitable for settlement. Waikato River to Block XVI., Awaroa.—On this line llf miles, at a cost of £1,793 10s. ?d., have been opened, whilst a grade survey is completed to an existing road running along the West Coast to Raglan. The works on this line and on the last mentioned have been done by day labour, under direction of Mr. Blythe, and the result proves that, when properly managed, an excellent bridle-road on permanent grades can be made at a cost of about £75 per mile. I trust that funds will be forthcoming to continue this road right through. It passes through some excellent lands, though a good deal broken; indeed, I do not know anywhere in the district where the quality of the soil is better. Work done during the season, 6| miles, cost £1,016 18s. Te Puke Road. —The portion made by the Survey Department runs from Waiari Stream to Atuaroa Village-site, a distance of 2 - l miles ; cost, £819 10s. sd. This has been constructed as a cart-road to afford access from the landing for the special settlers, whilst it is at the same time part of the main road from Tauranga to Opotiki. The work is much more expensive than any of the other lines which we have to do with, partly because of the deep swamps crossed, and partly because the people tendering seem to think that their profits ought to be much larger than else*where. As is usual in swamp-works, the embankments will require attending to to keep them up. The county and Constabulary have nearly completed this road into Tauranga, whilst during this next season I hope to see it continued in the opposite direction through Te Pukeroa Block, now under survey for sale. Ormond- Opotiki Road. —This is the main road from Gisborne to the Bay of Plenty, and runs through the roughest part of the province. Under the energetic supervision of Mr. Barnard, 32 miles have been made, part being repairs to the old line, at a cost of £2,500. It was made in nine sections, two of which were let by contract, the others either by piece-work or day-labour under overseer. The last two sections of 6| miles have only been cleared 21 feet wide, instead of the usual chain ; this was done so as to make the money reach the Motu Bridge. The portion properly formed and cleared cost just a trifle under £100 per mile, which I consider very reasonable, considering the amount of cutting, number of culverts, and difficulty of the country. The

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