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rugged, and contains 121,000 acres of Crown lands. A small block of 2,700 acres is already under survey. This is the only land along this line in the hands of the colony, suitable for small holdings; the rest is principally forest and rough pasture. The value of the road, politically speaking, cannot be over-estimated, connecting, as the track does already, though imperfectly, the Bay of Plenty with Poverty Bay, and crossing the Uriwera country, which during every Native disturbance has furnished sympathizers with the malcontents, and a shelter for them. 21. Te Aroha Drainage —To complete works already entered on. 22. Waikato-Taupo. —Cambridge to Taupo: Part of the main road, which must one day connect Hawke's Bay with Waikato and Auckland. Passing through the basin of the Upper Waikato, its construction will furnish the opportunity of making, at little cost, preliminary studies for the northern trunk line of railway. Napier to Cambridge : £1,000 is asked for the year; the length is about seventy miles. 23. Cambridge to Tauranga,. —Passing close to the famed Patetere Block, this road is intended to give access from Tauranga to the Waikato Railway. 24. Cambridge to Botorua. —A bridle-road already exists on this line, which it is proposed to improve and render passable for vehicles. It will bring the Hot Lakes country into connection with the Waikato Railway. The length is about fifty-five miles, of which thirty-one and a half miles are either finished or in construction. • 25. Tauranga to Opotiki and East Cape, by Coast. —An important road in a political sense, uniting the coast settlements and the principal places of Native tribes, the most important groups of whom have been actively loyal. It is now used as a bridle-track, though an imperfect one, and the vote asked will improve it throughout where necessary, and make it in some parts fit for dray-traffic. The County Council of Whakatane has co-operated in forming the road within its limits, and will be asked to continue its co-operation. 26. Whakatane-Te Teko. —Part of the road from the Bay of Plenty to Taupo by the Rangitaheke Valley, crossing a large swamp, portion of which requires fascining to render the line passable for drays; total length, thirteen miles and a-half. 27. Matata-Te Teko. —A branch from the main road last mentioned, crossing the Tarawera River at Otakiri to the Township of Richmond, already open as a bridle-road; needs some considerable expenditure to make it available for drays. 28. Te Teko-Galatea. —A section, thirty-three miles long, of the road by the Rangitaheke Valley to Taupo, formed imperfectly by the Armed Constabulary, and bridged last year. It requires additional work fully to utilize the past expenditure and make it a dray-road. Galatea is a first-rate strategical point on the edge of the Kaingaroa Plain, Taupo, and commanding the track from Wairoa (Hawke's Bay) and Waikari Lake and Ahikereru in the Uriwera country to Taupo, as well as the settlements in the Bay of Plenty. 29. Huihuitaha, Patetere. —To provide access to Crown lands recently acquired, and now being surveyed for settlement. 30. Buakituri. —To open 40,000 acres Crown lands, situate twenty-five miles north of Wairoa, Hawke's Bay. EAST COAST. 31. Ormond to Waiapu. —On the East Coast, it is proposed to connect Waiapu, near East Cape, the chief seat of the friendly Ngatiporou, with Poverty Bay. The road would open about 100,000 acres of Crown lands. The best lands, some very good, are held by Natives. The country is rugged, but a good grade is everywhere obtainable. The distance is about ninety miles. The road has a considerable political value, but the country is not likely to be early settled. 32. Gisborne to Waimata Block. —The block to be opened by this road contains 28,000 acres. It is proposed at once to survey 10,000 acres, including a village site, —the level land in lots of 50 to 100 acres, the hills in lots of 500 to 1,000 acres. The length of the road will be about eighteen miles. 33. Gisborne to Wairoa. —This line, which should be opened if for political reasons alone, would render available about 90,000 acres of Crown lands. Ite

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