D.—l

34

Te Teko and Galatea (33 miles through open and broken fern country).—Four bridges have been erected on this road during the year, one 30-feet truss, one 22-feet plain, two 20-feet plain. This road is not in a good state of repair for cart traffic, having been only partly formed by the Armed Constabulary Force stationed at Te Teko and Galatea ; some cuttings are yet required to make it fit for cart traffic. Whakatane-Te Teko Swamp Road (13| miles through swamp and open flat and undulating country).—Fifteen small bridges and five large culverts have been erected during the year, and 44-J chains of the old swamp formation have been fascined and covered with earth. It is not yet fit for cart traffic, but a tender has been accepted for fascining, &c, 150 chains of swamp, which will make it available. Opotiki-Ormond Road. —Eleven miles of this road have been surveyed and laid off by the Public Works Department on a new line, at proper gradients, not exceeding 1 in 15 ; and 5| miles of this have been formed by the Whakatane County Council, 12 feet wide, and cleared in bush 20 feet wide: 4£ miles are in undulating fern, and the rest in light flat bush. About 18 miles yet remain to be surveyed and laid off properly. The country is very mountainous and broken, and one through which it will be impossible to form a really good line of road. The present track is in a bad state, and almost impassable for horse traffic. Tauranga-Taupo Road. —The work done on this road during the year consists of general repairs and maintenance. New bridges, however, have been rebuilt over the Te Reringa and Mangapouri Rivers, as the old ones were in such general bad repair ; and the Waititi, Ngongotaha, Waikorowhiti, Tokomango, Te Auo-o-te-Hapi, and four other smaller bridges have been put in substantial repair. The traffic on this road is steadily increasing, about nine horse-teams, six bullock-teams, and a number of coaches and buggies trading regularly. The road is in good repair throughout. Rotorua and Tarawera Road. —This has been regularly maintained in good order, and traffic on it is increasing. Taupo-Atiamuei—Napieb- Taupo. - Kaiwliaka-Stony Creek (31 miles). —This has been kept in good order during the summer months, and, although soft and muddy in places, it is passable for light loads during the winter. An average number of five men have been employed in maintaining this section. Stony Creek-Atiamuri (69 miles). —The first 14 miles of this road, to Runanga, have been maintained by the Armed Constabulary; the next 22 miles, to Opepe, by day-labour; and the remainder by parties of Armed Constabulary. The whole is in a good state of repair. Preparations are being made to rebuild the Lower Waipunga Bridge, a work which is now really necessary. Taupo to Hot Springs (3 miles). —This is in good repair. EAST COAST. The only roadwork done during the year in this district has been the metalling of the Makatoko branch road, 3f miles : this was completed in July last. This road joins the Makatoko Railwaystation with the main road in Seventy-Mile Bush. MANAWATU DISTRICT. Manawatu Gorge Road. —This has been maintained in good order for traffic. Kairanga Block (Roads, &c, to open up Lands for Sale). —The following works have been executed or are now in progress : Outlet drain cut, 2 miles 17 chains; roads cleared of bush, formed, and drained, 8 miles; roads felled and cleared of bush, 4 miles 79 chains ; roads cleared, forming and draining in progress, 4 miles 18 chains ; outlet drain in progress, 1 mile 27 chains. This block of land would have been difficult to settle without these works, lying low, with no easy natural outlet for drainage : the value of it for sale is consequently much enhanced. Motoa Swamp Drain, near Foxton (total length, 1 mile 60 chains). —Seventy-four chains are complete, 50 chains in progress, 16 chains not yet begun. The work was greatly delayed by last season's floods. TARANAKI DISTRICT. Manganui Cart-bridge. —This was completed last year, but it has been found necessary to construct some protective works for the western pier, in the shape of a dry rubble masonry groin. The work will probably be finished in May. Mountain Road. —lt was found necessary to make a deviation of this road through the southern part of the Township of Stratford, County Patea, owing to the County Council having cleared and formed the road on a wrong line. The length of deviation was 67 chains. It was completed in May. Gravelling Contracts, Mountain Road, County Taranaki. —Six gravelling contracts have been satisfactorily completed, making up a total distance of 10 miles 2484 chains, over which there is now a first-class gravelled road between Inglewood and Stratford. Gravelling Contracts, Mountain Road, County Patea. —Five contracts for this work were let and satisfactorily completed during the year, making a total of 7 miles 30 chains, extending from Patea River (Stratford) southwards to Mangawhero River. Urenui Road. —Two contracts for road formation in connection with the Urenui Bridge have been let—one 54-58 chains, one 4642 chains—to be completed by 4th June. Urenui Bridge. —A contract for this work was let on 26th October, 1880, to be completed by 25th August, 1881. It consists of one span of 70 feet, two spans of 20 feet, and two spans of 15 feet (140 feet total). It is expected to be easily completed within contract time. Eltham Village. —About 25 chains of a district road, which had been cleared by the Waste Lands Board, has been made available for coach traffic between the Mountain Road and railway-line to enable the coach to meet railway trains; but the coach has not yet used this road. Waitara Road Bridge. —A survey of this bridge (reported to be much out of repair) has been