1.—9.

1883. NEW ZEALAND.

ROADS AND BRIDGES CONSTRUCTION ACT COMMITTEE (REPORT OF, TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS AND APPENDIX).

(Reports brought up 7th and 23rd August, and ordered to be printed.)

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Extracts from the Journals of the Souse of Representatives. Thursday, the 2nd Day of August, 1883. Ordered, " That a Select Committee be appointed to inquire and report to this House which of the roads gazetted under section 7 of the lioads and Bridges Construction Act should be approved as main roads ; the Committee further to inquire and report whether there are circumstances which would justify the granting of all or any of the applications made since the 31st March last to have roads declared main roads, so as to enable the local bodies applying to participate in the funds available for distribution under the Eoads and Bridges Construction Act; also whether it is desirable that applications should be entertained for the current year from counties not having applied during the year 1883 to have additional roads placed on the schedule of main roads; and generally to consider in what respects the Ttoads and Bridges Construction Act needs amendment. The Committee to consist of Mr. Beetham, Mr. Larnach, Captain Mackenzie, Mr. Mitchelson, Mr. Postlethwaite, Mr. Cadman, Mr. Seddon, Mr. Shephard, Mr. Sutton, and Mr. J. W. Thomson ; three to form a quorum ; to report in a fortnight."— {Hon. Major Atkinson.)

Thursday, the 10th Day op August, 1883. Ordered, " That the Roads and Bridges Construction Act Committee have an extension of time of ten days for making their report."— (Mr. Shephard.)

INTERIM EEPOET. I am directed to report that the Committee has come to the following resolution : That main roads are those which connect two or more counties or road districts, or, where there are no Road Boards, the ridings of a county, or which connect a country district with a port. The Committee further direct me to ask the House for an extension of the order of reference, bo as to enable the Committee to review the whole of the roads gazetted last session as main roads, with the view of recommending a new schedule in accordance with the resolution of the Committee, and the opinion of the Surveyor-General as to what are main roads. Joseph Shephakd, 7th August, 1883. Chairman.

REPORT. The Committee to whom was referred certain questions arising under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act have the honour to report as follows : — That the following roads gazetted on the 29th and 31st March should, in their opinion, he classed as main roads for the purposes of " The Roads and Bridges Construction Act, 1882 :" — Tauhanga, Piako, and Waikato Counties.—Tauranga-Cambridge Road, 50 miles. Manawatu County.—Eitzherbert Block to Manawatu Gorge, 3 miles; Eoxton, via Elian's Corner, to Section 98, Motoa Block, 7 miles; Bunnythorpe, through Ashurst and Pohangina Valley, to Block X., Pohangina Survey District, 16 miles. Kaikoura County.—Kaikoura to Inland Clarence River, 28 miles. Maniototo County.—ldaburn, on Naseby Road, via Ida Valley to Ophir, 18 miles ; Taieri Bridge, at Hamilton, via Kyeburn to Kyeburn Diggings, 20 miles. Biiuce County.—Milton to Hull, through Tokomairiro, Akatore, Clarendon, and Coast Survey Districts^.l6 miles; from above road at Section 10, Block VII., Akatore Survey District, through Akatore Survey District, to mouth of Tokomairiro River, 5 miles'; from Waihola Township, through Clarendon Survey District, to junction with road, Milton to Hull, 6 miles; from Milton to boundary of county, through Tokomairiro, Table Hill, and Waipori Survey District, 12 miles ; from Clarendon Railway Station to Berwick, 8 miles; from Lovell's Elat Railway I—l. 9.