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Tauranga to Te Puke and Matata. —At the date of last report Mr. Goldsmith had completed 19J miles, and since then the road has been carried on a further distance of 3 miles, making 22J altogether, the total cost of which is £3,810 95., or at the rate of £171 per mile, a very reasonable price considering that the road runs across country and has twenty-seven bridges and culverts, with many heavy cuttings and embankments. It opens a line for through traffic by wheels from Tauranga to Otamarakau on the beach, beyond which place the Public Works Department have improved the line as far as Matata. Opotiki to Waiotahi.—2s miles of road and one 12ft. bridge through Mr. Thomson's property were finished during tli£ year, under Mr. Crapp's supervision, by the Opotiki Eoad Board. Opotiki to Ormond. —The eastern end of this road is in charge of the Survey Department, the western in that of the Public Works Department. The efforts of the Survey Department were confined to clearing away some slips and making necessary repairs consequent on the heavy rains of the past season. Some further burning-off for grass-sowing was done, but not very successfully. Mr. O'Eyan's special report gives full details as to state of road. Mr. Crapp, of the Public Works Department, reports that during the past year 13 miles 52J chains were laid off for construction through difficult forest country, thus completing the connection of the survey between the Bay of Plenty and Poverty Bay. Of the road formed during the season of 1882-83, 21 miles have been maintained and repaired, and 1,158 cubic yards of rock excavated in widening the track from 4ft. to Bft. 11 miles 60 chains have been formed during the season, the bush being felled 1 chain wide and the track formed 4ft. and sft. wide. The remainder of the road—about two miles of which is contracted for—is in progress, and when completed the track will be open for horse traffic from Gisborne to Opotiki. Te Aroha-Katikati. —Mr. Goldsmith kept two men employed on this line until the 18th January last, when it was handed over to the Tauranga County in good condition. The cost of men and occasional supervision was £141 17s. 6d., which was money well spent in keeping it clear of slips and putting in additional culverts. Huihuitaha to Patetere. —Completed at date of last report. Nothing done this year. Ormond to Waiapu. —At the date of last report 24^- miles were completed as a bridle-road, the work at the northern end having at that time been brought to a standstill by the opposition of the Natives ; but, proceedings having been taken against them in the Eesident Magistrate's Court, and fines inflicted, this had the good effect of preventing further trouble. Up to the time when works were stopped owing to the expenditure of the vote, a distance of 30 miles had been added to the work of the previous year, much of which is wide enough for dray traffic. Waipiro Branch of the above road, which had been formed for 8J miles at the time of last report, has had the necessary culverts put in to complete it, as a dray-road. Tuparoa Branch of Waiapu Eoad has been completed as a dray-road a distance of 3^ miles, making, with last year's work, 6 miles altogether. Both these latter works, and the northern end of Waiapu Eoad, have been under Mr. Haig's direction. Gisborne-Waimata Boad has had some repairs and culverts added to it, but no further mileage of road has been opened. Gisborne to Wairoa. —The works on the northern portion, 28 miles, of this road during the past season have been undertaken by the Cook County Council, inspected and certified to by Mr. Barnard. They consist of widening out and draining. The southern end of this road is being constructed by the department under Mr. Horace Baker's direction, Mr. Lambert being in charge. During the season 4 miles have been added, making 7f- miles completed to date, on which are some bridges of considerable size. There now remain the 8 miles between Waihau and Te Eeinga to complete the formation between Gisborne and Wairoa. Taupo via Rotoaira to West Coast. —The past season has added 34J miles to the 2 miles finished at the 30th June, 1883, though some of the heavy rock-blasting is not yet finished. Mr. Wright has had charge of this work, the blasting being done by the Constabulary detached for that purpose by Major Scannell. It is a cart-road of from 14ft. to 18ft. width, and the cost per mile to date, including two bridges of a total length of 128ft., is £78 9s. It has not been considered advisable to bridge the Tauranga-Taupo and Waikato Eivers, which this road crosses, for the cost of so doing would be considerable. Both are dangerous rivers, and will obstruct the traffic when in flood. Some difficulty has been experienced from Native obstruction, but, thanks to Major Scannell's kind assistance, it has been overcome. Buahituri Block. —ln addition to some repairs made on the lines mentioned in last year's report, Mr. Lambert has constructed rather more than 3 miles from Te Tuhi to Euakituri Eiver as a bridleroad, thus most effectually opening up this block. A ferry has also been established at Te Eeinga. Kohukohu to Bakautapu. —On this branch of the Herd's Point-Takahue Eoad Mr. Wheeler has surveyed 5-J- miles, the contracts for which are now ready, and tenders will be invited directly. Maungakaramca to Tangiteroria. —This portion of the main road from Whangarei to the Wairoa Eiver has been graded where necessary for some 4 miles, and two contracts for its formation as a cart-road have been let, 2J miles being completed to date, under Mr. D. C. Wilson's supervision. Kenana-Bangiuru. —This is a branch road from the Tauranga-Opotiki Eoad, to open up the Eangiuru Crown lands. Mr. Goldsmith reports that he has finished 4| miles of 12ft. road, at the small cost of £40 16s. per mile, and hopes to finish the remaining 2J miles in two months' time. Aotea-Kawhia.— Arrangements having been made that the Survey Department should take over the direction?of this"road, Mr. C. W. Hursthouse started in January last, with parties of Maoris, Constabulary, and several small contractors, to continue on from where the Public Works Department had finished, near Te Mata. Up to date he has completed 6f miles of from 12ft. to 18ft. in width, excepting two bridges, 3J miles of which are at the Kawhia end, leading from the township northwards. There remain about two miles more to complete this road to Aotea Harbour at both ends. No works are contemplated along the shores of this harbour, as the sands form a good road.