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two winters, and effecting repairs over a distance of about seven miles. The road commences at the junction of the Omata Eoad, opposite Section 23, Block IV., Wairoa Survey District, running up the valley, and over the ridge to McConochie's Bridge, Waitotara Biver. Waitotara-Omahine. —The sum of £200 has been granted to the Waitotara-Momahaki Eoad Board for extending dray-road in the Weraweraonga Valley to connect with bridle-track. This work is in progress, and 44 chains have been formed, 12ft. wide, at present. Boad through University Beserve. —This refers to the Puao Eoad, Waitotara, which was commenced last year as reported. Two grants—of £300 and £100—were made to the WaitotaraMomahaki Eoad Board to assist in the work, which has been expended. The additional work done beyond that reported last year consists of forming 145 chains clray-road, 12ft. wide, on cleared roadline; 33 chains bridle-track, 6ft. wide; 57 chains bushfelling, 1 chain wide; and 23 chains stumping, 16ft. wide; also, two rough log-bridges, 20ft. and 24ft. spans; twelve pipe-culverts, 6in. diameter, of a total length of 168 ft.; and fourteen ponga culverts, 182 ft. long. Omahine Block. —ln addition to the work reported as having been completed last year on the Weraweraonga Eoad, 28J chains of 6ft. bridle-track have been made, including the construction of a plain bridge, 26ft. spans, and making six ponga culverts each 7ft. long. £114 were granted the Momahaki-Waitotara Eoad Board, and has now been expended. Okotuku Boad. —£100 has been granted to the Okotuku Eoad Board, but nothing further has yet been done. Kawhatau Valley Boad. —An engineering survey has been made of 7 miles 14 chains of this road. 69 chains have been constructed for dray and 2 miles 44 chains for horse traffic, the whole 3 miles 33 chains going through forest country, the bush having been felled 66ft. wide, and cleared 33ft. The first mile and a quarter is to be a dray-road, and rises from the Bangitikei Biver, at bridge site, up the side of a most precipitous cliff, in solid papa-rock, and consequently is very expensive to construct—2s,l6o cubic yards of rock having been removed up to the present. The construction of this portion is attended by great danger, owing to heavy slips coming down from overhead and carrying all before them. Some of the men have had very narrow escapes. A further 1 mile 13 chains of this road is under construction for horse traffic. The Mangawharariki Stream has been diverted across this road into the Bangitikei Biver, and will be spanned by a bridge of 53ft., for which the timber is now being sawn. This diversion is 40ft. long, 20ft. deep, and averaging 34ft. wide, and will be the means of making the road safe where otherwise there would have been considerable danger from the Mangawharariki Stream flooding the road, and ultimately washing it away. The road bounds and gives access to the Kawatau Improved-farm Settlement sections, and opens up the northern part of Marton No. 1 Farm Homestead Block, and southern portion of the Awarua Block, east of the Bangitikei Biver. Before full effect can be given to the real value of this road, the bridge required at its commencement, over the Bangitikei Biver, must be built, to admit of an outlet to Three-log Whare Boad, leading to Mangaweka Township and proposed railway-station. This bridge I strongly recommend being built at as early a date as possible. Totara Boad (Branch from Kawatau Valley Boad). —This road gives access to sections in the Kawatau Improved-farm Settlement. 51 chains of the bush have been felled 66ft. wide, and stumped and cleared 16ft. wide. Mangawharariki Boad. —B miles 15 chains of engineering survey plans have been received, forming a connection with the Three-log Whare Eoad, at the Bangitikei Eiver. Several deviations were made from the original survey, lessening the distance by over a mile, and avoiding at the same time some very heavy work. 2 miles 4 chains of bushfelling and clearing have been done, 1 mile 25 chains of dray-road 16ft. wide, and 3 miles 40 chains of horse-track 6ft. wide, formed, including the construction of three bridges of 34ft., 17ft., and 16ft. spans, crossing Bosun's, Stoney, and Wairaki Creeks respectively; and thirty-six culverts, of a total length of 643 ft., varying in sizes from 12in. by 12in. to 4ft. by 4ft.; also making one mile and a quarter of drains. The forming of this road has been very heavy work, no less than 29,060 cubic yards of rock having been removed. The line runs through forest country. A start is about to be made on the Bangitikei Biver end of this road as well, and at the present time only about a mile intervenes remaining still to be done, in very heavy work, to open the road through and connect with the Three-log Whare Boad. Some difficulty has been experienced in getting suitable timber for the bridges within a reasonable radius. This road will be the means of giving the settlers of a portion of Marton Nos. 1 and 2 Farm Homestead Blocks, and Pemberton Improved-farm Settlement, and Eangiwahia Township, access to the railway at Mangaweka when the bridge over the Bangitikei Biver is built. This bridge I have already alluded to, and is urgently required as a connecting link between the Three-log Whare Boad on the one side and the Mangawharariki and Kawatau Valley Boads on the other. Pemberton-Wairaki (Pukerimu Boad). —The intention is to widen the present Bft. horse-track to a dray-road, 16ft. wide, for about one mile and a half from the junction with the Kimbolton Boad leading towards the Pemberton Improved-farm Settlement, on the Mangawharariki Boad. 87-J chains have been done, including the construction of 78ft. of culverting, 12in. by 18in., and lengthening two large existing culverts by 6ft. and Bft.; 855 cubic yards of rock also had to be removed. The remaining portion of road will be proceeded with so far as funds will permit, £460 having been granted for the purpose. What w r as an almost impassable road last winter will be now in fair condition. Kelpie Boad. —This road is 1 mile 29 chains in length, leaving the Mangawharariki Eoad at the Pemberton Improved-farm Settlement, and running into the Marton No. 1 Block on the east side. The engineering survey has been made, and the work is in progress. The bush for the whole length has been felled and cleared, and 60 chains formed for horse-traffic, including the construction of four culverts, 12in. by 12in., of a total length of 58ft. Over 2,000 cubic yards of rock have been removed. About 34 chains have to be made in papa sidling-ground, necessitating at one portion a very heavy cutting, 30ft. deep.
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