61

C.-l

Patea Bridge. —This bridge is intended to span Patea Eiver at the crossing of the Eawhitiroa Eoad, about thirteen miles east from Eltham. Plans are prepared, the road is made to and from the site, and arrangements are now made for cutting the necessary timber within Mangamingi Block. Should the further money required be voted, the bridge will be erected next year. It is urgently required, being the key to all the country to the eastward, and the present ford is dangerous with even a slight flood. Waitotara Widening. —Waitotara Boad is formed as a dray-road from Waitotara Township to Kaimanuka (Mangaone), twenty-two miles, and as a bridle-road to Eawhitiroa Block, a further distance of eighteen miles and three-quarters. It is now proposed to widen a portion of this latter into a dray-road, commencing at Mangaone, and the work was started in January last. To date, 120 chains of the road has been widened and culverted, and the work is still in progress. Ball Road. —The vote for this road was a contribution towards the cost of metalling the worst places on Ball Eoad, part of which, near Alton, is too flat to remain trafficable in winter. The road is now a leading thoroughfare for a large extent of settlement in Opaku district, and the settlers have already specially rated themselves to grade and form it. Unfortunately, suitable material for metalling is not procurable in the immediate vicinity of the road, and will have to be obtained at great expense from between Eltham and New Plymouth. Arrangements for the work were entered into too late for its being done this season, but it will probably be put in hand early next spring. Weraweraonga. —This money was granted to complete the felling and forming Weraweraonga Eoad, within Wellington Land District, between Waitotara Eoad and Taranaki boundary-line. The whole distance is about four miles and a half, of which three miles and a quarter required forming, and part of it felling, stumping, &c. It is intended to form about two miles of the three and a half as a dray-road, in continuation of the portion already made ; the remainder to be a bridle-road similar to that made within the Taranaki district, and shown under the heading " Opaku-Kapara." To date, 72 chains of formation and 64 chains of felling and stumping has been completed. The whole work will probably be finished in May next. Okoke Block. —ln continuation of last year's work, 278 chains of Okoke, Piko, and Eaka Boads has been felled, stumped, &c, and bridle-road formed. About ten miles of road has been maintained. Oxford Association Block. —Nearly all the settlers have abandoned this block, which was too rough for special-settlement purposes in small areas. The Land Board has now grouped sections together, and they will be thrown open on the optional system. No further work will be done on the roads until the land is again selected and occupied. Lepperton Block.— 204 chains of draining and dray-road formation has been done on the Mimi Boad, within the block, in conjunction with the formation on Mimi roadworks. Moanatairi Block. —As explained under heading of " Moanatairi Special Settlement," those who selected this block, and who reside in the Thames district, have not yet put in an appearance on the land, and consequently no roadwork has been started within the block. Mangaere Block. —260 chains of dray-road formation, 10 chains of felling, stumping, &c, 777 lineal feet of culverts, and 40 lineal feet of bridges has been made on the road within the block during the year, and about eight miles of the road has been maintained. The loading money on the block being now spent, no further work on these roads will be done by the department. Ross 810ck. —267 chains of Ohawe and Tawhiwi Eoads has been felled, stumped, &c, and 122 chains of bridle-road formed. Work is still in progress, and each settler will be given access to his land as far as the loading money will enable us to do so. Eltham 810ck. —164 chains of felling, stumping, &c, 134 chains of bridle-road formation, 90 lineal feet of culverts, 102 lineal feet of bridges, including a truss-bridge of 50 ft. main span over Mangaotuku Stream, were made on the roads in this block during the year. Bridle-road access has been given to every section in the block. The cost of Mangaotuku Bridge was assisted by a contribution of £100 from the Strathmore settlers. Manganui Block. —s3f chains of felling, stumping, &c, 137 chains of draining and forming as dray-road, and 110 lineal feet of culverts and small bridges has been made on the roads within the block during the year. A further small amount of draining and forming on Badnor Boad is now in progress, which will absorb the balance in hand of the loading put upon the block. The work will be finished in April next. Gatton 810ck. —257 chains of felling, stumping, &c, 161 chains of bridle-road formation, and 346 lineal feet of culverts has been done on the roads in the block during the year. Nearly all the sections have bridle-road access, or will have when Mangaehu Bridge, now in progress, is completed. The whole of the loading has been expended, and was insufficient to complete the work required. Llewellyn Block. —No work has yet been done on this block, which lies eastward of Mangaehu (Puniwhakau) and Terrace End Blocks, access being through them. Until the roads are made through Terrace End and Mangaehu Blocks it would be useless making them through Llewellyn Block. Puniwhakau Block. —This on the lithographs is named "Mangaehu Block." It lies between Terrace End and Llewellyn Blocks, and until the roads are made through Terrace End Block we cannot start roadwork in this one. Terrace End Block. —715 chains of felling, stumping, &c, 528 chains of bridle-road formation, and 1,120 lineal feet of culverts has been made within the block within the year. The loading is now nearly all expended, and over £1,000 more will be required to open up the roads in the block sufficient to give each settler access. The vote being exhausted, the men have now been struck off roadwork. Patua Block. —The work in this block is shown under " Carrington Boad." Egmont Block. —44 chains of felling and stumping, 5 chains of dray-road formation, 19 lineal feet of culverts, and 44£ chains of track-cutting has been done within the block during the year.