59

C.—l

deviated from old one, and fifteen culverts, containing 266 lineal feet, has been made out of the money voted, the work being carried to a point where sufficient flat ground is available for utilising the full length of the dray-road formation. It is desirable that further widening should be done beyond the present work, in order that settlers on Mataimoana Eoad (continuation of Okahutiria Eoad) should have better access to their lands. Kaitangiwhenua No. 2. —Eawhitiroa Eoad. See vote 113, item 60. Okotuku. —Pour miles of engineering survey and plans have been made preparatory to opening up this road, but no expenditure has yet been incurred on formation works. These will probably be put in hand in spring, should the necessary exchanges of land for deviations be completed. Taumatatahi Improved-farm Settlement. —No road expenditure. Eltham-Waitotara. —No expenditure. This money, if revoted, would be serviceable in widening part of Eawhitiroa Eoad eastwards from Patea Bridge. Miscellaneous and Engineering. —Under this heading is a grant of £200 towards opening up part of Motoroa Eoad inland of Waverley. The work was delayed pending arrangements being made for an alteration to part of the road. This having been settled, we are now laying off contracts for felling, stumping, and 5 ft. bridle formation, and the work will be proceeded with forthwith. Okoke Block. —Three miles of engineering surveys, and 2 miles 5 chains of felling and stumping, and five miles of bridle-road formation comprise all that has been done on this block during the year. A considerable extent of roading is still required, but, the loading money being nearly exhausted, the remaining work must stand over until further funds are available. Oxford Association Block.—The forfeited lands have been grouped into larger areas, and several holdings have been taken up. Until this had taken place it was considered inadvisable to push on the further improvements required on the roads, but now contracts have been let on Tunupo Eoad, and others will shortly be let on other roads in the block. Lepperton Block. —Mimi Eoad runs through this block, and the roadwork in hand during the year has been charged against that road, with the exception of a bridge over Mimi Stream, the cost of which has been charged against this block. The bridge is of one span of 40 ft., total length 44 ft., on driven piles. The girders are of iron, lft. 6 in. in depth. The bridge is strong and durable, the main timbers being of totara, and should last out any other bridge on the road. Moanatairi Block. —This block has virtually been abandoned. The selectors were men from the Thames, and I presume the attractions of mining during the recent gold boom were greater than those of farming. As there was no occupation it was useless spending money on roadwork. Toro Block (Section 23, Block IV., Huiroa). —The authority granted for this work was given out of vote 91, item 376, Huiroa, and the expenditure will be found under that heading. Waikiekie Block. —A small block of land lying between the tunnel at White Cliffs (Parininihi) and Tongaporutu Eiver. A bridle-road exists at present through the land, and the vote (loading) has not been spent, as no decision has yet been come to as to the most advantageous method of spending the money. Mangaere Block. —No expenditure has been made on this work during the year, the loading money being exhausted. Boss Block. —A small special settlement lying to the north of Pohokura, about thirty-three miles from Stratford. 1 mile 24 chains of engineering survey, and the same of felling, stumping, and 5 ft. bridle-road formation, has been made. The loading money being spent, no further work can be gone on with. Manganui Block. —The only work on this block during the year was the completion of the work already in progress and 20 chains of draining and dray-road formation. This absorbed the whole of the money available. Autawa Block. —The road serving the most of the sections in this block runs along the bank of the Waitara Eiver. It has been an expensive one to make, and a difficult one to maintain. Slips carrying away the road are of common occurrence in winter, and I fear the road will have to be abandoned, and a new one made, as suggested under vote 91, item 366. During the year 25 chains of felling, stumping, and 5 ft. bridle-road has been done to give access to a section recently selected. This work would not be affected by the abandonment of the river-road. Gatton Block. —No work during this year. Puniwhakau Block (Mangaehu). —This block lies to the eastward of Terrace End Block, and, though allotted over two years since, has not advanced in occupation and improvements in consequence of want of roading. The roads to it lie through Eltham (or Gatton) and Terrace End Block. As roads are not completed through the latter, access was difficult (except by swagging) to Puniwhakau Block. Work was, however, started within the block this year, and 5 miles 8 chains of engineering surveys, 3 miles 74 chains of felling, stumping, and 5 ft. bridle-road formation has been made. Two bridges =68 ft. in length, and five = 98ft. in length, have been built, and 3 miles 64 chains of bridle-road has been maintained. The work is now being pushed on steadily, as fast as funds will permit. Terrace End Block. —During the early part of the year we completed the expenditure of the balance of loading money on the block, two miles of engineering survey having been made, and 1 mile 30 chains of felling, stumping, and 5 ft. bridle-road formation done. Work was then suspended, but recommenced on receipt of fresh authority,' particulars of expenditure on which is shown under vote 91, item 379. Patua Block (Egmont V., VII., XI.). —2 miles 3 chains of the Carrington and Plymouth Eoads has been felled, stumped, and cleared during the year. The work was kept back in order that the settlers on the block might have it, but as few of them cared for it we are now putting on others, and we expect the block will be fairly well opened up during the coming year. Egmont (VI.) Block. —The roads have been felled and cleared through this block, and no work