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Pahiatua West Village Settlement.—The sum of £75, returned in my last annual report as having been granted to the Pahiatua County Council, is still unexpended. Malton Block. —ln my last report it will be seen that the only work done on this block was felling and clearing 3 miles 15 chains of road-line. During the year under review this distance has been graded and pegged, with a view to its formation when funds are available. Central Road (Kail Block), Hall Special Settlement. —The expenditure of £150 having been authorised on the Hall Block, the following work has been done on this road: 20 chains of scrubfelling and -clearing, 140 cubic yards of slips removed, and 3 chains of corduroy laid. Fitzherbert Road. —A sum of £60 was authorised in 1896 for the purpose of constructing this road, but up to the present time nothing has been done. Fitzherbert Bridge, Palmerston North.— As instructed, I examined and reported on this bridge. The structure was greatly shaken by the flood of Easter, 1897, which carried away the end of the southern approach for a distance of more than a chain, taking with it the aqueduct supplying water to the Borough of Palmerston North. In consequence of the damage sustained, it was found necessary to erect an additional span of 85 ft. at the southern approach, and to replace the wooden piers with three cast-iron cylinder piers, and to insure a solid foundation it was requisite to have each cylinder 56 ft. in length. The remaining wooden piers being greatly strained, it was considered expedient to strengthen them throughout, and otherwise effect such repairs as are calculated to insure permanent stability. As the execution of these repairs will necessitate an outlay of more than £5,000, the Government have granted a subsidy towards the cost of the work, which is being carried out under the supervision of the engineer to the Palmerston North Borough Council, through this department. Ballance-Manawatu Gorge Road. —The following work has been done on this horse-road during the year: 30 chains graded and pegged, 65 chains of bush felled and cleared, 1 mile 24 chains of 6 ft. formation, 2,067 cubic yards of slips cleared, 2,950 cubic yards of rock excavated, 42 chains of drains cut, and upwards of 115 ft. of embankment formed. There has also been five culverts, of a total length of 78 ft. and the following dimensions, laid : Three 12 in. by 12 in., one 36 in. by 24 in., and one 24 in. by 24 in. Pahiatua-Paimerston Road. —Nothing whatever' has been done on this road since my last annual report. £80 has lately been granted to the Pahiatua County Council for the purpose of defraying the cost of restoring a bridge destroyed by the great bush-fires. Mangaramarama Roads (Village Settlement). —The only work done on these dray-roads during the year has been the maintenance of two miles and a half, which included metalling repairs for a mile and a half. Tiraumea North Road. —One mile of this dray-road has been maintained during this year, which has involved the cutting of 1 chain of drains and considerable metalling repairs. The charge of maintenance has now devolved on the Pahiatua County Council. Makuri Township Roads. —ln my last return I reported the erection of a wire suspension footbridge here. This year the only work done has been repairs to fords across the Makuri Biver, by day-labour, there being no funds available for further work. Woodville-Aohanga Road. —The maintenance of this road has comprised two miles of horseroad and three miles and a half of dray-road. Beside the ordinary work of maintenance, 1 mile 36 chains of bush has been felled and cleared, 53 chains formed 6 ft. wide, 1,179 cubic yards of slips removed, and 632 cubic yards of rock excavated. Twelve culverts, of an aggregate length of 192 ft. and the following dimensions, have been laid: Four 12 in. by 12 in., three 18in. by 18in., two 9 in. by 9 in., one 12 in. by 18 in., and two 10 in. by 12 in. Toritea-Makuri Road. —The work of maintaining this seventeen miles of dray-road during the year has comprised the following operations : The removal of 3,718 cubic yards of slips, the excavation of 151 cubic yards of rock, and metalling repairs for upwards of two miles. Besides this, 3 miles 4 chains of scrub has been felled and cleared, 2 chains formed 16 ft. wide, 48 chains of drains cut, and a small embankment formed. One culvert 18in. by 18in., and one 16in. by 12in., of a total length of 41 ft., have been laid. Also, a bridge which was partially destroyed by the bush-fires has had to undergo considerable repairs. Kaitawa Ridge Road. —The sum of £150 has been authorised to be expended on this road, but nothing has yet been done. Tiraumea Valley Road. —-In maintaining the six miles of this dray-road during the year the following work has been done : 5,074 cubic yards of slips have been cleared, 3 chains of embankment formed, 1 chain of corduroy laid, and the metalling has been renewed for 1 mile 52 chains. Six log culverts, varying from 9 in. by 9 in. to 12 in. by 12 in. in size, have been laid, and a temporary plat-form-bridge of three spans and 63 ft. long has been erected. Another bridge over the Eotopango is at present under construction. Tiraumea River Road, Pα Valley. —The only work returned in my last report as having been done on this road was the felling and clearing of 1 mile 72 chains of bush. During the period under review 1 mile 73 chains of this has been formed 6 ft. wide for a horse-road; 17 cubic yards of rock has been excavated, 5 chains of embankments formed, and two miles of the road laid down in grass. Twenty-seven culverts have been laid, of a total length of 382 ft. and the following dimensions : Sixteen 10 in. by 12 in., three 18 in. by 12 in., two 12 in. by 12 in., five 18 in. by 24 in., and one 9 in. by 9 in. Bridge Road to Makakahi. —During the year 1 mile 12 chains of this road has been engineered, 32 chains of road-line felled and cleared of bush, 1 mile 7 chains formed 16 ft. wide for dray traffic, 73 chains metalled 12ft. wide, 560 cubic yards of earth removed in repairing flood-damages, 1 mile 4 chains of drains cut, 24 chains of embankments formed, and 1 mile 12 chains of the road laid down in grass. Three culverts 12in. by 12in., and one 24in. by 24in., 57 ft. and 21ft. long respectively, have been laid. The maintenance, which extends over 73 chains, has entailed extensive metalling repairs.