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general repairs. This road will soon be continued into the Kinohaku and Hauturu Blocks, with the object of tapping the Crown lands there. Wharauroa. —No work has been done under this head, and no expenditure has been incurred. Paemako-Ohura. —A good punt, running on a wire rope overhead, has been put where the track crosses the Mokau Biver, which was often dangerous to ford. No other work has been done on this road, which so far is but an ungraded riding-track. Kihikihi-Otorohanga-Te Kuiti.—-There has been 2 miles 9 chains of dray-road added to that before done, and the road is now open for any kind of traffic between Kihikihi and Otorohanga. The bridge across the Mangaorongo Stream is, however, only a temporary one, and must soon be replaced with a proper structure. There is also about a mile of surface-forming to do on this section before the road can be considered as completed. On the part between Otorohanga and Te Kuiti only repairs necessary to keep it open as a riding-track have been made. I think it very desirable to make a dray-road along this part as soon as possible. Ouruwhero No. 2 and Puketarata. —The work done and charged under this head forms part of the road from Kihikihi to Otorohanga, and is included in the last paragraph, it gives access to the Puketarata Crown lands. Kihikihi-Waotu. —There has been 1 mile 63 chains of this road improved, and work under the new vote will soon be put in hand. Wharepuhunga No. I. —No work or expenditure has taken place in connection with this block, as the land offered for selection a few years ago did not go off freely. I believe there is now some settlement going on on the block, and I anticipate a request for roads. Cambridge Bridge Repairs (£1 for £1). —An agreement has just been entered into with the Waipa County to do this work, which body are now calling for tenders for the required repairs. Whatiwhatihoe Bridge. —There has been £11 spent on this, in small repairs to the deck, and in carefully inspecting the structure. It has been found that the bridge is in a very bad state, owing principally to decay, and is not safe for heavy traffic. As the £100 voted for repairs is totally inadequate for what is necessary, application has been made for a larger sum, and the repairs are delayed pending its receipt. Puniu Bridge. —This has been put in a thorough state of repair—painted, tarred, &c. Paemako (Karuoteivhenua) Improved-farm Settlement. —No roads or other public works have been executed during the year which are chargeable under this item. Te Rauamoa Improved-farm Settlement. —Like the above, no works have been in hand here in the way of roads, &c. Whatawhata Swamp (Drainage and Road). —This work has been carried out, under agreement, by the Waipa County, and consists of 88 chains of 5-by-4 swamp-drain, 40 chains drain cleaned out, 260 cubic yards of gravel or sand carted on to the road, and sundry small repairs. Stratford-Ongaruhe. —The principal work done is the erection of the Ohura Bridge, which consists of one span of 97 ft., two of 18 ft., and one of 13 ft., and the approaches to the same, consisting of about 1,200 cubic yards of embankment. Timber has also been sawn for the Mangaroa Bridge, which will be one span of 97 ft. The timber is now being hauled to the site. All the timber used in the bridges on this road is totara, except the parts requiring hard wood, where maire has been used. The remainder of the bush on the road within my district, consisting of one mile, has been felled and burnt. The road has been partially maintained, but not so thoroughly as it should have been, owing to the scarcity of money. It is now open for all kinds of traffic from the junction of the Taumarunui-Ohakune Boad to the Mangaroa Eiver, a distance of 27f miles, which makes forty-four miles south from Te Porootarao Tunnel. Short branch roads from this road will open up considerable areas of Crown land when required. Taumarunui-Ohakune. —Hitherto this name has applied to the road or track from Ohakune right to the tunnel at Te Porootarao. The part of it which is north of Taumarunui is within my district, and it requires forming and completing; also two small bridges will have to be erected. Owing to there not being money for the purpose nothing has been done on the road, either in maintenance or new work, consequently the road is not in first-rate order. Miscellaneous Roads and Bridges in Native Districts. —The riding-tracks from Te Kuiti to Otorohanga and to Te Porootarao have been repaired and maintained, and one good permanent culvert, 3 ft. by 5 ft., and 25 chains dray-road made on the former. Eepairs on the tracks from Te Kuiti to Mokau and Otorohanga to Te Kopua are just about to be staTted. Karioi Block. —A small grant for £55 was made to the Eaglan County, and has been well spent in improving 26 chains of dray-road and small improvements. Pirongia (111, IV., VI., VII., VIII.) Block.— Authority for the expenditure of £200 towards opening up roads to lands recently taken up in these blocks has just been received, and the work will be put in hand as soon as possible. Hauturu and Part Kinohaku Block. —Twenty-three miles of engineering survey has been done, but no roadworks yet started. « Kinohaku Block, Pirongia (IV., VIII.) Block, Puketarata Block, and Whangaingatakapu Black. —Nothing as yet has been spent under these headings, but preparations are being made to put the works in hand. "Thirds" and "Fourths," Kawhia County. —Under this the following works have been done, and expenditures incurred : On Briscoe's Boad 6 chains of dray-road in side-cutting has been made, at a cost of £15 135.; on Hunt's Eoad £3 12s. has been spent in preparing and setting out work now in hand; on the road from Kawhia to Harihari 50 chains of graded bridle-road has been made, mostly in bush, at a cost of £48 os. 2d.; on the Manganui Eoad 53 chains of bridle-road has been made, and five miles of bushfelling and burning done, for an expenditure of £150 14s. During the year a great deal of new country has been explored for roads ; it lies chiefly in the Hauturu and Kinohaku Blocks, between the waters of the Waipa and Mokau tributaries on the east, and the seacoast and Kawhia Harbour on the west. Nearly all is forest land of a broken nature. Over most

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