Q.—l

68

Turakina Valley.- —The work done comprises 261 chains of engineering survey, 202 chains of traverses of deviations, 159 chains clearing, 9 chains dray-road, 184 chains formation of bridletrack, 98 lineal feet culverts, and maintenance of 639 'chains bridle-track and 393 chains dray-road. Four contracts are now being started, which, when done, will take the formation within 60 chains of the Okaka Boad. Waimarino. —The work done comprises 26 chains clearing, 48 chains dray-road formation, and 80 lineal feet culverts on Pipipi Eoad, 23 chains dray-road formation, and 24 lineal feet culverts on the Makotuku Valley Eoad, and 32 chains clearing of bridle-track on the Middle Eoad. Four contracts are now in progress on the Makotuku Valley Eoad, which, when completed, will render this road passable for dray traffic to a point abreast of Horopito Improved Farm, six miles and a half from Baetihi. The Ameku Eoad has been widened out to 8 ft. for 70 chains, and thus rendered passable for conveyance of milk to the Baetihi Butter-factory. Besides this, 290 chains engineering survey have been done. Manganui. —Dnring the year a considerable amount of work has been done on opening up bridle-tracks on the branch roads. The work done on the following roads comprises : Mangaetoroa Eoad, 108 chains engineering survey, 88 chains bushwork, 51 chains bridle-track formation, 74 lineal feet bridges, 120 lineal feet culverts, and 14 chains ditches and outfalls; Hukuroa Eoad, 112 chains engineering survey, 106 chains bushwork, 123 chains bridle-track formation, 268 lineal feet culverts, and 8 chains ditches and outfalls; Mangateitei Boad, 120 chains engineering survey and 80 chains bushwork. Moawhango-Te Horo. —Maintenance only. Roto air a-Waimarino. —No expenditure, but eighteen miles of dray-road are now being repaired. Taumaranui-Ohakune. —On the northern end of this road 211 chains of bushwork has been completed, with three contracts still in progress. This portion of the track has been repaired throughout, but many of the bridges require complete renewal. About 6,000 superficial feet of totara has been sawn in readiness for this. It is proposed to complete the bushwork through to the open country at the Wanganui Eiver. On the southern end, from Waimarino Pa to the Valley Eoad, 10 chains of bushwork and 16 chains of formation 8 ft. wide have been done, and two bridges —total length, 42 lineal feet —have been erected. On this portion a considerable number of culverts have been put in, many of them of large opening, the total length amounting to 183 lineal feet, and 40,460 superficial feet of squared timber prepared for bridges and culverts. Engineering surveys to the extent of 286 chains have been done. Awarua. —The expenditure under this item has been scattered over a number of branch roads. The work done on the various roads is as follows : Mangaweka-Te Kapua Stock Eoad, 4f acres bushfelling on road-line; Makohine Valley South Eoad, 27 chains bushwork and 31 chains bridletrack formation ; Mangaweka, erection of tool-sheds (20ft. by 12ft.), with painting and fittings of same ; Taihape Township, 23 acres bushfelling on road-lines, 13 chains clearing on Huia Street, and 11 chains dray-road formation on Kuku Street; Puke Eoad, h\ acres bushfelling, 107 chains bushwork and bridle-track formation, with 20 lineal feet culverts; Puherua Boad, 85 chains bushwork and bridle-track formation, with 60 lineal feet culverts; Eangitikei Eoad, 28 chains bushwork; Horouta Eoad, 250 chains bushwork and 30 chains dray-road formation ; besides 290 chains engineering surveys, distributed over these roads. Gorge-Ohutu Improved-farm Settlement. —One contract of 28 chains of widening of this track into a dray-road, with 44 lineal feet of culverts, has been completed. Two other contracts of a similar nature are now in hand. Horouta. —The formation of this into a dray-road is now completed as far as the Moawhango Eiver, and is now being largely used for traffic to the Pukeokahu and Ohinewairua Blocks. The work done comprises 118 chains bushwork, 170 chains dray-road formation, and 7 chains bridletrack formation, with 88 lineal feet culverts. Kakariki Bridge Approaches. —Authority received for £1,400 subsidy, but no expenditure. Makohine Valley. —Work has only recently been started on this. It comprises 159 chains engineering survey, 40 chains bushwork, 40 chains bridle-track formation, with two contracts still in hand. Murray's Track. —The work done comprises 230 chains clearing, and 224 chains bridletrack formation, with one horse-bridge 12 ft. span, and 370 lineal feet culverts. A length of 105 chains still remains to be done to connect with old formation. Traffic at present follows a rough ridge track for this distance. Taihape-Paengaroa. —There is a large amount of traffic on this road, and the widening of it throughout is urgently required. It has been proceeded with as rapidly as possible with the available funds. It is now open roughly for dray traffic to the Namunui Creek, at 4 miles 30 chains. The total distance to Paengaroa is 6 miles 10 chains. The work done comprises 157 chains engineering survey, 81 chains dray-road formation, 250 lineal feet culverts, one bridge 24 ft. span, and maintenance. Four additional contracts are now in hand. Taihape Township Roads. —On account of the bad burning season, only a few days' work have as yet been done in burning road-lines which were felled during the winter. (See Awarua.) Te Kapua. — The Knights of Labour portion has now been fairly well roaded with bridletracks, but the Sommerville portion is still backward in that respect. The work done comprises 221 chains engineering survey, 400 chains bushwork, 332 chains bridle-track formation, and 193 lineal feet culverts, distributed over the Bongoiti, Ngauinga, and Quarry Eoads. The Mataroa Eoad inside the block is being prepared for contract. Watershed Road. —This work is only being commenced. There has been done up to date 42 chains engineering survey, 8 chains clearing, and 3 chains formation. Four contracts are being started. Ohingaiti-Tokaanu Road.— During last April and May, metalling operations were continued between Mangaweka and Utiku, 2,262 cubic yards being spread upon the road. Owing to the wet