71

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Mangakokeke Road (Awarua Block). —In my last report I recorded the clearing of 43 chains of this road-line, which, being level and dry, opened up communication with Sections 1 and 2 Block X., Euahine Survey District, in the Hautapu Euahine No. 2 Block, Since then nothing further has been done. Upper Kawatau Road (Awarua Block). —Not a great deal of progress has been made with this road since,my last report; what has been done being 22 chains of 6ft. formation, 11 chains of 10ft. formation, 374 cubic yards of slips cleared, and 5,030 cubic yards of rock excavated. It passes through bush country of a very broken nature, and, as the route lies along steep papa-rock cliffs, the work of formation has been exceedingly heavy. The road is in good condition, and, as soon as further expenditure is authorised, clearing and extension of formation will be proceeded with. Kawatau Valley Road. —The following is the record of work done on this road during the year : 2 miles 43 chains graded and pegged, If chains felled and cleared, 61 chains widened to 16 ft., 10 chains metalled 12 ft. wide, 9,100 cubic yards of slips cleared, 9,360 cubic yards of rodk excavated, 2 chains of embankments formed, and two miles and a half of the road sown with grassseed. One culvert, 16 in. by 18 in., and four, 12 in. by 12 in., of a total length of 123 ft., have been laid, and one 80 ft. span truss-bridge, with a 14 ft. roadway, has been erected over the Mangawharariki Eiver. The annual maintenance has extended over four miles and a half. It will be seen that a large amount of very heavy work has been done, the great damage done by the Easter floods of 1897 having been repaired. The truss-bridge across the Mangawharariki Stream is a substantial and well-built structure, and has been erected at 14 ft. higher level than that carried away by the floods. The narrow parts of the papa-cliff road have been widened to the full width of 16 ft., and, like the block-cutting deviation, has been exceptionally heavy work. As shown above, the slips have been very numerous, caused in a great measure by widening the road. The whole of the road, with the exception of a few chains of horse-road at the Kawatau end, is in very good condition, and the bridge and culverts in first-class order. The first mile of the cliff road gets into a very bad state during the wet season, and a good coating of metal is now being put on, which will undoubtedly prove a great boon to the many persons who travel this road. The total length available for horse traffic is 8 miles 10 chains, four miles and a half of which is open for wheel traffic. A further length of 2 miles 43 chains, which was felled and cleared last year, has been graded, and, as a sufficient amount has been authorised to be expended, the work will be proceeded with immediately. This very important road opens up the northern portion of the Marton Nos. 1 and 2 Blocks, and is the main artery through which that part of the Awarua Block east of the Bangitikei Eiver is furnished with supplies. Kew Road (Marton Nos. 1 and 2). —The only work done during the year has been maintaining 1 mile 48 chains of this horse-road, which has involved the removal of 305 cubic yards of slips, and the grassing of 75 chains. It is at present in good order, as are the culverts and log bridges. Titirangi Road. —This road passes through very broken forest country, and has been maintained during the year for a distance of 6 miles 65 chains. It is in very good condition, and during the coming year it is intended to push forward the clearing and formation. The following work has been done: 1 mile 31 chains of bush felled and cleared, 69 chains-formed 6ft. wide, four culverts 64 ft. in length inserted, 1,605 cubic yards of slips removed, and 3,158 cubic yards of rock excavated. ■ Kelpie Road. —The whole of this road is now open for dray traffic, and is in good condition. The culverts also are sound. As it passes through very rugged precipitous country, the cost of maintenance is necessarily very heavy. The following work has been done: Graded and pegged, 1 mile 28 chains ; widened to 16 ft., 1 mile 3 chains ; and metalled 12 ft. wide, 10 chains. Two culverts (33 ft. in length) have been laid, 495 cubic yards of slips cleared, 1,860 cubic yards of rock excavated, 69-f chains of drains cut, and the full length of two miles maintained. This road is very useful to the settlers in the neighbourhood, as, by its connection with the Lagoon Eoad, they are enabled to get their milk to the Euahine Creamery. Lagoon Road (Hautapu-Ruahine, Marton Nos. 1 and 2). —During the year 2 miles 23 chains of horse-road has been formed 6 ft. wide, and 58 chains widened to 16 ft. for dray traffic. This piece of dray-road is of immense benefit to a great number of settlers, as it enables them to cart their milk to the creamery at Euahine. The road passes through hilly forest country, and, with the culverts, is in very fair order. The further details of the annual work are as follow : Twelve 12 ft. by 12 ft., four 18 ft. by 12 ft., and two 18 ft. by 18 ft. culverts, of a total length of 390 ft., have been laid; 1,580 cubic yards of slips cleared, 3,469 cubic yards of rock excavated, 24 chains of drains cut, 1 chain of corduroy laid, and three miles of the road maintained. Auputa Road (Hautapu-Ruahine, Marton Nos. 1 and 2). —During the year 1 mile 8 chains has been widened to the full width of 16 ft., and 43 chains to 8 ft.; 7 chains have been graded and pegged ; three 12 ft. by 12 ft., two 18 ft. by 24 ft., and one 12 ft. by 18 ft. culverts have been inserted; one plain bridge, with a 12 ft. roadway, and 12ft. long, has been erected; 1,140 cubic yards of rock excavated, 800 cubic yards of slips removed, 1 mile 64 chains of drains cut, and \ chain of corduroy laid. To obviate the necessity of erecting an 80 ft. span bridge, a tunnel, 6 ft. 6 in. wide, 5 ft. 6 in. high, and 180 ft. long, is now being driven, through which the stream will be diverted. The cost of this work is estimated to be considerably less than the construction of a bridge, besides being more permanent. The widening of the road near the junction with the Mangawharariki Eoad has been of great benefit to the settlers in the vicinity, as it enables them to cart their milk to the creamery at Euahine. With the exception of a few temporary log bridges, which are in course of repair, the road, bridges, and culverts are all in good order. The full length of the road is seven miles and three-quarters, and the annual maintenance has been six miles. Mania Road (Hautapu-Ruahine, Marton Nos. 1 and 2). —This is a 4 ft. bush-track, and is maintained for a distance of two miles. It is in fair condition, and the culverts are sound. The following work has been done : 6 chains of bushfelling, 8 chains of 6 ft. formation, 336 cubic yards of slips cleared, 270 cubic yards of rock excavated, and 18 chains of drains cut. The settlers in the