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out by this Department. The depot at Kerepeehi is now a busy centre, whore a large gang of men is employed receiving and distributing fuel, stores, and materials, repairing and erecting plant, and a variety of other works. Waitakaruru District. The drainage of the land in the vicinity of the Maukoro-Waitakaruru Canal has been receiving attention, and a great deal of work clone, which should hasten the process of bringing into profitable occupation a large area which, with the excellent outlet provided by the canal, will eventually be some of the best land on the Hauraki Plains. The spoil-banks on both banks of the canal have been formed into roads by team, scoop, and grader work. Maintenance and improvement work to drains and stopbanks has been carried out. Two dams were constructed in the Maukoro Canal to facilitate dredging. 13,000 sleepers were split, and 123 birch piles cut, hauled, and shipped to other districts. Pipiroa-Kopuarahi District. The principal works carried out in this district were maintenance of drains and stop-banks, widening and deepening of outlet drains, and the construction of a low-level flood-gate at the outlet of Duck Creek drain, which is being deepened and extended to a new concrete culvert across the Ngatea-Pipiroa Road. Large drains have been constructed along the Pouarua Road and Hopai Road extension, and repairs effected to the Rawerawe West Road. Awaiti, Patetonca, and Tahuna Districts. The Elstow Drainage Board has raised a loan of £34,000 for drainage-works to be carried out by the Department in conjunction with Crown - land - development works in the Awaiti district. The preparatory work for the scheme is well in hand, and construction has been commenced with two dredges. For the formation of roads in peat land in the Patctonga district 3,154 cubic yards of clay were carted on to the Mangawhero Road, 10,211 cubic yards of clay and 780 cubic yards of gravel for the Kaiherc West Road, and 4,372 cubic yards of clay for the Patetonga Tramway Road. The North Road at Tahuna was cleared and formed for a distance of 54 chains, 2,581 cubic yards of spoil being carted for the purpose. In addition to the usual cleaning, widening and deepening of drains in the districts involved the excavation of over 130,000 cubic yards of material. Freight collected for the carriage of goods on the Patctonga Tramway amounted to £621. Roads. As road-formation can only be done during the very short dry season, all available plant has to be pressed into service to cope with the largo amount of this work that has to be done. The progress made this year has been fairly satisfactory. The total quantity of metal delivered from Thames by the Department's punts was 5,175 cubic yards, and quantity obtained from other sources 1,729 cubic yards. 2 miles 14 chains of roads were metalled during the year, and 75 chains remetalled. Clay carted for the formation and maintenance of peat roads amounted to 22,588 cubic yards, and 18,790 bundles of fascines were laid as a foundation. The following roads were metalled. : — M. Ch. Ngatea - Paul's Wharf .. .. .. .. .. ..05 Orchard East Road . . . . .. •.. .. .. .. 0 24 Kerepeehi - Kaihere Road . . .. .. .. .. .. 1 40 Kaihere Road, western end .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 25 Kerepeehi - Kopuarahi and Orchard East Road (remetalling) .. .. 0 75 Total .. .. .. .. .. ..3 9 The following roads were formed : — Kerepeehi Block .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 14 Puhanga Canal Road, east side . . . . . . . . 1 60 Ngarua Canal Road .. .. .. .. .. 0 50 Pekapeka Road .. .. .. .. .. .. ..048 Kerepeehi Township roads ■ .. .. .. .. .. ..09 Maukoro Canal roads, Waitakaruru — West side .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 75 East side .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 46 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 62 The following peat roads were ballasted, with clay : — North Road, Tahuna .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 55 Puhanga-Torehape Road .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 10 ■ Total ' .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 65 The following roads were reclaycd : — Mangawhero Road .. .. .. .. .. .. ..10 Kaihere Road .. .. .. .. .. .. ..16 Patetonga Tramway Road .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 45 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 51

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