D.—l.

Takapau West:— Reconstruction of the full length of 72 ch., in preparation for sealing next year, was carried out. Hastings-Waimarama:— Hawke s Bay County : 28 ch. deviation, with an 8 ft. span concrete culvert, was put in at the western end of the Tukituki River Bridge. A new concrete bridge over the Waipuka Stream was completed. Auckland-Wellington, via Taranaki (No. 6 District).—Te Kuiti - Pio Pio Section: This length has been reformed, metalled, and prepared for sealing, the contract for which has been let. Te Kuiti - Bulls, via Taumarunui (No. 6 District) :— Mangaiti Turnoff - Mapiu Gates : 1 m. 20 oh. of re-formation was completed, and base-course metalling commenced. Manunui Town District : Im. 30 ch. of re-formation and metalling was completed in preparation for sealing. Stratford-Taumarunui (No. 6 District) .—Between Taumarunui and the Ohura County boundary the elimination of two sharp corners is in hand. Raurimu - Wade's Landing.—Meade's Bridge : This bridge, 35 ft. in length, of steel joists on concrete abutments, was completed. PioPio-Tatu.—2 m. of re-formation, terminating at the Waitewhena Stream Bridge, was completed. National Park-Taupo.—National Park-Tongariro River Bridge, Otukou Deviation: Im. 30 ch. of re-formation was completed, and 1J m. coated with shingle. Manunui-Owhango. Im. of re-formation was completed between Manunui and the Victory Bridge. Auckland-Wellington, via Taranaki (No. 7district) 1 :— Clifton County : A short deviation on Mount Messenger has been completed. In the Minn Valley a further 60 ch. of the deviation has been formed and 103 ch. metalled. The formation of a deviation near the Okoke Road Junction is in hand, 33 ch. of formation and 18 ch. of metalling being completed. The Crenui Hill Deviation has been completed by the metalling of 26 ch. north of Urenui. 2 ni. 41 ch. between Urenui and the Ohanga Road Junction has been prepared, and sealed in one coat. Taranaki County . At Lepperton Junction a 13 oh. deviation has been formed, metalled and sealed. Hawera County : 24 ch. of formation of the Tangahoe Deviation was carried out, and at the end of the year the Tangahoe Stream Bridge was nearing completion. Lepperton Junction - Hawera, via Opunake :— 40 ch. of new formation, providing improved alignment of the Oakura Hill section, has been completed. Egmont County . A contract has been let for the construction of a new bridge over the Ouri Stream. New Plymouth- Kaimata.—The formation, metalling, and sealing of a deviation 36 ch. in length, west of the Waiwakaiho River, and the reconstruction and sealing of a further 57 ch., have been carried out. Opunake-Eltharn.—Eltham County : The bituminous surfacing has been widened to 18 ft. over a 40 ch. section, east of Kaponga. Stratford-Taumarunui (No. 7 District) :— The formation of a short deviation at the foot of the Whangamomona Saddle was completed. The Makahu and Raekohua Stream bridges, of 35 ft. and 20 ft. spans, have been erected" and the construction of a concrete bridge of one 16 ft, and two 45 ft, spans, at the Mangapapa Stream, is in hand. The Moki Saddle tunnel was completed early in the year, and 15 ch. of approach-road formed. Skeet Highway.—l m. 70 ch. of bituminous surfacing was widened to 15 ft. Oliawe-Skeet. —3£ m. of bituminous surfacing was widened to 14 ft. Flood Damage.—On the 9th January and 2nd February, 1936, disastrous floods caused a great deal of of damage in the district, twelve bridges and concrete culverts being either destroyed or seriously damaged. Restoration works are well in hand. Auckland-Wellington, via Taranaki (No. 8 District) : — Patea County : The reconstruction and metalling of 33 ch. of the Manawapou Hill, and the reconstruction of 25 ch. of the Whenuakura Hill were completed. The reconstruction of 52 ch. of the Waitotara Hill is well advanced. Waitotara County : The metalling of Im. 32 ch. was completed, and a contract let for the reconstruction of 62-| ch. Sealing, in one coat, of Im. 51 ch. at Maxwell and 11 ch. on the Kai Iwi Hill, was carried out. A second sealing-coat was applied over a further length of 60 ch. Rangitikei County : Glasgow's Deviation, 54 ch. in length, was sealed in one coat, thereby completing the sealing of the county section.

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