D.—i

Wharerata to Opoutama Road (Cook County).—This route is now largely used as a service road for tunnel construction on the Gisborne to Waikokopu Railway, and a distance of 2 m. 64 ch. in this county was substantially metalled during the period. An additional length of 72 ch. was given a light coat of metal. At the close of the period work was still proceeding on the section in Wairoa County, a distance of only 45 ch. remaining to complete an all-weather connection between Wharerata and Waikokopu port. Huanui (Waiapu Inland) Road (Uawa County).—An additional 1 m. length of this road was metalled during the period. Kiore Road (Uawa County).—A programme of improvements on this road covering metalling over a distance of .3 m. 36 ch. was authorized several years ago, but owing to repeated unfavourable conditions increasing the initial difficulty in obtaining access to metal-supplies the scheme was not completed until the year now under review. The work makes a great improvement in the access to a large area of good land held by five settlers. Tolaga to Arakihi Road (Uawa County).—Work was commenced during the period on an extension of the metalling of this road, which serves three settlers in a very productive area. Broken stone was laid over a distance of 30 ch., and in addition 1,180 cubic yards of stone spa wis were collected and carted to the roadside ready for breaking and placing next season. Ihungia to Mata to Waitahaia Road (Waiapu County). —A length of 3m. 60 ch. was prepared for metalling, and during the period metal was placed over a distance of 1 m. 70 ch. 1,340 lineal feet of culverts were installed. Jerusalem to Whareponga Road (Waiapu County).—4oo lineal feet of culverts were placed on this road in betterment of the access to a large area of a partially developed country. Makarika to Horehore Road (Waiapu County).—Metalling over a distance of 1 m. 40 ch. was carried out during the year. Rangitukia to East Cape Road (Waiapu County). —This road was formed by the Native Department as an improvement in the access to a large area of Native-owned country, and during the year a total of 700 lineal feet of culverts were installed to preserve the formation. Tokomaru to Mata Road (Waiapu County).—ln furtherance of the scheme approved several seasons ago for the metalling of this important feeder road, a considerable advance was made during the year. 4m. 40 ch. was metalled, and an additional distance of 2m. 40 ch. of heavy formation was carried out in preparation for metalling. 908 lineal feet of culverts were installed. Reporua to Mahora Road (Waiapu County). —This is a road which had previously been formed by the Native Department for the purpose of giving better access to a block of Native-owned land, and during the period under review some 600 lineal feet of culverts were placed. Bruce's Road, Kanakanaia (Waikohu County). —A distance of 1 m. 40 ch. was metalled. Rakauroa to Tahora Road (Waikohu County).—This is a road giving access to the railway for a large number of settlers, and during the period 3 m. 60 ch. of bottom-course metalling and 7 m. 40 ch. of top-course metalling were completed. Tarndale Road (Waikohu County).—This is an entirely new road 21 m. long located on the dividing-ridge between the Waipaoa River on the one side and the Mangatu and Motu Rivers on the other. It is designed to replace the present extremely unsatisfactory river-bed access to all the farms in the Upper Waipaoa, Upper Mangatu, and Mangaotane Valleys. Operations were continued throughout the period at the south end by an average complement of eighty to ninety co-operative contractors until winter conditions at an altitude in some places of 2,500 ft. or over forced a cessation of work. At the northern end, which is difficult for co-operative contract methods, a length of 2 m. 46 ch. was let by public tender, and here the contractor made good progress, handling the work almost entirely with modern plant. Work completed during the year was —Formation for a distance of 7m. ; metalling, 2m. 2 ch. ; culverting, 1,436 lineal feet. Up till the present a total distance of 15 m. 47 ch. has been formed and 2 m. 2 ch. metalled. Kokomuku Road (Matalcaoa County).—A programme of widening on this backblocks road was completed to allow the use of wool lorries as far as the last settler's property. Kopuapounamu River Bridge (Matakaoa County) .—Plans and specifications of this structure were completed during the period, and tenders called for its erection in reinforced concrete. Kopuapounamu Road (Matakaoa County). —A distance of 2m. 12 eh. of metalling was completed. Main East Coast Road (Matakaoa County).—Maddox Hill: After re-forming several portions of the length, metalling was carried out over a distance of 2 in., together with the installation of 318 lineal feet of culverts. Potaka Junction to Whangaparaoa : The authorized programme of improvements on this road was directed towards the elimination of the clay gap between Gisborne and Opotiki, via Cape Runaway. Although the final series of contracts covering metalling operations were let early in the season, continued bad weather, and especially serious floods at the New Year, held the work up considerably and occasioned the removal of some 5,000 cubic yards of slips. Nevertheless, the whole work was finished before the end of the season, and comprised—lmproved formation, 1 m. 5 ch. ; base-course metal, 4m. 25 ch. ; top-course metal, 10 m. 45 ch. ; removing slips, 5,000 cubic yards. Following the completion of the metalling the remaining length of this route was declared a main highway, and placed under control accordingly. Potaka Junction to Waikura Road (Matakaoa County).—On this road, which serves a number of settlers on a large area of productive land, the Department undertook the formation of a deviation to avoid three treacherous fords in the Oweka Stream. A distance of 59 ch. was formed and 54 ch. was metalled, together with 172 lineal feet of culverts laid. Otipi Block Access Road (Opotiki County).—Widening was carried out at various points preparatory to the metalling of a length of 1 m. 51 ch., which was also completed during the period under review.

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