D.—l.

Opua to Black Bridge Road (Bay of Islands County).—With, a view to giving improved access to the port of Opua, this road has been reconstructed, widened, and metalled in continuation of the programme commenced during the last period. An additional length of 4m. 43 ch. has been so improved. Punakitere Valley Road (Bay of Islands County). —This road gives access to a large area of only partly developed country, and during the period under review the formation and metalling programme commenced in previous years has been finalized. This consisted for the past year of 30 ch. of formation 16 ft. wide and 8 m. of metalling 9 ft. wide. Tutaematai to Rawhiti Road (Bay of Islands County).—The work in hand on this road is new construction adopting a 14-ft.-wide standard.and will give access to Native and European lands lying between Parekura Bay and Whangaruru Harbour below the Cape Brett Peninsula. Construction is being commenced at each end, and at the time of preparing this report 90 ch. of formation and culverting with 70 ch. of metalling had been completed. Work is being opened up over a further length of 2 m., the total distance to be constructed being 7 m. Aratapu to Redhill Road (Hobson County).—Formation work on this road has not yet been properly completed, and with a view to improving the access to some eighteen settlers, and also giving a circuit route for cream-collection, a start was made during the period with improvements to the old formation. A distance of 2 m. 33 ch. was completed out of a total of 7 m. 56 ch. in need of attention. Redhill to Bassetts Road (Hobson County).—This is a continuation of the road previously mentioned, and during the year metalling was commenced to give all-weather access to eight settlers, some of whom have taken up properties in Bassett's Small Farm Block. During the year Im. 55 ch. was completed. Kaihu to Kai-Iwi (Monteiths) Road (Hobson County).—The total length of this road is 4 m. 10 ch., and up till this year three settlers, who are dairying on their properties, have had no better access than a clay track. A large area of Crown land is also served, and during the period widening to 15 ft., prior to metalling, was commenced. Under a programme of backblock roads improvement 60 ch. of widening work was completed. Katui to Marlborough Road (Hobson County).—Culverting and metalling over a distance of 60 ch. was completed to provide all-weather access to a Crown settler in the Marlborough Settlement. Mansbridge's Block Road (Hokianga County). —This road, which gives access to a small farms settlement, had previously been formed and metalled, but was of a comparatively poor standard. During the year 77 ch. was reformed and properly culverted and 55 ch. metalled, while one timber bridge 45 ft. long is partly completed. Pawarenga Road (Hokianga County).—This road, giving access to a Native settlement in the vicinity of Pawarenga, was severely damaged during the cyclonic storm of February, 1936. Reconditioning of the formation, together with metalling, was necessary to bring the road back into proper repair, and the whole length of 5 m. 40 ch. was completed during the period under review. Waima Valley Road (Hokianga County).—Three European settlers and a large Native settlement, with adjacent lands, depend on this road for access. The work commenced during previous years was carried on. An additional Im. 12 ch. of formation and Im. 15 ch. of metalling have been completed during the period. Awanui to Mangonui Road (Mangonui County).—During the year reconstruction work has been continued on this important road, which connects two northern townships and is the main access to a large area of good agricultural country. Reformation and culverting over a distance of 2m. 35 ch. and metalling of 3m. 40 ch. was completed during the period under review. With the exception of the major bridges the improvement work is practically completed to the 18 m. peg, approximately 1 m. from the Mangonui township and port. Church Road (Mangonui County).—This route is one of the settlement roads branching off from the Awanui to Mangonui Road and gives a connection through to the Township of Kaitaia. During the year a distance of 2 m. 45 ch. was metalled, and as the road passes through good farming land the work which has been completed will give a large measure of relief to many settlers during the winter months. Epikauri Road (Mangonui County).—This road forms an important connecting link to the Kaitaia-Motukaraka Main Highway near Herekino. It serves one European settler and a considerable area of Native land under occupation and in course of successful and rapid development. With a view to improved access conditions, which were previously not of the best as a result of the low-lying nature of the formation, the road has been raised, culverted, and metalled over a distance of 70 ch. Fisher's Road (Mangonui County).—This is a settlement road, and during the year widening and metalling over a distance of 80 ch. was carried out to give all-weather access to two additional settlers. Fryers Road (Mangonui County).—A further length of 1 m. 20 ch. of this road was widened and metalled to give satisfactory and regular access to three settlers. Lake Ohia to Merita Bay Road (Mangonui County). —Considerable work is being carried out on this road, which is mainly in the interests of a Native development and consolidation scheme. During the period under review a length of 6 m. 66 ch. was formed and culverted. Paraparaio Taumata Road (Mangonui County).—This road runs through a tract of comparatively good country embracing both European and Native farming areas. During the year a distance of 2 m. 10 ch. was metalled, and this completes the road as an all-weather route. Riley's Road (Mangonui County).—This again is a road giving access to new country under active development, and 1 m. of metalling completed during the year will assist greatly in giving better access to three settlers already on the block. Ruaroa Road (Mangonui County). —In view of the fact that this road is a convenient through route from the Takahue Valley to Kaitaia and also gives access to nine settlers, it was necessary to consider undertaking improvements during the year. As a result of a grant made in the estimates 2 m. was formed, culverted, and metalled.

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