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In the same county, 4 miles 57 chains of No. 319 Main Highway, Te Awamutu - Cambridge, is being reconstructed, mainly across peat swamp. The contractor is doing very good work. In the Matamata County, reconstruction and re-alignment of 5 miles 25 chains of the No. 802 Main Highway, Matamata-Tauranga, has been completed up to base course. In the Waitomo County the Department has commenced the reconstruction of 46 chains of No. 818 Main Highway, Hangatiki-Caves. Bridges and Culverts : State Highways No. 8 State Highway, Hamilton -Te Kuiti.—Waipa Bridge, Otorohanga : A start has been made driving test piles on the site of the proposed bridge. No. 16 State Highway, Paeroa-Whakatane. —To temporarily replace the Waitekauri Bridge, 145 ft. of Bailey bridging were placed. Main Highways Test piles have been driven at the following sites : Piako County.—No. 311 Main Highway, Ohinewai-Tahuna : Mangawhara Stream, Waipa County.—No. 466 Main Highway, Frankton-Pirongia : Mangapiko Stream. Otorohanga County. —No. 869 Main Highway, Te Awamutu-Pirongia : Whatiwhatihoe Bridge, Waipa River. Bridge-construction is in hand as follows : No. 802 Main Highway, Matamata-Tauranga (Matamata County).—Waiomou Stream Bridge, 103 ft. 4 in. by 24 ft.; and Omahine Stream Bridge, 103 ft. 4 in. by 24 ft.: Pile-driving on both of these almost completed. No. 447 Main Highway, Ngatea-Waharoa.—Matamata County : Mangapapa Bridge, 32 ft. by 24 ft. Hauraki Plains County : Nelson's Bridge, 25 ft. by 24 ft. In the Raglan County, tenders have been called for the Okete Stream Bridge (100 ft.) on the No. 801 Main Highway, Hamilton-Raglan. In the same county on the No. 573 Main Highway, Bryant Home, a contract has been let for the approaches and tenders invited for the Opotoro Bridge (286 ft.) over an inlet of the Raglan Harbour. No. 465 Main Highway, Waihi Beach . —Waione Bridge, which collapsed in September last, has been replaced by a 30 ft. by 12 ft. R.S.J, bridge ; Cascade Creek Bridge replaced by 60 ft. of 5-ft.-diameter R.C. pipes; and Township Bridge, having become unsafe, was replaced by a temporary 25 ft. span bridge 12 ft. wide. No. 600 Main Highway, Thames-Coromandel. —Keretu No. 7 Bridge renewed by a 7 ft. by 7 ft. R.C. box culvert 35 ft. long. Keretu No. 8 Bridge renewed by a 7 ft. by 7 ft. box culvert 50 ft. long. Tauranga District No. 16 State Highway, Paeroa-Whakatane.—With the opening-up of Woodlands Quarry a considerable improvement has taken place in the running surface, and 5,800 cubic yards of crushed metal were spread on the metal length between Athenree and Tauranga. The Waipapa Bridge has become dangerous, and a temporary bridge is being erected to take the traffic while the extensive repairs are effected. A contract has been let for the erection of the Judea Bridge, and steel is on the site. On the Tauranga-Te Puke section, two old narrow bridges have been replaced with culverts. No. 18 State Highway, Hamilton-Rotorua. —Heavy seal patching has been required on this highway throughout the year ; 3 miles 6 chains of resealing have been completed. No. 19 State Highway, Rotorua-Whakatane. —Reconstruction and widening has been in hand from Tikitere round the shores of Lake Rotoiti, 150,000 cubic yards of material being excavated during the year. A new quarry at Rotoehu has been opened up.

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