THE BAY OF PLENTY TIMES. "The spirit of the times shall teach me speed.” KING JOHN, ACT IV. SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 1873.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume I, Issue 104, 30 August 1873, Page 2

THE BAY OF PLENTY TIMES. " The spirit of the times shall teach me speed. ” KING JOHN, ACT IV. SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 1873.

The report of the Assistant Engineer-in-Ghief, just laid before the Assembly affords detailed information upon tlie various roads constructed during the post year in different parts of the colony under the supervision of the several local engineers. The report of the Resident EnA neer for the Bay of Plenty contains much useful information. The district under charge of Captahi Turner is a very extensive one, extending from Poverty Pay to Cambridge, and reaching inland as far as Gralatea and the Waikato at Atiamuri where that river is crossed by a bridge* From Atiamuri to Tan ran ga, on the Taupo line, the distance is BG£ miles, and this road, it is well known, is now open for dray traffic.

The line from Tauranga to Aongetete, a distance of 191 miles along the Thames load will soon be open, all the rivers* except the Wairoa, being bridged, and the widening of the road to 10ft rapidly progressing.

Between Maketu arid Ohinemutu all the rivers and creeks have been bridged, with the exception of Puheringa, close 5 to Rotorua—this, however, will soon be done. On the coast road, the horse bridges oyer the Otamarakau and the Whakatane rivers wilkbe greatly appreciated by travellers. The horse road from Matata to T© Teko is completed, and one from Ohiwa to Waimana is under construction by the IJriwera natives.

The Taurauga and Ta Papa road is made j.or a distance of eight miles, and the Omanawa bridge, along this route, will shortly be finished.

A considerable portion of the Opotiki and Poverty Bay horse road is finished, but the contractor has had great difficulty in keeping natives (whom, by agreement he has to employ) at work. A dray road is open between Te Teko and Port Galatea. A branch road, running from Horohoro, on the Tanpo line, towards Patetere, has been completed for a distance of 17 miles, and various other roads of gimat use to the settlers are under construction in different parts of the district. The road from Botorua to Tarawera, when completed, will also he very convenient to travellers visiting the hot springs at Botomahana.

The estimate given of the probable expense of making a dray road from Atiamuri to Cambridge (Taupo and Cambridge line), viz., £5,280, proves that a considerable extent of country can be made easily accessible at a moderate cost. The length of the road is about 55 miles, so that the whole cost of construction," including bridges and culverts, would be less" than £IOO a mile —a fact tuat cannot be too prominently brought forward and used as an argument in favour of rapidly pushing on road works through the outlying districts, and as soon as possible rendering them lit for settlement. We cannot be far wrong in assuming that a dray road can be made through most districts at an expense of, at the most, £2OO a mile —something like one-twentieth the cost of railroads, and, of course, in a thinly peopled part of the colony, of far more service. Captain Turner's report shows that ho has had a considerable amount of work to do, and the result proves that he has done it well. Wo congi-atulato him upon his energy, and sincerely trust that the settlement of the district will keep pace with his endeavours to facilitate communication.

In order to be in a position to give a satisfactory answer to the question frequently pub to n?, " When will the Superintendent and Provincial elections take place?" we on Thursday last tele*

wl to Mr 11. H. Bus, at Auckland, and Thurth' afferwurds r ivedtho following reply j r ) tu Mr ilui-'t, Provincir Tre 'surer :—“ Husk üb-ent. No information but by applying to Superintendent at Welligton, who alone can answer your qu lion' Wo accordingly, through tho wir , rv-u'd his Honor the Superintendent *"> d uie tho mutter, and have to acknowledge H courtesy in promptly replving as follows ; —-‘impossible fix date.” Wo regret that we are hs unable to supply the desired information, bt our readers will at least give us credit for havog endeavoured to do ao.