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PAPERS RELATIVE TO CONSTRUCTION OF

Memorandum on the above. All these cuttings will require to be gravelled, the material being soft, and liable to cut up very much in winter. I should recommend that the work be authorized at once. John Blackett, C.E.

Enclosure in No. 82. List of Contracts on the Wanganui and Patea Eoad. Contract No. I.—James Eeid, contractor; price, £207. Consists of 59 chains of side cutting) through cutting and embankment; width of road, 18 and 20 feet; 8 culverts, 30 feet long, 12 by 12i inside constructed of sawn timber, of the heart wood of matai; creek bridge, 15 feet. Began 24th August, and completed sth November, 1870. Contract No. 2.—Burrows and Green, contractors ; price, £22. Consists of 11 chains, flat formation, and through cutting 20 feet wide ; drain on upper side 5 feet wide, average depth 3 feet. Began 22nd September, and completed 15th October, 1870. Contract No. 3. —Burrows and Green, contractors ; price, £3 12. Consists of 6 chains clearing road line of stumps and roots, 33 feet wide. Began 22nd September, and completed 15th October, 1870. Contract No. 4. —James Eeid, contractor; price, £120. Consists of 68 chains of flat formation, through cutting and embankment, 33 feet wide ; 1 culvert. Began 19th October, and completed 21st November, 1870. Contract No. s.—John Wilkie, contractor ; price, £70. Consists of 27 chains of heavy side cutting, through cutting and embankment, 18 and 20 feet wide. Began 12th December, 1870, and completed 11th January, 1871. (The above work was opened up to within about four feet of the requisite width by the Wairoa Eifle Volunteers.) Contract No. 6.—Hawera Militia, contractors, represented by Lieutenant Middlemass; price, £74 ss. 4d. Consists of 33-34 chains side cutting, 18 feet wide. Began 20th May, and completed Bth August, 1870. (The above sum is 50 per cent, of the value of the work done, in addition to which the contractors received their daily Militia pay). Contract No. 1. —For opening up the Great North-Western Eoad between Kai Iwi and Taurangaika.—Thomas Potter and Co., contractors ; price, £58. Consists of 100 chains 68 links of side cutting, from which all slips are to be removed, bush and other vegetation cleared off, culverts and drains opened, and the formation levels of surface to be dressed up, 16 feet wide. Began 17th December, 1870, completed 11th January, 1871. Contract No. 2.—For opening up the Great North-Western Eoad.—Thomas Potter and Co., contractors ; price, £53. Consists of 110 chains of side cutting, from which all bush and other vegetation is to be cleared off, all slips removed, drains and culverts opened, and the foundation levels of surface to be dressed up 16 feet wide. Began 17th December, 1870, and to be completed within forty-two days from date. Contract No. 3.—For opening up the Great North-Western Eoad.—James Dally, contractor ; price, £99 7s. 6d. Consists of 139 chains of side cutting to be opened up, from which all bush and other vegetation is to be cleared, all slips removed, the drains and culverts opened, and the formation levels of surface dressed up. Began 17th December, 1870, and to be completed within forty-two days from date. Contract No. 4.—For the opening up of the Great North-Western Eoad. —Stephen Kennedy, contractor ; price, £55. Consists of 12S chains of side cutting and flat formation, in nearly equal proportions, from which all bush and other vegetation is to be removed, all slips cleared oft', drains and culverts opened, and surface levels dressed up 16 feet wide. Began 17th December, 1870, and to be completed within forty-two days from date. Contract No. 5. —For the opening up of the Great North-Western Eoad.—Francis Norster, contractor ; price, £58. Consists of 110 chains, being 60 chains flat formation and 50 chains of side cutting, from which all bush and other vegetation is to be removed, all slips cleared off, culverts and drains opened, surface levels dressed up, and three new culverts put in. Began 17th December, 1870, and to be completed within forty-two days from date. Contract No. 6.—For opening up the Great North-Western Eoad at Puketotara. —William Eobertson, contractor; price £50. Consists of 4 chains through cutting 40 feet wide ; average depth 5 feet, and 2 chains of embankment, 18 feet wide on top ; average depth 11 feet. Began 17th December, 1870, and to be completed within forty-two days from date. Contract No. 7. —For opening up the Great North-Western Eoad at Ototoko.—lsaac Emery, contractor; price £139. Consists of 4 chains 80 links of side cutting and embankment, 18 feet wide at formation level; average depth of embankment 10 feet. Began 17th December, and to be completed within forty-two days from date. Contract No. B.—For the opening up of the Great North-Western Eoad. —John McPherson, contractor ; price £45 4s. Length 113 chains, and consists of 76 chains and 65 links flat formation, and 36 chains 35 links cutting. All bush and other vegetation to be cleared off. All slips to be removed. Culverts and drains to be opened. Two new culverts to be put in, and surface levels dressed up. Began 17th December, 1870, and to be completed within forty-two days from date. Contract No. 9.—For opening up the Great North-Western Boad. —William Nixon, contractor; price, £138. Consists of the supplying the material for, and construction of and placing in position, 68 culverts, each 30 feet long, 10 by 12 inside, all sawn timber, heart of matai 2 inches thick. Began 17th December, 1870, and to be completed within three calendar months from date. Contract No. 10.—For opening up the Great North-Western Eoad, Puketotara. —Denby, Nixon, and Lees, contractors ; price £152. Culvert 87 feet long, 8 feet by 7 feet inside. Constructed of piles