43

E.—3.

The totals of work on this road are as follows, viz.,—Road formation, nineteen [and a half miles 10 feet wide, 254 feet of truss and plain bridging, twenty-three large culverts, twenty-eight small culverts. The road is in excellent order, and is now maintained by contract. The second division from Aongatete to Kati Kati, sixteen miles, has been surveyed, and plans and estimates are now being prepared. Ohinemutu Branch Road. —Seventy-seven chains. This is being formed to give access to the Native settlement of Ohinemutu, south of Lake Rotorua from the main road to Taupo ; the excavation and formation of this road are nearly completed, including 2,640 cubic yards of embankment, and 12 chains of fascining over the Utuhina Swamp, which have been done by Native labour. One plain bridge, 40 feet long, is nearly completed over the Utuhina River, and one 6 feet span over the Ngawha Creek. Maketu and Rotorua Road. —The works executed on this line of road during the year have been the tarring and painting of the Taheke and Mourea Bridges, 137 feet; the erection of the Puheringa Bridge, 40-feet span, and of two substantial culverts ; also 28 chains of heavy side cutting. The number in progress are four culverts, in the Waiwakareto side cutting, by the bridge carpenter. The total works performed are, —Erection of Taheke and Puheringa truss bridges; Ngae plain bridge ; re-erection of Mourea Bridge—in all 172 feet; four substantial culverts ; painting 137 feet of bridging; forming approaches to Taheke Bridge, including 558 cubic yards rock, and 175 chains of heavy side cutting, and lessening grade in worst places. The road is about thirty-eight miles long (twenty-two of which were formed prior to 1871) ; it is not in good order, owing principally to the indisposition of the Natives to do any work, except at the most absurdly high prices. Rotorua and Tapapa Horse Road.- —Twenty-seven miles. The survey of this was reported last year as having been suspended on account of Native opposition and has not yet been resumed. Horo Horo and Te Whetu Horse Road. —Seventeen miles. Last year this work was reported as nearly finished and in use; the only work done since then has been the erection of two small bridges over almost impassable creeks. This road has been a good deal used lately by tourists from Cambridge to the Hot Lakes. Galatea and Ahikereru Horse Road. —Eighteen miles, towards "Waikaremoana. No arrangements have yet been made with the Natives for the execution of this work. About two-thirds of its length will run through broken forest country. Matata and Whakatane Horse Road. —Thirty-four miles, following nearly the coast line. During last year the only work done has been tarring and painting Otamarakau and Whakatane Bridges, 422 feet in all. The total of works consists of the Otamarakau plain bridge and two of the same character at Whakatane from the mainland to the island, in all 462 feet. The road is now in fair order for horse traffic. A deviation is required at Otamarakau, but the Natives still ask too much for their labour. Matata and Te Teko. —Section 1, ten and a half miles. In last year's report this was described as a horse road; it has since been improved and widened to 12 feet for drays, including the lengthening of eight wooden and fifteen stone culverts 4 feet each, the erection of one small pile bridge and the removal of 10,398 cubic yards of earth. Section 2.—Four and a half miles between Otakiri and Te Teko. This has been kept in repair by the Native Contingent. The total work consists of fifteen miles of road formation, fifteen stone, eighteen wooden culverts, and six plain bridges of a length of 99 J- feet in all. The road is now in good order. Opotiki and Otara Road. —Pive miles. The work during the year has been the re-erection of one culvert, and the total of work is five miles road formed 18 feet wide and metalled where necessary, including sixteen culverts. The road is in very good order, one of the best in the district, it is maintained by contract. Opotiki and Ohhoa Horse Road. —Seven and a half miles. —Nothing has been done during last year on the road, but the erection of the two Waioeka Bridges (truss) is now being proceeded with, in all 370 feet, and the road will shortly be expanded into a dray road. It is now in fair order, but will be greatly improved by widening. OJiiwa and Waimana Horse Road. — Eight and a half miles, proceeding inland. This was not completed at the time of last year's report. It has since been finished 8 feet wide; 15,600 cubic yards of earth have been moved and 200 cubic yards of rock; and six small bridges and seventeen culverts have been erected. The road is in good order excepting one swampy place, which is about to be repaired. A survey is about to be made from the northern end of the road to the landing place with a view to connecting these points. Tanranqa and Tapapa Road. —Thirty miles. During last year three-quarters of a mile of road has been formed, and a truss bridge over the Omanawa River has been erected. The totals of work executed are as follow: —Eight and three-quarter miles of road formed in places, 10 feet wide ; one truss-bridge, 110 feet long ; one small piled bridge, 6 feet span; and five culverts. The road, which is suitable for dray traffic as far as completed, is getting out of repair and will need some expenditure for maintenance. The Natives still resist the extension of this road. Opotiki and Poverty Bay Road. —Seventy-five to eighty miles of 8-feet road. In last year's report it was stated that thirty-three miles were completed or nearly so ; there are now seventy miles, leaving thirty-seven as the length formed during the past year. At the Opotiki end, 33,087 cubic yards of earth have been moved and 7,754 cubic yards of rock, and thirty-four culverts and fourteen small bridges have been built, and this section of the road is in fair order ; but the southern, or Poverty Bay section, is not so, and in many places the road has not been executed in a proper manner, and the contractor has been called upon to make the necessary alterations. Tauranga and Judea Road. —Three-quarter-mile. During the past year the hill on the west side of the Kopurereroa was cut through to improve the grade, and 1,912 cubic yards of earth were removed, and two culverts were built. The total work consists of three-quarter-mile road, including a heavy embankment across the Kopurereroa Swamp and a plain pile-bridge over the river of the same name, 50 feet long. This road is now in good order, and is maintained by the local Road Board. MatapiM to Maketu Road, —Nineteen miles, coast line. No work done during past year. Total