E.—l

Rotorua-Taraioera Road. —This road has been maintained in good order. The rock-work mentioned in last year's report was only finished in May. Wairoa-Tarawera Road. —Eighty-five chains of road have been laid off on this line. Opotiki-Ohiioa Road: Waioeka Bridges. —The smaller bridge, 120 feet long, has been completed. Four thousand cubic yards of earthwork have been placed in the embankment between the bridges. The Otara Bridge is progressing favourably under contract. Whakatane-Te Teko Road. —Thirty chains of embankment, containing 3,500 cubic yards, have been formed, and 2,700 superficial feet of timber drawn for bridges, &c. Tauranga—East Cape Road. —Twelve miles of this road have been maintained during the year. Taupo-Atiamuri ; Napier-Taupo. Kaiichaka-Runanga. —This section has been kept in fair repair by a party of the Armed Constabulary, about twenty in number. Runanga-Atiamuri. —This section, as a rule, requires very little attention, and has been kept in good order by occasional labour. Taupo-Hot Springs. —This piece of road was completed last July, and has been in good order since. The work on these roads has consisted mainly of ordinary maintenance-works and the repair of sundry bridges, which require considerable attention. EAST COAST. The only road-work performed during the year has been the felling, clearing, and forming about 12 chains of road, forming an approach to the Makatoko Railway Station from the Norsewood Road; the felling being 1 chain wide and formation 16 feet. The metalling is not yet done. Waipaoa Cart Bridge. —This work has been completed, as well as the protection work described as being necessary last year. Patutahi Brain. —l mile 70 chains in length. This work has been let by contract, and is now nearly finished. MANAWATU DISTRICT. Manawatu Gorge Road. —This and tho bridge have been maintained in good order during the year. Kairanga Survey Block, near Palmerston North. —Fourteen miles of road have been put under contract for felling and clearing the bush. WELLINGTON DISTRICT. Reclaimed Land, Wellington. —This contract has been completed during the year. I have, &c., John Blackett, The Hon. the Minister for Public Works. Engineer in Charge, North Island.

APPEITDIX 2ED.

ANNUAL REPORT ON THE PUBLIC WORKS OE THE MIDDLE ISLAND. The Engineer in Charge to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. Sir, — Public Works Office, Dunedin, Ist July, 1879. I have the honor to submit tho following report on the various works completed and in progress in the Middle Island during the past financial year : — In order to facilitate reference I propose adhering generally to the arrangement of the subjects and method of giving information adopted in former reports, and under the following heads—lst, railways; 2nd, roads and bridges; 3rd, water-races; 4th, miscellaneous works; sth, buildings; 6th, surveys ; 7th, general remarks. RAILWAYS. General. As tho past year has seen the completion of the original public works scheme in the Middle Island I intended in this report to have given a full] description of the lines and works embraced by it, and also to have considered the objects and principles of the scheme itself, and seen how far they have worked out and answered. A press of other work has, however, prevented me from carrying out my intentions in this matter, so I can only set myself the task for a future occasion. In the meantime I would submit to the Government the desirability of seeing that tho present railways are only required to do the work for which they were intended, and that generally the same class of line be adhered to in the new railways. In order that the whole country should participate in the benefits of railway communication it was judiciously decided that the lines should be made as lightly and cheaply as possible, consistent with the requirements of the traffic. Even now, when every one's ideas of the traffic are extended, I adhere to my original opinion, that the railways as originally designed will meet all the reasonable requirements of the traffic for fifteen or twenty years. They will not, however, do this, if an attempt is made to satisfy the unreasonable demands of the public for high speed and heavy loads. 9—E. 1.

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