21

H.—ls.

18 feet. The guard-room and canteen have been close-lined and ceiled, and an addition of a lean-to made to officers' quarters. A force-pump has been placed in the well, and two 500-gallon tanks for water supply placed in station. At Opunake, early in April, the station was shifted from Te Namu to Opunake Bay, about a mile to the south. A large amount of work was done at that time in removing buildings, stores, &c. Since arrival of detachments from depot the men have been constantly employed completing the buildings removed from old site, building a weatherboard store, men's and cook houses, chimneys to library and officers' quarters, and stone oven, 8 feet by 6 feet, for baking bread, <fee. ; and all other necessary works have been pushed on as fast as possible. At Okato the blockhouse has been painted throughout, kept in repair, and iron tanks for water supply fixed inside redoubt. At New Plymouth Station the buildings have been re-shingled, repaired, and painted. At Pukearuhe Station considerable improvements have been made. A shed for the wagon and dray, and a corrugated-iron five-stalled stable have been built, the whole of the buildings have been painted and kept in repair, the chimney of the institute room rebuilt, and an addition to officers' mess completed, and the whole station generally improved. Fencing, Sfc. —At Waihi Station the fencing has been kept in good repair; many chains of ditching and banking have been completed and planted with gorse ; the fence on side of main road, 30 chains, has been banked up. About five tons of hay were saved; and twenty-five acres of ground have been cleared of fern and are now being ploughed for oats to supply Constabulary for ensuing year. At Opunake a considerable amount of fencing has been done, and Government paddock kept in order. Since removal to new site a new paddock has been fenced in with posts and rails from the old paddock. At Okato Station the paddock has been considerably improved, the fencing repaired and replaced with new material where required. At New Plymouth Station the fencing is getting very old and rotten, and has with very great difficulty been kept in repair. At Pukearuhe and Urenui Stations the paddocks have been kept in good order; at the former place some ten tons of oaten hay were saved for winter feed. TAUPO DISTEICT. Military Duties. Average Strength of Officers and Men. —The average strength of the force in this district during the past year has been —1 superintendent, 1 sub-inspector, 1 surgeon, 1 sergeant-major, 4 first class sergeants, 2 second class sergeants, 4 second class constables, and 53 third class constables. Since the end of March, however, this strength has been reduced by 1 first class sergeant, 1 second class sergeant, and 29 third class constables, transferred to Taranaki District. Nature of Parades and Drills. —Parades with side-arms for inspection and Divine Service have been held every Sunday, and in marching order for inspection and drill every Monday. The men in this district competed for the prizes allotted by the Government, in lieu of the annual course of musketry instruction, on the 12th February, 1879. Carrying Mails and Despatches. —A mounted constable conveys the mail between Taupo and Opepe, and despatches have been forwarded by members of the force to Tokano and other places as occasion required. Escorts and Guards. —No escorts have been required except for prisoners, of whom two have been conveyed to Napier and one to Eotorua. A night watchman has been on guard every night at head-quarters. Target Ranges. —The various ranges in the district have been kept free from scrub and in good repair. Storekeepers and Issuers. —The duties of this department have been performed by the officer commanding the district. Erection of Redoubts, Sfc. —The redoubts in the district have been repaired when necessary. Civil Duties. Steps taken for the Prevention of Crime.' —A constable has been employed at head-quarters on police duty. Attending Civil Courts. —Constable E. S. Thompson is clerk to the Eesident Magistrate's Court, and constables attend as required. Taking Census, Sfc. —A mounted constable collected the agricultural statistics for the Counties of East and West Taupo. Attending Land Court. —Nil. Public and useful Works : Nature and Extent of Road Work. —The road between Atiamuri and Kaiwako (109 miles) has been kept in good repair by Armed Constabulary labour alone. During the year, 1,787| chains of road have been re-formed, 667 chains repaired, 38 chains of new road have been formed, 14,489 chains of ruts filled in with fern and clay, 2,242 chains of water-tables cleared out and fifteen culverts taken up and cleaned, 542 cubic yards of earth have been harrowed, 487 cubic yards of side-cutting excavated, a retaining wall measuring 36 cubic yards has been built, 10 cubic yards of rock blasted and removed, the road cleared of tussocks for a distance of 49 chains, and 200 trees felled, of which 77 have been cut up and removed from the road : the whole being estimated by the Eoad Inspector at a value of £1,414 7s. 6d. On the road from Taupo to the Hot Springs a total length of 70| chains of new road has been completed, of which 34 chains were formation; the remainder contains 585 cubic yards of side- and 304 cubic yards of block-cutting, and 399 cubic yards of embankment, and involved the making and laying down of 79 fascines. The whole is valued at £45 os. 6d. 4_—H. 15.