21

H.—lo.

Attending Civil Courts. —Sergeant E. S. Thompson is clerk to the Resident Magistrate's and Licensing Courts, and constables attend as required. Taking Census, &-c. —A mounted constable collected the agricultural statistics for East and West Taupo. Sergeant-Major Dundas, Sergeants Brown and Thompson, and Constable Ward acted as DeputyReturning Officers at the election of the East Coast Maori electoral district. Attending Land Court. —Nil. Public and Useful Works: Nature and Extent of Road Work. —The road between Atiamuri and Mohako (88 miles) has been kept in repair by Armed Constabulary labor. During the year 83J chains of road have been reformed, 4709 chains of ruts have been filled in with fern and clay, 992 chains of water tables cleaned out, 40 cubic yards of earth harrowed, and 15 trees felled, of which 3 have been cut up and removed from the road; the value of the whole being estimated by the Road Inspector at £l 4- * Bridges and Culverts. —The Waipawerawera Bridge was repaired in April, when four men and two horses were employed carting timber, and again in March, 1880, when two men were employed on the approaches for three days. The culverts throughout the district have been taken up and cleaned out as occasion required. Splitting and Sawing Timber, &>c. —7685 feet of timber have been sawn, and 200 posts, 460 rails, 180 house blocks, and 3000 shingles split at Opepe Station during the year, and 60 dray loads of firewood have been split and carted from that station to head quarters. Building Houses, &-c. —Nil. Fencing Paddocks, Laying Dcnvn in Grass, (s*c. —22 chains of the old post and rail fence of the Government Paddock at Tapuaeharuru have been replaced by new, and 11 chains of post and rail fencing have been erected along the cliff overhanging the Waikato River. Soldiers' Graves. —-The graves at Opepe have been kept fenced and free from fern, &c. Remarks. During the past year the district has remained undisturbed. The following casualties have occurred : —r third class constable has been discharged, 2 third class constables have been dismissed for misconduct, 1 first-class sergeant and 3 third-class constable have been transferred to, and 1 third-class sergeant and 1 third-class constable from, other districts ; 5 thirdclass constables have been enrolled. Two constables have been promoted to the rank of third-class sergeant, 1 second-class constable to that of first-class, and 3 third-class constables to that of second-class constable. One horse has died and another has been purchased to replace it. OPOTIKI DISTRICT. Military Duties. Average Strength of Officers and Men. —2 officers, and 48 non-commissioned officers and men. Nature of Parades and Drill. —Divine Service parade at each station every Sunday, and heavy marching order and inspection parades once a week. Light infantry and company drill every morning at 6 a.m. Conveying Mails and Despatches.— A mail is carried weekly by orderly from Onepoto and Ohuka Stations to Te Kapu, and a mail from Te Kapu to Wairoa daily. Despatches have been forwarded from station to station when necessary. Escorts, Guards, &>c. —A night watchman is told off at each station and remains till daylight, the station not being strong enough to furnish a regular guard. No escorts were required during the year. Making and Improving Target Ranges. —The target range at Tauranga has been thoroughly cleared of scrub, three new platforms erected, and marker's butt rebuilt. At Opotiki the range has been thoroughly repaired, a new marker's butt built and fenced securely from cattle. The ranges at Te Kapu and Onepoto have been cleared and the butts repaired, and at the latter station a new slab target was brought from the bush and erected. Issuers and Storekeepers. —The whole of the Armed Constabulary clothing, reserve arms and ammunition, &c, is placed under the charge of a non-commissioned officer at Tauranga, Opotiki, and Te Kapu Stations, and who also act as magazine keepers and render their returns of the reserve ammunition direct to the head storekeeper. Erection of Redoubts and Stockades. —The redoubts at Tauranga, Opotiki, Te Kapu, and Onepoto Stations have been kept in good order and repair. Civil Duties. Steps taken for the Prevention of Crime. —This duty is performed by the police under command of Inspector Emerson, Tauranga, and the services of the reserve portion are available if required. Attending Land Courts. —At Opotiki one constable attended daily from 16th to 20th August, and two constables daily from Bth to 19th March. At Tauranga two constables attended daily for this purpose, from 29th October to 20th December. Collecting Agricultural Statistics. —Seven constables were employed in collecting the statistics for the East Coast. Public and Useful Works. Nature and Extent of Road Work. —The road from Onepoto to Taurapatiki Crossing has been kept in repair a distance of six miles, the culverts cleaned out and in some places repaired when required, and land slips removed. The two constables stationed at Ohuka have been regularly employed in keeping the cuttings in repair, removing land slips, cleaning out and repairing culverts a distance of 5 miles on each side of their station, and the approaches to the Opoite Ferry have also been kept in repair and working order by a member of the force stationed there. 6—H. 10 '