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been reduced to 717 of all ranks, distributed as follows, viz.: 63 in the Waikato, 38 in the Taupo, and 49 in the Opotiki District, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Lyon; 522 in the Patea and Taranaki Districts, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Roberts, N.Z.C.; and 45 at the Depot. "With respect to the three Districts under his command, Lieut.-Colonel Lyon reports that, without neglecting the necessary attention to their military duties and training, his men have performed some useful work in road-making during the past year. In the "Waikato the men were put on for road-work on the Cambridge and Rotorua line towards the end of October, commencing ar. the Waitoa Stream, with a clearing of 38 chains by 1-|, through heavy flax and ti-tree. The total length of this road, formed since then by the constabulary, is 3 miles, through heavy cuttings of sandstone rock, requiring 13 box-drains, 15 pipe-drains, varying from 6to 18 inches, and 2 large stone culverts. The road is now open for wheeled traffic a distance of 30 miles from Cambridge. In the Taupo District the road between Otiamuri Bridge and Stoney Creek, a distance of 78 miles, has been kept in repair, 635 chains of road re-formed, and 40 chains of side-drains cut. In the Opotiki District the road from Onepoto to the Taraugataki Crossing, a distance of about 6 miles, and at Ohuka, about 5 miles, on each side of the station, has been kept in repair by the Constabulary, until the "Wairoa County Council took over charge of it. On the Tauranga and Te Puke Road 1 sergeant and 14 men have been employed since the Ist July, 1880, and have completed the following work: 44 chains of formation, 4,081 cubic yards of side-cutting, and 6,628 cubic yards of cutting and filling, giving a total length of 161 chains. One bridge of 18 feet by 14 feet, and 4 of 14 feet by 8 feet, have been erected, and 2 culverts, 32 feet by 2 feet square, and 15 smaller ones, have been built. In addition to the above road-work, erecting fencing, and executing the repairs required at the various posts, the men have been employed in the performance of the following civil duties, viz.: Conveying the public mails between Kihikihi and Te Awamutu Alexandra and Te Awamutu daily; between Alexandra and Paterangi, and Alexandra and Harapipi, bi-weekly ; between Tapuaeharuru and Opepe, and Onepoto and Te Kapu, weekly and daily between Clyde and Te Kapu; collecting agricultural, statistics, and taking census for the Districts of "Waikato, "Waipa, Piako, North-west Taupo, Wairoa, Opotiki, and Tauranga; and attending sittings of the Native Land Court held at Cambridge, Tapuaeharuru, and Tauranga, rendering assistance to the Police branch as required. Constables are also acting as ferrymen at Opoiti and Te Kapu. Lieut.-Colonel Roberts's principal camps are Pungarehu, Rahotu, Egmont, Opunake, and Manaia. Pungarehu is situated about 1^ miles from Parihaka, is naturally a fairly-strong position, on which the men of Major Tuke's division are encamped. Temporary breast-works have been erected, and the position is about to be strengthened by the addition of a blockhouse. Rahotu, where Major Goring's division is encamped, 5 miles south of Pungarehu, is on the site of an old Native fortification, a position naturally so strong as hardly to require the additional defensive works in course of construction. The Egmont post, 3 miles west of Pungarehu, was established for the protection of the lighthouse, being erected on the Cape, and consists of a small stone Redoubt close to the Lighthouse site, and a main camp, enclosed in a substantial palisading, erected on the banks of the Kapoaiaia Stream, about 200 yards from the Lighthouse. Opunake, the Head-quarters of the District, has a Redoubt capable of accommodating 100 men, if necessary, but could be held by a handful of men occuping the bullet-proof, loop-holed Blockhouse recently erected at one of the angles. This Redoubt was built by "Major Tuke in 1879 in the short space of three weeks, and was pronounced by Colonel Scratchley as a most creditable defensive work. At Manaia, the new position on the Waimate Plains, a Redoubt of 80 feet square, inside measurement, has been erected on the site of an old Maori pa, Te Taheke. It has accommodation for 80 men, and, like Opunake, by means of its Blockhouse, a very few men could hold the position, if the main body were required to take the field. This Redoubt was planned and built by Captain Gudgeon, and reflects great credit on that officer. I have twice visited the whole of those posts within the past four months, and cannot speak too highly of the order in which they are kept, the discipline maintained, and soldier-like bearing of the men, showing that, though they have been largely employed in road-making and the construction of useful works, Lieut.-Colonel Roberts has not allowed drill to be neglected. From his report I find that considerable attention has also been paid to target-practice, with most satisfactory results. In the camp every precaution has been taken in posting guards and pickets of such strength as to insure their safety, and especially guarding against being lulled into a false state of security by the apparently quiet aspect of affairs. Armed covering parties, in charge of officers from each camp, have always been sent out, for the protection of the men working on the roads. Lieut.-Colonel Roberts reports the following road-works completed by his men during the year: On the .Normanby and Stratford line 293 chains 24 feet of road formed, with block- and side-cuttings and embankments. Between Oeo and Opunake 3 miles of the main road formed, 1 mile cleared, and 4 miles repaired. Between Opunake and Rahotu a track was cleared of 7 miles 20 feet wide, 141 chains of bush felled, the greater part stumped ready for formation, about 1,000 cubic yards of earthworks completed, and numerous small culverts erected. Between Rahotu and Werekino 10 miles of clearing 1 chain wide, 9 miles of formation 18 feet wide, earthworks containing about 7,000 cubic yards, and three-quarters of a mile of gravelling, were completed. Before commencing this work a track was cleared and roughly formed for the whole distance, with temporary crossings to water-courses, made and kept open during the winter, which was unusually wet, causing considerable delay, and especially trying to the working parties. Temporary defensive works had also to be constructed at the camps at Nga Kumikumi, Opua, Kaikohu, and Pukihinau, while the roads north and south of Parihaka were being formed, and which were abandoned as the force advanced. A road connecting Pungarehu with Cape Egmont, 3 miles long and 30 feet wide, was cleared and roughly formed, and half a mile of side-drains dug. At Pukearuhe a new bridge over the Papetiki Stream has been built to replace the old one, which had become unserviceable. Besides erecting the necessary buildings at the various camps, a considerable amount of fencing has been done by the men in connection with the formation of paddocks for Government purposes, involving the splitting of a large quantity of posts and rails. At Waihi 23 acres of oats were grown and cut for hay for winter use. This has been cut into chaff and forwarded to the several stations along the coast. At Manaia 34 acres have been,