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Motoa Swamp Drainage Contract. —This work is situated near Foxton, and was finally completed on the 9th March, 1882 ; its length from the Mauawatu Eiver to ita inland end is 1 mile 60 chains. TAEANAKI DISTEICT. Manganui Cart-bridge. —Tariki Eoad: The protective works to western pier, described as in progress last year, have been completed. Mountain Road, County Patea. —32s chains of catchwater drains were cut alongside of the road where gravelled last year, and 15 small box-drains were put in. This portien of the road is not suitable for winter traffic, as the funds available were not sufficient to provide a proper amount of gravelling, and other necessary works. Vrenui Bridge. —The contract for the erection of this bridge was completed July 9th, 1881. (Length of bridge, 140 feet.) Zfrenui Roads Formation. —These are in connection with the TJrenui Bridge. No. 1 was completed in June, 1881, and No. 2in May, 1881. The contracts were for formation only ; the roads are not yet metalled.. Waitara Road Bridge. —This has been repaired by the Harbour Board, "Waitara, in accordance with plans furnished by the Public Works Department, and may now fairly be expected to stand well for some years longer. WAIMATE PLAINS AND ADJOINING DISTEICTS. Main South Eoad. Stony Biver-OpunaTce (22 miles). —The following works have been executed during the year viz.: Two miles of formation, with the necessary cuttings, banks, and drains ; half a mile side drains ; six dry-stone culverts, 2 to 4 feet openings ; two dry-stone culverts 6 feet, with timber covering; two bridges of 20-feet span each, one of 12-feet span, with dry rubble abutments; also lOf miles of gravelling. Masonry piers and abutments have been built at Motu's Creek, Waiweranui, Warea, Waitotoroa, Waitaha, Eautini, Pungaereere, Okahu, and Oao-iti. and the contractor is now at work at the Oao-nui piers, and when these and the masonry at Kapoaiaia are finished everything will be ready for the timber superstructures of all the bridges required, a contract for which has been let and is now in hand. The road has been kept well, and is now in'good order for all kinds of traffic, but the want of the above-described bridges is much felt. The old bridge at Werekino requires new flooring : this should be done at once. On this section 2i miles are yet ungravelled, of which half a mile is distributed at the bridgeapproaches, and 2 miles between Umuroa and Opunake. Opunake-Wainqongoro,— The work done on this section has been in the way of repairs. Extensive repairs have been carried out at the Waingongoro, Kapuni, Kaupokonui, and Waiaua Bridges, besides general repairs at the other bridges. The other works and gravelled portions of the road have been kept in good order :6^ miles remain yet ungravelled, which become bad in winter; the remainder is good, and fit for any kind of traffic. Normanby Road (6 miles).- —The formation of this road has been completed, as also the bridges and their approaches across the Waingongoro and Waiokura Kivers. A ford has been made at the Inaha, and a 4-feet box culvert put in at the mill-stream. No gravelling has been done on this road. The Armed Constabulary Force executed 4 miles of the formation; the remainder, consisting of larger cuttings and banks, was executed by piecework, and the bridges were built by contract. Opunake Bay Road. —This work was done by the Armed Constabulary ; it is 18 chains long. It consists of a side-cutting on the face of the cliff which surrounds the bay, and gives good access to the landing-place, with a grade of lin 16J-. It is now in good condition, but is not gravelled, and will therefore be bad in winter. Lateral Roads. —These are three in number, and run inland from the Stony Eiver-Opunake section of the main road, as follow, viz.:— Newall Road (5 miles 50 chains), south of Stony Eiver; runs in line for the summit of Mount Egmont; first mile very rough and stony, through scrub and light bush, requiring cuttings and banks all the way, some grades as steep as 1 in 12 ; beyond the first mile the road lies through bush, \\ miles, over more level land, requiring little earthwork. Total distance made, 2\ miles. Parihalca Road. —Leaves main road 8 miles 35 chains south of Stony Eiver, and lies nearly parallel with Newall Eoad; at 2 miles it passes through part of what was Parihaka Pa; it is made for a distance of 3 miles. The formation generally is very light, and one stream only is crossed, and that by a ford. Manihi Road. —Leaves main road at 13 miles south of Stony Eiver, taking same direction as the other two. It passes through a very level country, requiring only flat formation. First mile open fern ; remainder through bush interspersed with a few Native clearings. It is made for a distance of 4 miles, crossing three small streams. Work is now going on on the Newall and Manihi Eoads, which will each require to be about 5\ miles long, as they are intended to form two boundaries of a block of land 20,000 acres in extent. These roads were laid off by the Survey Department. The work consists of clearing 1 chain wide in the open, and of felling 1 chain wide in the bush, and grubbing 24 feet wide in centre of this. This has lately been altered to clearing track 16 feet wide, and removing surface-roots and stumps for that width, the width of felling remaining the same. The work has been done by the Armed Constabulary Force, under supervision of their officers, and the progress made, as a rule, has been satisfactory. Cape JEgmont Lighthouse. —The fencing of the lighthouse reserve has been completed. Opunake Bay Marine Survey. —The shore-work in connection with this survey has been done for some time ; a succession of periods of adverse weather has prevented the work of sounding being proceeded with satisfactorily, but advantage will be taken of the first favourable opportunity to finish it. I have, &c, John Blackett, The Hon. the Minister for Public Works. Engineer-in-Chief, North Island.