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46

Rodney County. —Completed : Eoads repaired, 4 miles ; roads formed, \ mile ; roads metalled, 2J miles; roads surveyed, pegged, and connected with triangulation and intersected properties, 5 miles. West Coast Road. —There have been 6 miles of road opened, and 2 miles of these are suitable for wheeled traffic, the remainder as a bridle-track. Bight and three-quarter miles of road have been surveyed, and plans prepared for proclamation. This road is now open as a bridle-track on the permanent gradients from Helensville to Puatahi boundary-line, a distance of twenty and a half miles. Hobson County. —Eoads repaired, 4-| miles ; roads metalled, | mile. Whangarei County.— Completed: Eoads formed, 5 miles; roads formed, reported last year as being in progress, 4 miles ; roads metalled, -Jrnile. Eoads under contract and in progress, 4 miles. Bay of Islands County. —Completed: Eoads formed, 2 miles; roads formed, in progress last year, 2 miles; roads metalled, -J mile. Manganui County. —Completed : Manganui Wharf, 200ft. long by 7ft. wide, with T head, 65-|ft. by 21ft.; Whangaroa Wharf, 140ft. by 7ft., with T head, 65|ft. by 21ft.; in progress last year, raising and widening bridge-approaches, Oruaiti Eiver, and metalling, completed 22 chains. Survey of main road deviation, Kaeo northwards, in progress, 5 miles. When the contract for road-work between Whangarei and Kawakawa is completed, say, in about three months, wheel traffic will be practicable between tho North Shore, Auckland, and the head of the navigation of Hokiangi Eiver, that is, during the driest part of the summer ; and by that time every river on the route will have been bridged, and the road formed to a varying width over every part of the line. Excepting about thirty miles of narrow formation, and portions of old Highway Board roads adopted, the road throughout is tolerably well formed, but to make the road fit for light wheeled traffic all the year round, further improvements in formation and the ballasting of the worst places would be necessary, at an estimated cost of £30,000. In the County of Manganui there are also about fifty miles of road available for wheeled traffic in the summer months : this work has been carried out by the Government during a period of about twelve years. BAY OF PLENTY. Tauranga-East Gape Boad. —ln sections, viz:— Otamarakan Road (8-J- miles). —This section has been maintained, and is in fair order for horse traffic; one 12-foot bridge has been erected and four 12-feet culverts put in. To make it suitable for coach traffic it would need widening and the erection of three small bridges. Whakatane-Ohope Road (4 miles). —This section has been maintained, and is in a good state for horse traffic. Opctpe and Torero Road (7 miles). —This section has been maintained, and is also in a good state for horse traffic. Te Kaha and Raukokore Road (20 miles). —This has been maintained since the Ist January, and is in a fair state for horse traffic. Whakatane-Te Teko Sioamp Road (13 miles). —This road is very much out of repair, and is not fit for any kind of traffic. Tenders were called for its repair, but being too high they were declined. Instructions have been given to have such repairs made as the funds available will admit of. Whakatane-Opotiki Road. —Section 1(3 miles): This section has been cleared of some heavy land-slips, and is now in a fair state for wheeled traffic. Section 2 (3 miles): This has been lately let by contract; work commenced 17th March, and now amounts to 20 chains of side-cutting 18 feet wide and 20 chains of bush-felling 1 chain wide, completed. Opotiki-Waiotahi Inland Road. —Section 1 (3 miles) and section 2 (3 miles): The works on these are in progress, but the road is not yet open for traffic. Opotiki-Ormond Road. —Of this road 13 miles 52+ chains have been surveyed and laid off for construction ; this completes the connection with the formed road from Ormond. Sections 1 and 2 (11 miles). —These have been kept in repair during the year ; as has also Section 3 (10 miles); and 2,165 cubic yards of rock have been removed in widening precipitous and dangerous places from 4 feet to 8 feet. Section 4 (2 miles). —160 chains of side-cutting 4 feet wide have been formed, and 160 chains of bush felled 1 chain wide. Section 5 (2 miles). —160 chains of side-cutting 4 feet wide have been formed, and 160 chains of bush felled 1 chain wide. Section 6 (5 miles). —198 chains of side-cutting 6 feet wide have been formed, and 200 chains of bush felled 1 chain wide. Of this road 27-J- miles are now open for traffic, and are in a good state of repair. Rotorua-Tc Puke Road. —Of this road 30 miles have been re-formed and put in thorough repair; .41 12-inch culverts have been put in, 1 truss-bridge, 50 feet span, has been erected over the Taheke Eiver, and one bridge of 85 feet long across the Mourea Eiver has been put in good repair. Tho road is now in a good state for traffic. Maketu-Rotorua Road. —ll chains of embankment across a swamp have been fascined and raised, and the road has been repaired and put in a good state for traffic. Matata-Te Teko Road (15 miles). —This road is very much out of repair, and some small bridges require renewal to make it good for horse traffic. Tauranga-Taupo lioad:^J]/hisi road has been maintained in the usual manner in a fair state of traffic ; all the old. fridges that have not been renewed have been repaired from time to time to keep them passable, but"they are now getting into an advanced state of decay, and should be renewed as soon as practicable : the cost of doing this will be considerable, probably £2,500. The bush-felling has been widened to three chains over five miles in length in the Mangarewa Forest.