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Schedule of Road-works to open Crown Lands before Sale completed and on hand within the Provincial District of Auckland for the Twelve Months ending 30th June, 1885.

Me. J. C. Blythe, Eoad Surveyor, reports the exploration of a road from Botorua, vid Galatea, to Waikaremoana and Tekapu (Frasertown), as follows : — Galatea to Onepoto. I left Galatea on Monday, the Ist June, taking one man with me besides Morgan and Lunduis, and met Hare Hare and another Native at Whirinaki. Stayed there one night, making an early start for Ahikereru next morning, staying on the northern bank of the Whirinaki Eiver on the night of the 2nd June; crossing the river on the 3rd; and on the night of the 3rd Hare Hare made all the arrangements for my going on to Euatahuna, but had to spend all day of the 4th in making final arrangements re payment, &c. From Ahikereru I sent Lunduis back with our own horses to Galatea and Wairoa, Tarawera, and took two Natives and two horses on towards Euatahuna, leaving Ahikereru ourselves on Friday, the sth June, but did not reach Euatahuna until Saturday midday, which being the Uriwera Sabbath, no arrangement could be made for leaving. The 7th, Bth, and. 9th being wet days, we only made the Mimi Settlement from Mataatua (Euatahuna proper), and, starting from there on the morning of the 10th June, made Whakarewarewa the same night, and, hiring a canoe, I reached the Constabulary station on the evening of the 11th. Pushed on for Eotorua, via Wairoa, Napier, and Taupo, as no steamers were available vid Tauranga. I saw both Captain Preece and Mr. Baker, giving them a brief report of my journey through. The route I took was all along the old Native track : and I,am of opinion that a good road, with gradients not to exceed 1 in 15, can be obtained all through^from Galatea to Waikaremoana ; but the works will be very expensive, as there is so much rock to contend with, and after leaving Ahikereru it will be all bush side-cuttings. From Galatea, as I propose going on the western side of Whirinaki Stream for the first five miles, the road will run through level land, then for about eight miles the road will follow up the Whirinaki and Mangawhiri streams, that portion from the entrance of the Whirinaki Gorge to the Mangawhiri junction being heavy rock-cutting for about one mile. At the end of the eight miles I think the road will leave the stream, and begin to ascend to a low saddle in the bush near Tikorangi, from thence descending to Ahikereru Stream (Whirinaki), opposite the old mission station, making a distance of about twenty miles from Galatea, or, rather, Eangitaiki Eiver, to the old missionhouse. The last seven miles will be through timber-country, and the fifteen miles from Whirinaki Gorge will be all side-cuttings. The highest point to be crossed on this portion of the road will be 1,650ft. above sea-level, and, as I make Ahikereru 1,000ft., no heavy grades will be required, as the distance from saddle to river near the mission station will be between three and four miles. From Whirinaki Eiver near the mission station the line ought to pass at the back of Ngatiwhare Settlement, crossing a low saddle into the Okaho Valley, following up Okaho Stream for at least six miles to its junction with Manawahiri, where it will need to be crossed, so as to allow of the road being taken up this valley so as to cross Tarapounamu Eange. The time occupied in travelling from Ahikereru to the foot of the Tarapounamu Eange was five hours, and during that time we had only ascended 730ft., making the foot of the range read 2,050ft. above the sea-level

Name of Eoad. Bridleroad. Cartroad. Graded in Addition. Bridges not included in Roads. Remarks. ■" ~" 'i. Miles. 2 6-5 Miles. Miles. Feet. Homestead blocks, Mangonui Whangarei, through Taheke Tangihua No. 2 Okaihau-Victoria ... Otonga Bridge Waimamaku Bridge Kohukohu-Bakautapu Maungakaramea-Tangiteroria Paparoa-Waikiekie Awaroa Swamp drainage ... Waerenga, through Whangamarino Wain garo-Kahuru ... Alexandra-Hikuranga Kawhia-Waipa Aotea-Waipa Kenana-Bangiuru . , Tokaanu-Waimarino Wairoa-Gisborne ... Eotorua, via Galatea, to Wairoa ... Ormond-Waiapu ... Gisborne-Waimata 7-75 1-25 2 3-5 Completed. Delayed. Completed. In progress. Completed. In progress.77 1-75 Completed. In progress. 125 chains in progress. Completed. Delayed. In progress. Widening in progress. Completed. 3-5 8 4-5 9-75 18-5 0-75 2 2-25 10-25 3-5 44bridgs it Delayed. 4-5 Grade survey in progress. Delayed. Widened out to cart-road. 5 Totals 47-5 23-75 26-25