45

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order to form and metal part of this road. The work has been carried out by the Moa Eoad Board, and is nearly completed. The road has been metalled continuously from Inglewood to about 15 chains past the Kaimata Eoad; and the worst parts are metalled fromthence to Mangaone stream. Roads east of Waitara (Ngatimaru). —The formation of the junction road between Mataro Eoad and Purangi has been carried out by the Milsom special settlers by piecework. Two miles have been completed, and the third is well advanced. The remaining 3 miles 57 chains have been let in four contracts, by tender, to settlers in the district. The first three miles is a cart-road ; the remainder will be an Bft,-wide bridle-road, with cart bridges; and it should be open for traffic by about August next. The work is under the supervision of Mr. F. Hursthouse. Huiroa District. —The expenditure under this head has been in felling the road-frontages to lands being felled by settlers. No track or cartway has been cleared, this work-being left for the local bodies to do out of deferred payments and perpetual lease " thirds," after the bush has been burned, About six miles of road were felled in this manner. Mangaroa to Stratford (East Boad). —Since the Ist July, 1891, six contracts have been completed on this road, of a total length of seven miles, and eleven miles and three-quarters are in progress, three of which are to be metalled with machine-broken stone. The formation is of the standard widths, and the contracts will probably be completed by about September next. A length of 2 miles 16 chains (plans of which have been prepared and sent to Wellington), commencing at four miles from Stratford, still remains unlet. When this and the contracts in hand have been completed, the road will be formed to the Mangaere Block—a distance of twenty-one miles; but it will require metalling before it will withstand the heavy winter traffic of the inland country. The contracts are under the charge of Mr. J. Morgan. The survey of the extension of the road to Mangaroa will commence early in April. Botokare Boad. —It having been decided to form a bridle-road from the Whareroa Eoad to and into the Mangamingi Block, the engineering survey of 3 miles 62 chains of the road was made, and plans prepared for the work, and sent to Wellington for approval. Up to the present, no tenders have been called for the formation. The line is a rough and expensive one to make, requiring an unusual number of bridges. Whenuahura Valley Boad. —When the survey of this road—conducted by Captain Turner— had sufficiently advanced, a party of men was put on to form a bridle-road from the Kaharoa Eoad to the Kaitangiwhenua Block. The line is an exceedingly rough one, and expensive to make, and at the crossing of the Whenuakura Stream a high suspension bridge will be required, to avoid the rise of the stream in floods. About a mile and three-quarters is completed, and the work will advance at the rate of about three-quarters of a mile per month. The work is in charge of Mr. P. P. Bayley. Tikorangi Bridge. —The plan is now being prepared for this bridge, which will be of a length of about 179 ft. The main span will be of a timber truss ; the other spans will be of iron girders. Tenders will be called for the work early next month. Miscellaneous. —Under this heading is included the felling 1 chain wide, and clearing and stumping 12ft. wide, of over ten miles of bush roads leading to and through Crown lands sold during the past year. An additional four miles of this work is still in hand. It also includes the erection of a tourist-house 60ft. by 24ft., divided into five rooms, situate on the slope of Mount Egmont, at an elevation of over 3,000 ft. The total cost, including fittings, &c, was £201, of which £101 was raised by public subscription. Expenditure. —The total expenditure on the above work (exclusive of works under the control of local bodies) for the nine months ending the 31st March was £4,020 15s. 3d., and the work was let in forty-one contracts. The contracts now in hand are —one, for metalling and formation, four miles; three, formation of East Eoad, seven miles and three-quarter; five, formation of Junction Eoad, four miles and three-quarter; one, repairs to Mangamaeho Bridge, Mimi Eoad; three, road-felling and stumping cart-way; four miles and the labour-party in the Whenuakura Valley Eoad. All the levelling and preparation of plans and specifications has been executed, as hitherto, by Mr. G. F. Eobinson, who has also had general supervision of the work. Sidney Weetman, Chief Surveyor.

EOADS ADJACENT TO MAIN TEUNK EAILWAY. Tunnel-Karioi Boad. —On this road the maintenance by the contractors of No. 1 contract, 2 miles 68 chains, was satisfactorily completed, and the work taken over on the 18th August, since which time a sum of £16 has been spent in the removal of slips, &c. No. 2 contract, for 5 miles, has been let, and the work was satisfactorily completed on the 16th March. The contract is now under maintenance by the contractor. Two sections, of 3 miles, and 3 miles 30 chains, one joining each end of No. 2 contract, have been completed by Maoris under petty contracts or piecework The whole of the work has been very well done. The total length of road made, but not metalled, during the period, is 11 miles 30 chains. All bridges and culverts are of first-class heart of totara. Plans and specifications for two more contracts, covering the distance of 11 miles 67 chains, which would connect the Mokau Eailway-station and the tunnel, have been prepared. As the road- and railway-lines are in some places identical, and throughout the distance in close proximity to each other, and as the formation of the latter is now being done, the road will not be required—at any rate, as located. Mangaroa-Stratford Boad. —This road leaves the line of the main trunk railway, in the Ongaruhe Valley, at a point twenty-nine miles south of the Mokau Eailway-station. It passes over the divide between the waters of Ongaruhe and Ohura, following down the valley of the latter for twenty-four miles, when it crosses the river and a low saddle, entering the valley of the Mangaroa,