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Hukerenui-Motatau. —Beyond one 20ft. bridge built by County Council out of Government grant, and a small sum for improvement of tracks leading to the school, nothing has been done in this settlement. Motukaraka-Kohukohu. —About half a mile of bridle-track has been formed, and the worst places throughout the settlement repaired. Takahue. —Eepairs have been done on the Herd's Point-Takahue Eoad, which passes through the middle of the settlement. Swanson. —About three miles of bridle-track, 6ft. wide, have been constructed in a Government block adjacent to the settlement, also about half a mile in the settlement, and two bridges 6ft. wide, of a total span of 60ft., made out of railway rails, with wooden decking. The whole of these works were let to the settlers, and carried out under the co-operative system. Waimamaku. —About one mile of new bridle-track has been formed through the settlement, the bush only being felled, and a rough track cleared throughout. Eepairs have been done on the various roads through the settlement, but owing to the loamy nature of the soil the roads will never be good till metalled. Three considerable-size bridges are required before the present main road through the settlement is really serviceable at all times. Fern Flat. —The road leading to this settlement has been kept in repair as far as funds would allow. General. —During the year a total sum of about £18,200 was expended in the Auckland District on roads, of which about £11,000 was expended by the County Councils, and £7,200 by the department. Instructions issued to the various counties with the authorities for road grants state that the plans and specifications are to be approved by me before works are carried out, and on my certificate that the work had been properly done before payments would be made. These regulations have been carried out, and the works have been inspected by Mr. Wright or myself before final payment. The laying-out and looking after the work under County Council control has been done by the county engineers, the county clerks, or members of County Councils. The work carried out by the department has been done under Mr. Wright's supervision, assisted by Mr. Menzies, Mr. Breakell, and other inspectors, as occasion required in the field, and Mr. Burd in the office. Messrs. H. D. M. Haszard and A. H. Vickerman, of the survey staff, have also laid out and supervised some of the works in their districts. Gerhard Mueller, Chief Surveyor.

HAWKE'S BAY. Napier-Wairoa. —The expenditure on this line of road during the year has been £800, in constructing and improving thirty-two miles of dray-road and horse-track. This is a most important line, being the overland route from Napier to Wairoa. At present it is only available for horsetraffic, but all future expenditure will now be in the direction of converting the bridle-track into a dray-road. The money was given in grants to the Wairoa County Council, which undertook the carrying-out of the work. Gisborne-Wairoa.. —£300 has been spent by the Cook and Wairoa County authorities in improving and metalling the worst parts of the main road, but much remains to be done before it can come within the category of a fair road, on account of the very hilly nature of the country through which it passes. Opotiki Bridge. —This large bridge on the Gisborne-Wairoa Eoad was destroyed by last winter floods, and the vote of £500 that has been expended enabled the Council to replace it. Mohaka Bridge. —The Mohaka is the largest river on the Napier-Wairoa Eoad, which greatly needed bridging, and last year's vote of £500 assisted the Wairoa County Council in erecting it. The total cost of the bridge, which will shortly be completed, will be £3,900, of which the Government contributes £500. Gisborne-Opotiki. —This road connects Poverty Bay with the Bay of Plenty, and at the present time the department undertakes the control and maintenance of sixty-six miles of bridle-track through the Motu bush, and onwards towards Opotiki. This year six miles and a half have been improved, and five maintenance-men have been continually employed upon it. The cost for the year has been £1,163 9s. 9d. Gisborne-Tolago-Tauwhareparae. —There has been an expenditure of £300 in building a bridge and improving one mile and a quarter of the road running inland from Tolago Bay to Tauwhareparae. Waimata-Waiapu. —The expenditure of £600 was intrusted to the Cook County authorities for this line of road, which, in my opinion, is destined to be the main road through the heart of the country towards Waiapu. Three miles have been widened to a dray-road, and two miles and three-quarters of horse-track formed. There remains eight miles to be opened up to junction with the inland Waiapu Eoad near Tauwhareparae. Waiapu County. —The Waiapu County Council has been granted £400 for the improvement of their roads, with which three miles and a quarter of dray-road has been constructed, and two miles of bridle-road improved. Waikohu-Motu. —67 chains of dray-road has been formed and 18 miles improved out of the grant, the object being to open up and improve the access to a considerable extent of Crown land in that locality, some of which has lately been thrown open for selection, and other not yet surveyed. Muriwai-Mahia. —£150 has been handed over to the Cook and Wairoa Counties for a greatlyneeded improvement on this road. 25 chains of dray-road has been constructed, and two miles and a half of bridle-road, besides improvements on other portions.