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EOTOEUA. Boads tjndee Maintenance. Oxford-Rotorua Road. —Thirty-one miles of this road have been maintained in fair order, four of which have been re-formed. Three bridges, of a total length of 330 ft., have been redecked. One new culvert has been built and one old one repaired ; total length, 64 ft. Two maintenance men have been kept on the road throughout the year, and extra men engaged to redeck the bridges. Tokaanu-Taupo Road. —Thirty-six miles have been maintained in as good order as funds would allow, 4 miles 10 chains of which have been entirely re-formed. This road is more used each year, and, as much of it has never been properly formed, and most of it runs through very loose pumicecountry, it is in a rough state. Two men have been steadily employed on it, and three for some months. Tauranga-Napier Road. —This road extends from the southern boundary of the Tauranga County to Pohui, a distance, including loops, of 159 miles. It has been maintained in fairly good order throughout the year by a staff of twelve men, and 32 miles 3 chains of its length has been re-formed. Four bridges, of 226 ft. total length, have been repaired, and 170 ft. of culverts have been built, varying in size from 12 in. to 5 ft. square. All the bridges south of Taupo require more or less extensive repairs. Your attention has been called to this by a special report. Most of the original culverts are in a state of decay, causing the road to be washed away in times of flood by their collapse under embankments, and there are few of the surface-culverts left, the result being that during heavy rains the water is kept on the road, doing much damage to it, instead of being able to get away. If there were a reasonable number of surface-culverts the present staff of men would be able to keep the road in much better condition. In short, a considerable expenditure is necessary to place this road in the condition in which it should be. Some of the steep grades between Taupo and Napier also require attention before the winter sets in. Atiamuri-Liehfield Road. —Fourteen miles of tliis road have been maintained during the year, a mile and a half of which has been re-formed. One man has been employed. Maketu-Rotorua Road. —The Government portion, twenty-one miles in length, has been maintained by a staff of three men, 7 miles 40 chains having been re-formed. 62 chains of drains have been cut, and 8 chains of metalling have been done. Three small bridges have been built, being 41 ft. in length. The Morea Bridge has been temporarily repaired, its length being 78 ft.; and twenty-eight culverts have been built. As soon as plans can be prepared tenders will be called for a new bridge at the Morea. Rotorua-Wairoa Road. —This horse-road is seven miles in length, and has been maintained during the year, and generally improved and re-formed. Eight culverts of split timber have been built. The total mileage of roads under maintenance in this district, of which thirty-seven are horseroad, the remainder dray, is 401 miles. The weather up to the end of January was on the whole good, and the roads generally in fair order; heavy rains then setting in caused floods, which damaged the roads all through the district. Three bridges, of from 50 ft. to 70 ft. span, were seriously damaged, and the roads blocked with slips and wash-outs, entailing considerable expenditure ; indeed, it will take some time and money to get the general formation of the roads back into a good state of repair. Boads undeb Suevey and Construction. Rotorua-Ngongotaha Mount Road. —An engineering survey of 4 miles 5 chains has been made, and 2 miles 10 chains of horse-road formation has been constructed. This road should certainly be widened out into a carriage-drive, as it would then be a great resort for tourists, the views obtained of the lake and district from the spurs all the way up being very fine. Rotoiti-Tarawera, via Okataina Road. —An engineering survey of five miles of this road has been made, starting from the Village of Te Bauto, on the shores of Eotoiti Lake, and extending towards the Okataina Lake. Explorations are now being carried on round this lake, both sides of which are precipitous and rocky, the intention being to effect a junction with the Eotorua-Te Wairoa Boad near the Tikitapu bush. Waimana Block Road. — 3 miles 60 chains of engineering survey has been made. Four miles of bushfelling, 2 miles 20 chains of bush-clearing, and 60 chains of horse-road formation have been done. The work on this block has been done in accordance with the wishes of the Commissioner of Crown Lands. Waiotahi Block Road. —On this block 1 mile 10 chains of dray-road has been constructed, with 117 ft. of culverting and 1 mile 7 chains of bush-work. The work has been carried out in conformity with the wishes of the Commissioner of Crown Lands. Papamoa Block Roads. —Engineering surveys of 13 miles 11 chains of these roads were made; 1 mile 45 chains of 12 ft. dray-road has been formed over the swamps, and 2 miles 10 chains of horseroad 6ft. wide. Owing to the large swamps lying between the main road and the block the roading of it will cost more than was allowed in last year's estimates. This work has also been done in accordance with directions received from the Commissioner of Crown Lands. Arahiwi and Mamuku Railway-station Road. — 1 mile 16 chains of this road has been scrubbed and 60 chains cleared 33 ft. wide. Several contracts have been let, and given up before completion. It is therefore intended to call for public tenders for the work as soon as possible. Rangitaiki-Ruatoki-Waiotahi Road. —40 chains of this road has been constructed, and 1 mile 14 chains has been re-formed; 40 chains of bush-felling and -clearing done, and the whole length of thirty miles has been maintained. Te Teko-Opotiki Road. —The portion of this road lying between Te Teko and Whakatane has very little resemblance to a road, and is, in fact, one huge swamp, all the bridges being either
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