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to be able to put the road in fair order with the money still available. In places it is covered with gorse, and the Eoad Boards seem to have great trouble in getting owners of sections adjoining the road to remove it. Prom Mercer to Eangiriri co-operative contracts were let for re-forming the worst places. There is no metal on this part of the road beyond the Whangamarino Bridge, with the exception of about 10 chains on the Manurewa Hill. Miscellaneous Eoads, Bbidges, etc. Mongonui County Boads. —Most of this vote has been expended on the Victoria Valley Eoad, through the Mongonui County Council. Victoria Valley Main Road. —No new work was undertaken on this road. The portion already done was improved and maintained. The land required for the road has been taken under the Public Works Act. I trust to begin operations at an early date. The road will give a direct outlet from Victoria Valley to the Port of Mongonui. Ahipara-Herekino.— This is the only dray-road into the Herekino Village Settlement. Unfortunately, it passes nearly all the way through Native land. During the year it has been maintained throughout, and about one mile has been improved by ditching and ballasting. Larmer's-Takahue. —Work on this road has been carried out through the County Council. Houhoura-Awanui. —The Mongonui County Council are repairing and improving the road north of the Awanui Bridge with the money granted this year. Maungataniwha. —This grant was expended in giving access to Maungataniwha Block through Peria. Considerable trouble was caused by Natives, who objected to the line selected by the Engineer through the Peria Block, but the matter is now amicably settled, and works are in progress. Takahue. —About 20 chains of road connecting this settlement with the Victoria Valley Eoad were constructed. Takahue Block. —The road giving access to this block has been constructed into a cart-road, it being a portion of what will in future be the Great North Eoad, and what is at present called the Okaihau-Victoria Valley Eoad. Takahue-Whangape. —This line connects the Herekino Village Settlement with the Takahue Village Settlement, and opens up a considerable amount of Crown lands of fair quality. The road is now available for horse-traffic throughout. I have this year asked for a sum to survey a direct line from Takahue to join the Victoria Valley to main road, thus giving a direct road for the Herekino settlers to the Port of Mongonui. Waipoua Block.—The vote has been expended on the Opanake-Hokianga Eoad, which passes through the block. Whangaroa County Boads. —This grant is mostly being spent through the County Council on the road between Kaeo and Whangaroa. Kaeo-Waimate. —This is really a portion of the Great North Eoad. Part of the vote was given to the county to expend, and they widened and metalled a portion, and repaired parts near Kaeo. The other part of the vote has been spent in erecting a7O ft. bridge over the Waipapa Eiver. Waitangi-Kaikohe. —This vote was expended in re-forming about a mile and a half of road and metalling about 5 chains by the Bay of Islands County Council. Opua-Waimate. — The work undertaken has been the widening of the road at Opua Wharf. It was deemed advisable to do this, as there is no ground between the road and station where cattle could be collected, &c. Most of the bad turns have also been widened along the whole length, which is now in good order throughout. Utakura Boad Deviation. —Two deviations were laid out, the first one from the bottom of the Hill to the top end of Utakura Valley, the other from the top of the hill and terminating well down the valley. After examining both routes, the settlers, at a public meeting, adopted the first line, which is now being surveyed, in order that a title may be secured to the land required. Hukerenui-South Waiotu Valley. —About four miles of road have been made passable for horse traffic by the County Council, and they are now erecting a bridge over the Waiotu Eiver with the balance of the vote. Main Boad, Lot 2, Block XIV., Hukerenui Survey District. —This is a continuation of Eamarama Valley Eoad towards the Waima Eiver. The vote has been expended in widening the present bridle-track. Hukerenui, Blocks X. and Xl. —This grant was expended in giving access to settlers at the south end of the Hukerenui Village Settlement, so as to enable them to get to the proposed terminus of the railway, and part was expended in improving the road leading into the Euapekapeka Block. Ngapipito. —There is now a fairly good road from Scoria Plat, near Kawakawa, to the Ngapipito Settlement. The vote has been expended in erecting a bridge of 31 ft. span and in repairs to the road throughout. The continuation of this road, if made, will open out some Crown land, but the land is not of very good quality. It will, however, be a much more direct road between Kaikohe and Kawakawa than the present one. Tirohanga-Pakarti. —The works were carried out by the County Council in opening up the roads near the Taumarere Settlement. Towai-Buapekapeka.—The Bay of Islands County Council have repaired about two miles of road, and are metalling about a quarter of a mile at present. Main North Boad, Waiotu Block. —The County Council have repaired several bridges and metalled about 20 chains of road. Bamarama Valley.— This bridle-track has now been widened throughout, so that a cart can be taken from Towai, via Eamarama Valley, to the Wimia Eiver and Hikurangi. The expenditure of this year completed the widening. The bridges erected are, however, only rough slab ones, and will not last very long.
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