C.—l.

Aotea-Raglan.—This is a portion of the main road between Raglan and Kawhia, and lately the Raglan County Council have done some very useful work on it by forming 2 miles 56J chains of deviations so as to avoid the fearful grades on the original road. Puniu Traffic-bridge Railway-crossing.—No work done. Te Rapa Hospital Reserve.—Nothing has been done to this, as the Waipa County Council have only lately received the authority to expend the grant. Putarurv^-Waotu.—No engineering survey has yet been made nor other work done. KihiJcihi-Otorohanga-Te Kuiti. —The portion of this road between Kihikihi and Otorohanga was open for wheel traffic last year, although not yet quite completed, but the part between Otorohanga and Te Kuiti has never been formed. This, I think, should be done as soon as possible, as it is the only piece of unformed road between Auckland and Taranaki, and the necessity for it is greatly felt by people living in the district, as well as by the travelling public. The Mangaorongo Stream Bridge will have to be constructed this year, as the temporary structure at present in use is getting very shaky. Only repairs have been done to this road during the year. Tokanui-Wharepapa.—No work has been done. Otorohanga-Pirongia.—No work has been done. Te Kuiti-Awakino (Main Road).- —This is the most important road in the district, and during the year a large amount of work has been done on it. 11 miles 40 chains has been formed 16 ft. wide, 128 chains of drains have been made, and ninety-one stone and pipe culverts put in, totalling 2,671 ft. Besides this, fifty-one miles has been maintained, and thirty-six miles greatly improved by easing sharp turns and removing large quantities of slips; 8 chains has also been metalled near Mahoenui, where the road was exceptionally bad in the winter. This road ought to be metalled throughout as soon as possible, as the traffic on it is very heavy even now, and will be much greater as the country gets settled. Two large bridges have yet to be constructed, one over the Upper Awakino about 120 ft. long, and one over the Mangaotika of the same length. There are also four smaller bridges to be built of about 22 ft. span. The road has been open for wheel traffic for about four months, but until at least the worst places are metalled it can only be used for such traffic from four to six months in each year. Paemako-Ohura. —Nothing has been done to this road except general repairs to the old Maori track, to keep it open for horse traffic. Alexandra-Kawhia. —This is a very important road about thirty-two miles long, and it passes through several thousand acres of good Crown land which will shortly be open for selection. During the year six miles has been repaired and improved, 12 chains of metalling has been done 10 ft. wide and 12 in. deep in two of the worst places on the road, between the Ngutunui Bridge and the Te Bauamoa Improved-farm Settlement. Repairs have also been done to two large bridges. Mangauika A la.—There has been 11 chains of engineering survey made, and 11 chains of 12 ft. road formed to give better access to settlers. Pirongia West.—This road opens up about 17,000 acres of Crown land of good quality, which will shortly be open for selection. 2 miles 27 chains has been constructed 10 ft. wide, 180 acres of bush has been felled along the road, and 221 ft. of stone and wood culverts have been put in. Waitomo Caves.—Five miles and a half of road between the Hangatiki Railway-station and the caves has been maintained, and the road kept open for wheel traffic. Pirongia-Kawhia Road.—Nothing has been done. Kauroa-Pakoka. This grant has been well spent by the Raglan County Council in forming 1 mile 40 chains of dray-road. Wharauroa.—Nothing has been done. Aotea Wharf Road.—The shed at the landing is nearly completed. Kawhia-Aotea.—Only general repairs have been done to keep the road open for wheel traffic. Mongonui Road, Awakino North Survey District. —The authority to expend this grant did not come to hand till late in the year, and consequently little has been done—only 1 mile 40 chains of engineering survey, and 20 chains of bridle-track formed. Briscoe's Section, Aivakino.—There has been 63 chains of engineering survey made and the formation put in hand, 15 chains of dray-road being completed. Kihikihi-Waotu.—Nothing has been done. Village Settlements. —There are no village settlements in the district, so nothing has been done. Waitetuna Bridge.—This bridge is being constructed over the Waitetuna River on the RaglanWaipa Road by the Raglan County Council. The span is 58 ft., and the plans were approved of by me some months ago. Cambridge Bridge Repairs (£1 for £1). —The Waipa County Council have expended £lOO out of the Government grant and £lOO of their own funds in repairing this bridge, which is still very unsafe, and something will have to be done to put it in thorough repair in the near future. Puniu Bridge.—This bridge is over the Puniu Stream, near Kihikihi, on the road from there to Otorohanga, and repairs have been completed. Whatiwhatihoe Bridge. —This is a large bridge over the Waipa River, near Alexandra, on the road between that place and Kawhia. Some months ago it was in a very rotten state —in fact, it was so bad that the major portion of it had to be taken to pieces and rebuilt with fresh timber. It is now in first-rate order, and should last for many years. O'Shea's Bridge, Pakoka Stream.—This has been erected, and is one span of 35 ft. Kawhia Wharf. —The £lOO voted is not sufficient to erect the wharf, so nothing has been done. Paemako (Karu-o-te-Whenua) Improved-farm Settlement.—Nothing in the shape of roadwork has been done in this settlement. Te Rauamoa Improved-farm Settlement.—The same applies to this with regard to roadwork.

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