C.—l.

Ohinereiata Road.—The work done on this road has been the felling and clearing of the bush, and the formation of a dray-road 16 ft. wide for 11-t chains. The work has been done intermittently. A small contract to log up a further length of the road has been let. Toritea-Makuri.—On this road, connecting Makuri with Pahiatua, 15J chains has been widened out to 16 ft.; 2 miles 69 chains of metalling has been done, consisting principally of placing the metal in places where most required; three culverts, of a length of 60 ft., have been constructed; 1,246 cubic yards of slips cleared; 500 cubic yards of rock excavated; and the road has been maintained for a length of 17 miles 50 chains. At present the road is in good order, the surfacemen, as opportunity occurs, easing and widening it at the bends. The road will be all the better during the winter for the maintenance metal shortly to be put on. This road is partly under the control of the Pahiatua County and partly under the Government. Waewaepa Road.—A contract was recently prepared for bushfelling and logging one mile of this road, but on account of married men not being available the work was deferred, and has recently been put in hand. Tiraumea Valley Road. —A contract for formation was let on this road to join with a contract at the end of the Pa Valley Eoad, but after completing 46 chains of the work the contractors left for other work (sheep-shearing, &c.). A few chains of flat formation yet require to be done to complete the junction. This will be done during the next few months. 40 chains of the road was rounded up and metalled, and a further distance of 99 chains metalled in places most urgently needing it. 1,324 cubic yards of slips has been cleared, and 515 cubic yards of rock excavated, and the road maintained for its length of ten miles and a half. To enable the lately constructed part to be available for traffic, two bridges are required. I would recommend that a good sum of money be authorised for expenditure on this road, on account of its importance and the bridges and metalling that require yet to be done. Makuri (Section 12, Block X.). —£50 was authorised for expenditure on this road; no work has been done on it yet. Waiwera (Kopikopiko Road).- —The work of widening out this road was commenced last winter, and 33f chains of scrub-cutting and clearing was done ; also the formation of the road for the same distance as a dray-road. Two culverts of a total length of 45 ft. were constructed, and 120 cubic yards of rock excavated, and the road maintained for a length of four miles. A supply of 4,176 ft. of timber for a small bridge was sawn and carted on to the site. Further works of construction will be commenced shortly. The settlers of this block are badly in want of road-access, and the funds supplied fall far short of requirements. Kaitawa Ridge Road.—There has been 5 miles 7 chains of engineering surveys completed on this road, and the work of widening it out from a 6 ft. track to a 16 ft. dray-road was commenced last October. Nine contracts were let, the average number of men employed being twelve. 1 mile 58 chains of road has been widened, 1,880 cubic yards of rock excavated, and the road has been maintained for three miles as a horse-road and three miles as a dray-road. The work should be continued to connect with the Mount Marchant Eoad, in order to give access to the settlers at the back. Makuri Township.—The road through the township is in good repair, having been maintained for a distance of two miles. The ford at the suspension foot-bridge is in good order, having some time ago been widened out with large heavy stones, and a rough groin put in to protect the bank and straighten the current. Makuri-Aohanga Road ( Rakanui). —There is still about a mile of this road to widen out to a dray-road width, and the work will shortly be undertaken. A considerable amount of maintenance and removing slips has been undertaken. In some places the road is very bad to maintain, and will cause a good deal of expenditure in removing slips and general maintenance. The bridge on the road has not yet been raised, but I hope shortly to have this done, and the earthworks completed to the Alfredton-Weber Road. The road is in good repair, and I am arranging to get some metalling done. During the year 21 chains of scrub-cutting and 71 chains of stumping and clearing has been done, and 1 mile 77 chains has been widened from 14 ft. to 18 ft., and lOf chains has been metalled. One bridge 40 ft. long has been built, fifteen culverts of a total iength of 427 ft. constructed, 4,715 cubic yards of slips cleared, and 3,052 cubic yards of rock excavated. chains of drains has been cut, 3£ chains of corduroying done, and the road maintained for 1 mile 30 chains as a horse-road and for 4 miles 74 chains as a dray-road. Makuri-Pongaroa. —The work on this road has been varied, consisting of construction, maintenance, metalling, and procuring timber for bridges. The construction from a horse-road to a dray-road width has been completed. Timber has been sawn and nearly all delivered at sites for widening three bridges, and for the erection of the three-span bridge over the Mangatiti Stream. Metalling has been done from end of metal, Puketoi Saddle, to near the Rimu Track (about one mile), and three-quarters of a mile at the Pongaroa end. The former part is being done by wagons and tramways. This is on account of the surface of the road being rarely dry; and, considering the grade, sharp bends, and endless interruptions by having to convey settlers' goods along the tramway, the work has been done with a fair amount of expedition. The metalling at Pongaroa end was vigorously undertaken, and is completed for this year. Arrangements have been made to start in the middle, at Mangatiti Stream, and do as much as possible before the weather breaks. I have also arranged for a small trial of papa on the part near Clark's, where stone is not available, and hope to get sufficient burned to spread over the worst parts before winter sets in. The papa will be burned on the roadside in a chamber. The chamber will contain about 100 cubic yards of papa. I would recommend that metalling be prosecuted vigorously, and that the bridges be built as soon as possible. Two of the bridges have been widened to suit dray traffic. The work done On the road during the year is as follows : 80 chains of tracks to saw-pits have been cut, 3 chains

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