D.—l.

Schedule of Roadworks completed during Year 1939-40—continued.

LANDS IMPROVEMENT. Whangarei District. Sand-dune Reclamation. Kaitaia A.rea, Mangonui County : Last season's work commenced, in June and ended in August. During that period 27 acres of new marram plantations were sown on the lee of dunes from Waipapakauri Beach Road to 3 miles north. Blanking of existing marram plantations from 3 miles north to 4 miles south of Waipapakauri Beach Road was carried out. 410 acres of trees —pinus species—were planted between 1 mile north and 3 miles south of the Waipapakauri Beach Road. All planting stock was produced from the Department's own local nursery, and the " strike " of tree transplants ranged from 40 per cent, to 78 per cent. Two-year stock gave the poorest results. The position now is that dunes between Ahipara and a point 4 miles north of the Waipapakauri Beach Road —a distance of 13| miles —have been stabilized with marram and lupin cover, and trees are being established in suitable locations between those limits. Te Kopuru Area : Main planting operations commenced early in May and ceased at the end of September, during which period marram plantations were extended by 134 acres, including nurseries for future operations, and 35 acres were planted to protect Kaipara Heads lighthouse. Blanking existing plantations from Bayley's Beach to opposite Tikinui involved an additional 42 acres. Lupinseed was sown broadcast where required, and kikuyu-seed was planted to form fire-breaks and to provide for future supplies. Ninety-three acres of eucalypt and pinus species trees were planted, 83 acres of which consisted of new plantations, the remainder being for blanking existing plantations. The nursery produced 87,000 trees, of which 71,000 seedling stock were planted, the balance being lined out in the nursery for future use. Seed was sown for the production of 166,000 trees for the 1940-41 season. The general position of sand-dune work adjacent to Te Kopuru as at the end of 1939-40 is that, commencing at Bayley's Beach to the west of Dargaville, there are now 2 miles of untouched drifts in privately-owned land, 1 mile of reclaimed drifts adjoining Wilson's Small Farm Block, and a further 6 miles to 7 miles of untouched sand adjoining semi-developed private land. There is then 11 miles of marram and lupin plantation with isolated patches of young trees, and a further 10 miles with marram nurseries at about quarter-mile intervals, while at the extreme end of the Pouto Peninsula there is a 35-acre marram plantation at the Kaipara Heads lighthouse. , Practically all moving sand threatening highly developed land lias been stabilized.

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Culverts. Bridges. Name of Road. „ Bn S r - F n™ a " Metalling. ~~ Surveys. tion. « Wi(lth g T„ " t„°S, of Eoad- T lot » Reinforced Concrete oer. .Length. ■ Length. or Timber. _ ay * .Number. | Length. Ikveroargill District. Southland County. M. ch. M. ch. M. ch. Ft. Ft. Ft. Ft. Biggar .. .. .. .. .. 0 26J 0 26} .. ' Elles (Five Rivers) .. .. .. .. 2 74} Gill Road to Springhills Deviation .. .. .. 1 11 15 726 Job's Ford Bridge (Parawa-Nokomai) .. .. .. .. ., .. 10 4 40 igo p, q Kean's Road Bridge .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 16 1 ]2 12 RC Lintley-Josephville .. .. .. . . 0 43 0 43 1 27 Lochiel Stream Bridge (Forbe's) .. .. ., .. .. .. 24 1 12 RC Logan's Bridge (McBain) .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 1 7 7 iVp Miller (Waimimu) .. .. . . .. . . 1 17 Otama Creek Culvert (Otama Flat) .. .. ,. .. 1 24 Otara-Haldane .. .. .. . . .. 0 41} Oreti River Bridge (Bay) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. jo '7 40 280 B,.C. Parawa-Nokomai Deviation .. . . . . 1 22} 1 22} 24 604 Spar Bush School .. .. . . . . 0 33 0 33 1 60 . . . . .. Turnbull (Waikaka) .. .. .. .. .. 0 58 University Endowment .. .. .. 0 19 0 19 Extns. 54 Stewart Island County. Excelsior .. .. .. .. .. 04 04 1 16 Horseshoe Bay - Brooklands .. .. .. 0 10 0 10 1 14 Leask's Bay - Ringa Ringa .. .. . . 0 5 0 5 1 14 Leonard .. .. .. .. .. 0 3 0 3 1 18 !! !! !! " Wallace County. Bell's .. .... .. .. .. 0 56} .. Carran .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 30 .. .. Cockburn .. .. .. .. .. 0 70} 10 Mcintosh .. .. .. .. .. 0 431 0 43 J 2 42 .. !. !! ,. District totals .. .. .. 7 34} 9, 2?} 48 1,599 471 Dominion Totals.. ,. .. 205 15 401 79} 698 76 2,365 56,122 6,563} _______