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Extensive improvements are being made to the National Park-Taupo State Highway. At Turangi 3 miles 60 chains of pumice formation is in hand, of which 1 mile 60 chains has been primed. Between Tongariro Bridge - Hatepe, 12 miles of formation have been completed with a further 2 miles in hand, 10 miles 24 chains were primed, and 7 miles 56 chains of bituminous mix surface carpet laid. A further 6 miles were widened and formed between Hatepe-Taupo and initial sealing placed. On the Tauranga-Pairere State Highway 40 chains of sealing was completed at Tauriko and a further 1 mile 5 chains is ready for sealing. Considerable minor work in widening and easing corners has been carried out on the Te Ngae - Paengaroa State Highway, and surface improvement is being effected by a change over from pumice maintenance to the application of crushed metal. On the Opotiki - Te Araroa State Highway a considerable amount of widening and minor improvement work has been carried out. On the Rotorua-Waikaremoana State Highway extensive flood-damage restoration work has been effected over the Te Whaiti - Ruatahuna section, and a replacement bridge is being built at Te Whaiti. Formation and sealing of a 1 mile 20 chains length of the Rotorua-Tauranga highway were completed, while 4 miles were sealed on the Mount Maunganui highway. Improvements to the Paengaroa-Maketu highway are being made with the reconstruction of 4 miles from the State highway junction to Maketu. On the Te Teko - Awakeri via Edgecumbe highway a major bridge work has been commenced with the erection of a reinforced concrete structure over the Rangitaiki River at Edgecumbe. Gisborne District Construction work was retarded by the necessity of diverting all available plant to the restoration of abnormal flood damage which occurred during the record flooding of the Hangaroa and Waipaoa Rivers in May, 1948. After an initial setback, the sealing programme was prosecuted to the full extent of the supply of sealing chips. The Trafford's Hill Deviation, from 51 m. 40 ch. to 56 m. on the Whakatane-Gisborne via Waioeka State Highway, has been completed except for a short length where large culvert pipes are required. Reconstruction was completed over the length 15 m. 8 ch. to 19 m., 3 miles 5 chains of which were primed and 1 mile 25 chains sealed. On the Gisborne - Te Araroa State Highway the reconstruction of the Pouawa River Bridge is well advanced, while the sealing of a gap of 3 miles 10 chains completed the dustless surfacing between Gisborne and Tolaga Bay. The Jerusalem Deviation of 1 mile, which eliminates a number of bad corners and a flood area, has been formed and metalled. Plans have been completed for the unbridged stream crossings on the Opotiki - Te Araroa State Highway. On the Gisborne-Wairoa via Morere State Highway 5 miles 37 chains of sealing were completed, and minor regrading and widening in preparation for sealing was carried out on the Wharerata Hill. Construction of the Maraetaha River Bridge No. 1 and approaches is nearing completion. The Poututu section of the Motu Front highway suffered heavy damage by flooding, and extensive repairs and formation raising are in hand. On the Tokomaru Wharf highway 47 chains of sealing and 60 chains of resealing were completed. Napier* District Steady progress has been maintained with the extension of dustless surfacing over the highways of the district. An aggregate length of 32 miles of new sealing was completed, while 32 miles of maintenance sealing was carried out. Metalling and sealing on the Gisborne-Wairoa via Morere State Highway were extended by the completion of 2 miles 10 chains through Nuhaka Township and 60 chains from Wairoa Borough boundary towards Nuhaka.

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