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On the Devon Road - North Egmont highway reconstruction has been nearly completed over 2-|- miles, while two lengths, totalling 2 miles 55 chains, have been resealed. Maintenance sealing was applied to 2 miles 25 chains of the Opunake-Rawhitiroa highway and 1 mile of the Stratford-Tatu highway was reshaped and sealed. On the Manaia - Dawson Falls highway 1 mile 50 chains is under reconstruction and minor improvements are being made on the 3f miles within the North Egmont Reserve. Wanganui District Particular attention is now being given to the improvement of North-South highway communications leading through the centre of the Island, and this work is being pushed forward as rapidly as resources permit. The route through Wanganui, New Plymouth, and Te Kuiti provides an almost continuous dustless surface, and it is the aim to provide similar conditions on the inland routes. Earthwork for the Whenuakura Deviation, on the Ha wera-Wanganui State Highway, was restarted during the summer under a new contract. Widening-work south of Waverlev was completed and sealed over 3 miles 40 chains. Six miles of new sealing were laid on the Valley Road section of the WanganuiNational Park State Highway. A new bridge at the Upokongaro Stream is under construction. On the Horopito-Bulls via Taihape State Highway 6 miles of the Tohanga Rcfad section were strengthened and sealed. Formation improvements are being carried out between Ohakune and Waiouru and 2 miles of sealing were completed. On the Cliff Road-Norwood Corner reconstruction, miles of formation have been completed. Complete reconstruction and sealing was carried out over a distance of 1 mile 70 chains on the Greatford-Ash hurst highway, while 2 miles 5 chains of the Wanganui River (Right Bank) highway were sealed. The Rangitikei River Bridge construction at Bulls, on the Wanganui-Levin State Highway, was brought to a successful completion and the approaches built and sealed. A length of 4 miles of the Marangai widening was sealed. A number of other lengths on subsidiary highways received various sealing treatments. Palmerston North District Work on the major highways, which are completely sealed, has consisted chiefly of carriage-way widening, together with maintenance of the surface sealing. On the subsidiary highways, however, the County Councils have been carrying out an active programme of reconstruction over various lengths of their respective highways. On the Wanganui-Levin State Highway widening and sealing was carried out for 2 miles northwards from Foxton to make a new sealed width of 24 ft. Over the Sanson-Himatangi section extensive repairs have been carried out to areas of faulty pavement. On the Napier - Palmerston North State Highway reconstruction at Currie's Hill has involved heavy swamp excavation and backfilling. The Sanson - Palmerston North State Highway has been improved by 3| miles of widening between the Oroua River and Newbury. The Levin - Palmerston North via Shannon highway was declared a State highway during the year. Extensive remedial work was carried out over lengths of broken pavement and faulty subgrade, while 2 miles of maintenance sealing were completed near Palmerston North. Two miles sixty-two chains of the Palmerston North - Himatangi State Highway were resealed over several individual lengths.

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