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A maintenance-seal coat has been applied over three lengths, giving a total distance of 5 miles 15 chains. On two lengths as well, a total of 66 chains of the old surface has been widened. Further improvements to the New Plymouth - Hawera State Highway have been carried out. The work of widening the old sealed surface has continued, and a smoothing coat has been applied over a length of 4 miles 48 chains between Inglewood and Durham Road, and from Norfolk Road to Tariki. This has also been done over the length of 2 miles through the Stratford Borough. The Tariki Deviation of 72 chains has been reconstructed and resealed completely during the summer months, while a maintenance seal has been placed over three lengths, totalling 5 miles 45 chains. Between Hawera and Patea a maintenance-seal coat has been laid over a length of 2 miles 20 chains on the Hawera-Wanganui State Highway. On the New Plymouth - Hawera via Opunake State Highwav a maintenance seal has been completed through the Oakura Township for a distance of 1 mile 20 chains. A total of 8 miles 70 chains of resealing was completed on several main highways JNew sealing was completed for 1 mile 43 chains on the Hawera-Mokoia highway for 2 miles 20 chains on the Devon Road - North Egmont highway, and for 1 mile 50 chains on the Manaia - Dawson Falls highway. The minor improvements over 3f miles of this last highway have been completed, and as a result the traffic control, required to ensure that only traffic m one direction used the route at one time, has been removed. A number of old bridges have been repaired, Bailey bridging material being used to temporarily support the structures while work proceeded. Wanganui District The improvement of north and south highway communications through the centre of the Island continues to receive particular attention. Fifty-two miles of sealing chiefly second-coat work, were completed during the year. On the Hawera-Wanganui State Highway construction of the Whenuakura Deviation is now well advanced, and the road is under traffic Two and a half miles of widening work have been completed north of Waverley. Formation work on Farley's Deviation, on the National Park - Wanganui State Highway, is nearly completed, while a bridge has been built over the Upokongaro Stream. Work has commenced on the renewal of the Mangawhero River Bridge On the Horopito-Bulls via Taihape State Highway the Winiata Deviation has been commenced, and 52 chains of formation were completed. Between Cliff Road and Norwood Corner an additional 1 mile 50 chains has been reconstructed, making a total of 4 miles 10 chains. Reconstruction has been carried out over 2 miles of the Raetihi-Ruatiti highwav and over 3J miles of the Bonny Glen - Norwood Corner highway. On the Blueskin highway metalling has been carried out over the whole length of 3 miles 60 chains, and three corners have been improved. On the Wanganui-Kauangaroa highway 3 miles of reconstruction have been completed from Denlair Road Junction to Kauangaroa, with the exception of Reid's Hill. Palmerston North District On major highways, which are completely sealed, work has consisted chiefly of continuing carriageway widening, and lengths totalling 4 miles 50 chains were completed Lengths of existing surfacing totalling 11 miles 76 chains were resealed, while new dustless surfacing added during the year amounted to 10 miles 73 chains, bringing the total to more than half the highway mileage in the district. Reconstruction was completed on three lengths totalling 5 miles 52 chains, and is in hand on four lengths totalling 7 miles 58 chains.

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