To the Hon. W. Fox Wellington 8th Septr. 1870 Dear Sir, As you desired me occasionally to let you know of the progress of the works here I now write to you. You may recollect that when you authorised the Expenditure of £500 on the road line from Foxton to Oroua Bush (13 miles) you held out a hope that an additional amount might be added to above sum. This £500 I estimated as the least it could be done for so as to allow of the passage of light drays and I am happy to say this has now been done with a small additional sum the necessity for which was indicated by the heavy rainfall of last month in the way of culverts and drains and the works are all of a permanent nature. The work has of necessity been confined to the swamps and difficult parts on the line, leaving untouched considerable intervening flats which though passable for drays and good in dry summer weather I now find to cut up and become very heavy for traffic in wet weather, and consequently I am very desirous of improving somewhat those portions so as to render the line complete as a light traffic road. The total proposed expenditure for this purpose ovdr the line will be £250, and I have applied officially for approval of this. The road in the Whakarau Bush adjoining the Oroua Bridge has been completed in a permanent manner including clearing, side drains, formation, culverts, outlet drains to streams and river etc. Mostly done by natives under a small contract system, which worked well and economically. I remain Yours faithfully, John T. Stewart Manawatu 8 Sep. 1870.