REPORT UPON ROADS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 7, Issue 513, 23 July 1864, Page 1

REPORT UPON ROADS.

Napier, June 3, 1864. Sir, — In compliance with your Honor's instructions I have prepared the subjoined general report upon the roads of this province, pointing out at the same time the works which, according to my opinion, should be undertaken in the approaching year. During the past financial year (of 15 months) considex*able improvements have been made, not only on the established lines of road, but several new lines have been opened up, partly under the principle of grants in aid. Those are — 1. — The Taupo road from Pekapeka to • Waipuna, to give access to the barracks at Patoka, and to the intended military settlement at Pukititiri. 2. — The line from Petane to Pekapeka, to connect the Taupo road with the Petaue district, and to have a line of communication with Pukititiri in times of floods in the Tutaekuri river. ; 3. — The line from the Meanee flats by the banks of the Tutaekuri to the Taupo road at Pukefcapu, to connect the settlers on, the Tutaekuri. with Napier without crossing that river, and 1,6 avoid the {for horse carts) rather steep cuttings on the Taupo road north of the Meanee flats. - 4. — Aorangi to the Ruataniwha. — This line will reduce, for the settlers at Hampden, and the northern and north-eastern portion of the Ruataniwha, the distance to Napier by 8 or 12 miles. 5. — Mohaka to the Kiwi creek, to open up the flat country north of the Kiwi, and to give access to the Mauugaharuru districts. 6. — Bridle track from Mohaka to the upper Mohaka, to connect the settlers along the Mohaka river with their shipping port. It will be clearest to describe the different lines of road separately, viz. : — CLIVE ROAD. From the ferry at Waitangi to Clive. The whole of the line having been metalled previously, no new works have been undertaken thereon. The portion between the Muddy creek and Clive requires new metalling. Probable expense for this and for general mamte£so. nance, £50. CLIVE TO HAVELOCK. From Clive through Havelock to the Waitahora, 54 chains of this Hue have been formed and metalled during last year. At Havelock a small bridge has been built at Mr. Danvers' farm, and one at the W ahaparata mill-stream — the old one having been fouud decayed. Considerable outlay has farther been incurred on repairs of the bridges at Wahaparata, Louisa Creek, and Waitahora, especially on the last two, by securing the approaches against their being damaged by sheep. About 40 chains between Clive and Havelock, in portions that £240. are very wet during the winter, £60. should be formed and metalled, cost £240. Maintenance of £300. present road, £60. TB AUTE ROAD. : From the Havelock road by Waipawa to Waipukurau, measuring 31 £ miles in length. A large amount of work has been done during the past year on this line, viz., — About 1| mile has been metalled through the swampy ground between Wai-

tahora and the Pakipaki ; 1 \ miles at Te Matai ; 1 \ north of Poukawa ; \ mile through the College land ; \\ mile at Kaikora ; and f of a mile between Waipawa and Waipukurau. Besides this, the road through the Te Aute Bush has been considerably widened, and a large quantity of spare metal has been stacked on many portious of the road. Of the Te Au te road there are at present 24 miles metalled, 1 mile is under contract for metalling, and oiily 6£ iniies remain in the natural state, one half of which is between Waipawa and Waipukurau. During the coming financial year I would recommend the forming and metalling of one mile in different pieces between the college land and Waipawa, aud one mile between Waipawa and Waipukurau. The remaining portion, being over very dry soil, can be left without much inconvenience in its natural state. The vote of the Provincial Council has been greatly exceeded on this road on account of the natives of Poukawa and Pakipaki having contracted very early last year for the forming and metalling of large portions of road, which contracts I did not bring into account in my last year's return, as it appeared from the unsettled state of the natives very uu likely that those contracts would ever te carried out. However those natives not only commenced, but generally carried on their operations with. great energy, and completed th?ir contracts. The amount required for the proper £800. maintenance of the Te Aute, £850. road for twelve months ia — '• — £800, and for the proposed £1650. new works, £850. PORANGAHAU ROAD, From Waipukurau, by Eperairaa, to Porangahau ; distance, 26 miles. On this line \\ miles have been formed and metalled at Pukikura, and heavy cuttings have been made between Motuotaraia and Eperaima on the line selected by my predecessor, so as to avoid the steep hills which made the road utterly impracticable for horse carts, and very nearly so for bullock drays. The road is now practicable for horse conveyance as far as Eperaima, at least during the greater part of the year. Very heavy expenses have been incurred on this line in repairing aud securing the deep side cuttings north of the Eperaima bridge, which had suffered severely from the earthquakes of last year. One of the bridges between Eperaima and Porangahau had likewise to be removed. Some of the new cuttiugs near Eperaima should be metalled ; several of the bridges and culverts near Motaitura require repairing, aud a man will have to be kept on the line during at least eight months for the purpose of maintenance. Total probable cost,— £300. £300. PORANGAHAU TO WAINUI. • Twp bridges have been made hi the valley of the Mangamairi to avoid Cook's Tooth, and two more on that of the Wainui, to avoid the shingle beach south of Tautane, and the crossing of the mouth of the Wainui, which was frequently dangerous on account of its unsafe bottom. Arrangements have been made for the maintenance of the crossing of the Mangamairi, so that, with the exception of times when the Porangahau river is impassable by floods, this line will be open. About half a mile of side cuttings and two small bridges should be made along; the banks of the Mangimairi (expense £36), and three small bridges and 1 mile side cuttings aloug the Wainui (cost £50.) £86. Total, £86. . MIDDLE ROAD. From Mr. Reynolds' house at Havelpck (by Mr. Foster's, Ngawakatatara) to Patangata ; distance; 21 miles. The road has been widened in many places between Ngawakatatara and Patangata, and has been JsjepUu, thorough" repair throughout

the year. During the greater part of the year twoj^en have beeu employed in removing, slips, and in clearing the watertables, which are coustantly being filled up ! by the sheep from the southern division of the province being driven generally by this road to Napier. The works most required on this road are side-cuttings round the steep hills near Mr. Foster's homestead, which can be effected, inclusive of metalling, xfonn f° r about £250. Indeed, this work is very necessary to make - the road available for horse drays, as the steep hill south ofNgawakatataracanbe avoided during the summer season by crossing the Tukituki, and using the old track to Patangata. Should the means be available, I beg to recommend again that the portion of the present line near Ngawakatatara be abandoned, and that instead of descending to the river flat, aud rising again to the high table land (which makes the road unfit for horse carts), a new live should be made aloDg the foot of the leading range, which will only require about 1 \ miles of side cuttings aud eight small bridges, the cost of which will not exceed £400. £400. £150. The sum of £150 should be allowed for maintenance of road. PATANGATA TO TAMUMU. Four bridges and several side cuttings have been made on this live, and two bridges are in progress under contract. Two more bridges and about 15 chains of heavy side cuttings are required to complete this line, the expense £120. of which will be £120. WAIPAWA TO EUATANIWHA. > This line has been maintained in very good order during the past year aud will only require about £40. £40 for maintenance and some further improvements. WAIPUKUEAU TO EUATANIWHA. This line is quite practicable and in good order, and will require £30. about £30 for further improvements and maintenance. TAUPO EOAD. This comprises the line from Tareha's bridge (by the Meanee bridge, Puketapu, Pekapeka, and Patoka) to Waipuna, a dis||||ance of 34 miles. Very little outlay had been incurred prior to " the present year upon this road north of Puketapu, but it became in the first place necessary to improve the line between Puketapu and Pekapeka for the supply of the Defence Force stationed at the latter place ; and, subsequently, when the Pukititiri block had been selected for a military settlement, and barracks were erected at the Patoka, the road had to be extended to that point.

About 20 chains of the portion between Tareha's bridge and the Meanee bridge have been metalled ; about 1| miles on the Meanee flats have been formed and 22 chains metalled ; 48 chains have been formed, and a portion of it metalled at Puketapu. . About 2\ miles of heavy side cuttings have been made between Puketapu and Pekapeka, and about 6| miles between Pekapeka and Patoka — some of them above 20 feet in height. The whole line to the Patoka barracks is now open, but the new cuttings, and especially the fillings, are, as must be expected, in the first season, very soft, but I feel confident that after the winter the line will be in perfect order. Two men should be employed during the wet season for the purpose of repairing the unavoidable earthslips, and generally maintaining the line. A new bridge is required in place of the present Tareha's bridge — some of its principal timbers being decaying. As some of the timber may be found in sound order, I think this bridge and one small one about | a mile north £100. cau be built for about £100. Several portions of the new road will require metalling £200. (cost, £200,) and liberal allow£4oo. ance should be made for maintenance of the new line, £700. say £400. MEANEE FLATS, by the TUTAEKUEI, to PUKETAPU. This new line branches to the west from the Taupo road at Mr. Tiffen's gate, runs through the Taipo property, thence by the RedclifF over the flat country along the Tutaekuri, and rejoins the Taupo road at Mr. Heslop's. Heavy expense has been incurred on this Hue, which was made under the principle of " Grants in Aid," by piling and sheeting about ten chains facing RedclhT, and making heavy cuttiugs in that neighbourhood. This line should be farther improved, as it is greatly preferable to the cutting over the Puketapu hills, running in almost a dead £250. level. About £250 are required for making and metalling side cuttiugs between Redcliff and Mr. Heslop's. EOAD TO AORANGI BY OMAHU. On this live by Tareha's Bridge, Pawhakairo, the New Mill, and Ornahu, 2 bridges are required at the New Mill, and some side cuttings at the native cultivations near Omahu. Cost, £120. £120. ROAD TO AORANGI BY HAVELOCK. When the Ngaruroro is flooded the» traffic from Aorangi, the Kei-eru Bushe and Hampden, will have to go by th Patiki and Havelock. Th flooring of the bridge require renewing, aud some 20 chain of Manuku swamp north of the Patiki should be drained. £120; Cost, £120.

KEEEEU BUSH EOAD. 1 About 80 chains of cuttings have been made from Poperaugi to the Kereru Bush, aud the old track theuce to Aorangi has been maintained ; but heavy cuttings over two very deep gullies are required, -which will shorten the distance from Kereru to Aorangi by 4 miles. £160. Probable cost, £160. NORTH RUATANWHIA BY MARAEKAKAHO TO NAPIER. A new line of road connecting the Northern and North-eastern portion of the Ruataniwha by Maraekakaho with Napier has been nearly completed under the "Grauts in Aid" principle, which will shorten the distance to Napier from that portion of the Plains by 10 or 12 miles. This line has offered considerable difficulties in the shape of very steep but un-. avoidable ravines. Some of them have beeu overcome by heavy long cuttings, but four of them had to be bridged — one of the bridges being 72 feet long, 26 feet high, and 14 feet wide. The sum of £180 is required to £180. complete this line. PETANE ROAD. About 12 chains of this road near the School-house have been metalled and the cutting at Munro's point has been widened aud improved. The upper portion of this line between the Kaiwaka and the Pohui Bush has been geuerally improved, most of the steep pinches being now avoided by side cuttings. All the cuttings on this line being in very light soil, are very much subject to land slips"; liberal allowance should therefore be made for maintenance, for £120. which £120 will be required. BRIDLE TRACK FROM POHUI TO TARAWERA AND TAUPO. This line has. been greatly improved during the last season, especially between Tarawera and the Taupo plains. The line has been cleared through the bush to the width of 12 feet, and side cuttings have been made wherever needed. About 3 miles of Bush cuttings are required to avoid Te Plaroto, and a very steep hill (Tarangakuma), which should be done, as this line will then be well adapted for the driving of stock to the northern portions of this Island. £150. Probable cost, £150. PETANE TO PEKAPEEA AND PATOKA. About 4 miles of sledge cuttings have beeu made to connect Petaue with the Taupo road, which will be very useful in case of freshes in the Tutaekuri, as this live only crosses the Mangaone once near Mr. ■ Munro's old house stead. Required £30 for mainten£3o. an cc.

MOHAKA BRIDLE TEA^JK. This bridle track has not only been kepfc in good repair, but about 200 chains of new cuttings have been madein differentlocalities. Required for further improve£l2o. ments and maintenance, £120. MOHAKA TO TE "WAIROA. About 1 mile of new track has beea made and the old has been kept in good repair. Required for new cuttings and main£Bo. tenance, £80. MOHAKA TO THE UPPER MOHAKA. This line connects the flats on the right bank of the Mohaka river (the flats being intersected by very deep bush gullies). Required for further improvements and £50. maintenance, £50. MOHAKA TO MANGAHARARA. A dray line has been cut over the leading range to the west of theMohakariver for a distance of 7 miles ; thence the line ha 3 been continued across the Kiwi as a bridle track. As this line will open up some valuable land south of the Mangaharara range, it should be con£l2o. tinued. Cost £120. TOWN ROADS. No new works have been undertaken during the last year, with the exception of formiug and metalling Tennyson-st. and Clyde road, and removing the limestone hill on the Government grounds, Shakespeare Road. All the roads should be placed in thorough repair in the present season, which will cost only £200, as a good quantity of spare metal is £200. on hand for that purpose. The only work which I consider very desirable in Napier is the carrying on of Milton road into Waghorn street, which would render the distance to the Barracks considerably less than one half of the present line taken by the carts. i The whole work, inclusive of metalling and widening the road to 50 links, will not cost more than £800, half of which will be £800. saved in one year in cartage. -CLEARING THE MANGAONE RIVER. All the principal obstacles in the bed of this river have been removed duriug the past year ; but the sum of £40 should be set aside £40 for improving the channel. Those works which according to ray opinion are indispensable, I have twice underlined ; those next in importance, once. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedt. Servant, t • Chas. Weber, Provincial Engineer. His Honor the Superintendent, Napier.