BY ARMED CONSTABULARY.

D.—No. lc,

7

GrENEBAL BeIIARKS. In the Report of Surveys and Works for the months of March and April, the charge against the Public Works Department for officers superintending was only calculated at half daily pay for the Ist class Sub-Inspector, according to instructions, (see extract attached and marked C) ; but owing to a subsequent memorandum from Armed Constabulary office, (see copy E attached) a supplementary estimate will be sent in for 2s. 6d. extra pay per diem, for one Inspector, and one Ist class Sub-Inspector for fifty-four days, on which they were employed, and one 2nd class Sub-Inspector for twenty-one days. The work shown, except in the case of the Eangiaowhia and Cambridge road, has consisted chiefly of repairs to already existing roads. The roads, have not as a rule, been regularly made: but are simply surveyor's lines, opened up by traffic and use. Their re-formation and improvement, require nearly as much labour as the absolute construction of new roads. The comparatively large cost per chain, shewn in the schedule, (average £2 us. 8d ) is duo to the fact that the worst places on these roads, such as almost impassable swamps, steep cuttings, &c, have been chosen first for repair, in order to facilitate immediate traffic. The Eangiaowhia and Cambridge road, with the exception of the first twenty-five chains, runs through the Moana Tua Tua swamp. Great difficulties are encountered in the drainage work, as the swamp, formerly a Matai forest, is full of burnt timber, and requires the use of axe and adze, as much as spade and shovel. In the column shewing lengths of road authorised and surveyed, only those portions actually requiring repair are shown. In the column of cuttings—-the one that occurs between Ohaupo and Alexandra, has been made a width at base of twelve feet. This piece of work was an improvement on an already commenced cutting, and the dimensions could not have been increased, without a great additional expense. The culvert shown in No. 1 piece of work was a bo/ one, formed of two inch Eimu planking ; the remaining four were formed of rough logs. No contract work has been entered into at all in this district. Owing to the difference in the number of actual working days, and the days for which half daily pay is charged, the total amount of labor pay will not be represented by calculation of the average number employed at 4s. per diem for given number of days. In estimating the cost of each piece of work, the pay for officers, and the incidental expenses, have not been considered, as is was impossible to fairly apportion the share to each piece; but they are shown separately and estimated in total cost of works in Waikato district. I have, &c., William: C. Lton, Lieut.-Colonel, Commanding Waikato District.

No. 5. The Hon. Defence Minister to Inspector Roberts. (Telegram) Napier, 17th May, 1871. Befoee you leave Taupo, you will have the goodness to report fully on the progress of roads in your district, giving the names of the officers who have displayed the most zeal and earnestness in promoting road works, and those who have not done so. Donald McLean.

No. 6. Inspector Bobeets to the Hon. the Defence Minister. Sib,— Tauranga, 25th May, 1871. In answer to your telegram asking me to report on the progress of roads in Taupo, together with the zeal displayed by the different officers, I have the honor to report, since my assuming command of the Taupo District in October, 18G9, that more or less, after establishing posts, the Armed Constabulary have been employed in forming new roads or improving the old ones. The road beginning at Tapuaeharuru, as far as three or four miles beyond Eunanga, is now what may be termed a good cart road, but owing to the heavy bush and broken nature of the country to Tarawera, was progressing slowly from Te Haroto, what formerly was the worst part of the road is now very greatly improved. The new line of road is now available for carts five or sis miles, but no weather would obstruct the traffic from Tapuaeharuru to Te Horoto, unless a severe fresh in the Waipunga, which requires bridging. Beyond Te Haroto, towards Napier, up to the time of my leaving, only contract men had been employed, and as I have not travelled the road for more than four months, I am not in a position to report what state it is in ; but can only judge by the way supplies of all kinds have cheapened, together with the number of people that make use of tli6 road, that there must be a great change for the better. I may say what was formerly considered a great undertaking, such as a journey to Napier, and from thence to the East Coast, in fact, within the last nine months, the journey from Taupo, and even from there onward to the East Coast to Tauranga, is merely a matter of distance with the traveller, and not obstacles as formerly. The exact amount of work done by the Armed Constabulary I cannot state until I have my papers from Taupo, but exclusive of the roads, it must be taken into consideration, that the men of the force have been employed in making and fencing paddocks at all the different posts, as well as putting up their respective barracks. Bush land where available, on account of its being of a better quality, was used in preference to the open country, and required being stumped before it could be ploughed, which 2