D.—i So. 6,

4

REPORT ON PUBLIC WORKS BY

1 truss bridge, 45 feet 1 s t ru fc bridge, 41 feet 1 » „ 5H „ 1 plain „ 26-i- „ 1 plain „ 12 „ 1 truss „ 3H „ 1 truss „ 84^- „ 1 4ri 1 » „ t>6 „ Total length of bridging ... ... 404* feet .24 box culverts have been erected of a total length of 628 feet. The above for the two years give totals as follows :— Road formation, in bush I7i -milpO „ open 31| n j =48| miles Bridges, lineal ... ... ... ... 510 a f ee t Culverts, various ... ... ... 994 There yet remain to complete this section seventeen and three-quarter" miles of formation and the erection of fifteen bridges of various sizes, giving a total length of 507 feet; also the erection of about thirty-five box culverts. •j °J theSe brid Ses> the erection of the first two has been retarded by delay in rock excavation a kind of work in which the Natives make very slow progress, and of which in the Mangorewa Valley there yet remains to bo excavated about 6,000 cubic yards, and in other places about 7 000 cubic yards. The timber for these bridges is now being cut in the Parekerangi and Horo Horo forests but very much delay has been caused in their erection by difficulties thrown in the way by the Natives. The portion of this road between Tauranga and Oropi, about twelve miles in open land, is in good order.; "that beyond, to Tererenga, about ten miles in forest, is now under repairs after severe floods 2. Tauranga and Kati Kati—Rovae road from Judea (about three-quarters of a mile from Tauranga) to Aongatete, a distance of nineteen miles and a quarter, is now completed with the exception of four bridges, measuring respectively 52| feet plain, 56 feet truss, 82i- feet'plain 63 feet plain. These will be built wide enough for drays, and are now in hand. Culverts also are required as follows, for which the timber is cut, and the work progressing:— Two 6-feet opening three 4-feet opening, nine 2-J-feefc opening, and six 12-feet opening. It is expected that the unfinished work will be completed about the middle of July. 3. Maketu and Rotorua Bray Boad.— -Length, about thirty-eight miles, of which twenty-two were constructed before January, 187.1. Since then the whole of the road has been improved, by easing grades and other alterations, and nearly the whole of the formation is finished. A plain bridge 25 feet long, has been built over the Ngai, and two 18-feet culverts fixed. Timber is being cut for truss bridges over the Taheke and Waipu (the former 51 feet long ; the latter 40 feet) ; and for the repairs of the Morea and two smaller bridges, timber is now ready. When the works now in hand are complete this road will be 111 good order. Maketu mid Whakatane Horse Boad,— -This is about thirty-four miles long, following nearly the line of the coast through open country, broken in places. The work in hand consists o°f one bridge ot oS feet for the Otaramakau, and two from the main land to the island, at Whakatane respectively 340 feet and 69 feet long; total, 462 feet. The timber for these is now being cut, and tenders for their erection will be called for immediately ; arrangements will be made for the necessary road work near Otaramakau by Native labour. Matata [Richmond) and Te Teko, inland, Horse Boad.—The first section, from Matata to Otakiri ten and a half miles, is nearly finished, with the exception of about three chains of heavy swamp work at the latter place. On this line are twenty-three culverts, eight of wood and fifteen" of stone and one small bridge 6 feet long. The work has been done by Natives, and the road, as far as completed is in good order. It runs through very broken, swampy, but open country. _ Opotiki and Otara Bray Boad : Five miles.—This work was completed in February 1871—19 feet wide, with ten culverts. It is now being widened to 18 feet, and generally improved by raising embankments over swampy places, gravelling where necessary, and fixing four additional culverts 20 feet long each, one 4 feet wide, and three 21 inches wide. These improvements are about half completed, and will make this an excellent road, which will form part of that ultimately leading to Poverty Bay. J b Opotiki and Torere, thence to Mareinui — -Horse road; twenty miles; of this, three and threequarter miles were completed in early part of 1872 ; it has been found necessary to alter a portion about one mile long, and this with other work, altogether about two miles, is contracted for by Natives. It is proposed to extend this road to a considerable distance along the coast, to Omaiko. Opotiki and Oliiwa Horse Boad.— Eleven miles through open country. From Waioeka to Hunter's Creek one mile and a quarter, is about to be commenced by the Armed Constabulary stationed at Opotiki. J _ Tauranga and Judea Bray Boad.— Three-quarters of a mile long, across Kopurererua Swamp with bridge over the swamp 50 feet long. This was completed in June, 1871, and has been of the greatest service to the settlers, giving easy and safe access to the town and port; it is in good repair Matapihi and Maketu Bray Boad— -Three and three-quarter miles were completed by Native labour in latter part of 1870, including one large culvert, 5 feet opening and 30 feet long. The country here is open, and the road is in good order, the beach is used for the greater part of the remaining distance as a road between these places. Whakatane and Ohape Horse Boad.— Three and a quarter miles, in open country but very broken, was completed in August, 1871, and has been kept in repair by the Armed Constabulary stationed at Whakatane. J Opotiki and Waioeka.—One mile fifteen chains of road formed 14 feet wide; including one plain bridge, 14 feet span; was finished in March, 1871. This runs in the direction of the Waioeka Gorge through open country, and is in fair order. Works which have been Surveyed or proposed for Construction. Rotorua to Tapapa.—The latter place is about twenty-seven miles north-west of the lake, nearly