E.—2b,

2

2. Improvement of road, North Shore to Mahurangi, via Wade, including two bridges. 3. Main, road, Mahurangi to Kaukapakapa. 4. Improving road, Kaukapakapa to Fort Albert, including bridge at Warehine. 5. Improving road, Mahurangi to Mangawai and Port Albert. 6. Road, Mangawai to Waipu and Mangawai to Te Paparoa, including bridges. 7. Bridge over Waipu. 8. New road, Waipu to Mangapai, and improving present road. 9. Road, Paparoa to Matakohe, Toka Toka and Arapohue, to join Mangakahia Road. 10. Improving road, Mangaturoto to Waipu, and opening road to Mangapai through Waikiekie. 11. Road, Otamatea to Inland Settlements, and Mangapai to Wairoa. 12. Improving road, Mangapai to Wangarei, including bridge. 13. Road, Whangarci to Wairoa, including cost of obtaining land. 14. Road, Whangarei to Whangarei Heads, including bridge. Of the progress made with the above works, no detailed report has been received, but a sum of about £7,000 has already been expended on them. As in the district north of Auckland there is a large Native population and many Native interests and peculiarities to be met with and provided for, other roads were placed immediately in charge of the Hon. the Native Minister, and are as follows : — 1. Waitangi to Taheke. 2. Taheke to Hokianga Heads. 3. Kaikohe to Wairoa. 4. Whangarei to Kawa Kawa. Nos. 1, 3, and 4 are being supervised by Mr. Marsden Clarke and Mr. Wilson; and No. 2, being through Native lands, is in charge of Hon. Wi Katene. No. 5. Waimate to Kaeo. 6. Mongonui to Ahipara and Kaitaia. 7. Ahipara to Hokianga. 8. Whiruiaki to Takauae, on southern side of Hokianga River. 9. Kaitaia to Awanui Portage. 10. Mahurangi to Port Albert. 11. Waimate to Waihou. The work executed on certain sections and subsections of the above is described below: Mangakahia and Kaikohe (part of line Wairoa to Kaikohe). —This new line of road will be completed in a few months, and will then be a serviceable bridle-road, which could easily be made available for drays. Formerly it was a heavy day's journey from Kaikohe to Mangakahia; but when this work is finished, the same journey may be performed easily in four or five hours. The total amount of work done on this section is as follows : —9^ miles of bush clearing; 130 chains of side-cutting, 6 feet wide. No metalli lg has been done. Okaihn and Waimate. —This has long been used as a dray road, but has been improved by altering the gradients, which were formerly 1 in 5 or G, to 1 in 13 or 14, and it is now one of the best in the district. Three miles have been cleared of stones and vegetation, and 40 chains formed, with four culvert-bridges and three culverts. No metalling has yet been laid. Waimate and Waitangi. —This is, strictly speaking, the Waitangi end of the Great Trunk Road, and the only outlet for the finest districts in this part of the Island. Although the trafiic on this line is second to none north of Auckland, the road is probably one of the worst in condition, from the junction of the Waimate and Kaikohe roads to Haruru. It crosses twenty-three streams and swamps, over which are only one bridge and seven culverts erected; the remainder have to be forded, and many have very steep banks or very muddy approaches. The carting is performed by strong teams of bullocks, as the roads are quite unsuited for horse vehicles of any kind ; 95 chains have been formed on this road. Pekekaka to Kaikohe is a branch of the Great Trunk Road, terminating at Taheke. Kaikohe and Taheke. —This is almost entirely a new line. The road formerly used was surveyed by the Provincial Government, and made passable for drays, but is now thoroughly impracticable, and will never make a good road, on account of its heavy gradients. The new line has only lately been surveyed, but the cost of opening it will be less than that of making the old road passable; already 3 miles 66 chains have been cleared through bush and scrub, &c. Waitangi to Te Ti. —This road is expected to be completed very shortly, as also the contract for clearing about two miles of bush on the road from Keri Keri to Whangaroa, beyond which, towards Mongonui, a survey of five and three-quarter miles of road has been made, and plans and specifications prepared for the work, which extends across a difficult hill and a long tidal mud-flat. Most of the works in this district are progressing rapidly, and many difficulties at first apprehended or met with amongst the Natives have been overcome, and the Natives, as a rule, are working cheerfully. Awanui and Kaitaia Road. —Two contracts, including about three miles of work and two long bridges, are in progress on this road, arid the survey in extension of it to Oruru, near Mongonui, is completed. The bridge over the Oruru, with approaches, is also completed; it is 130 feet long. From Awanui Portage northwai'ds to Rangaunu the line has been surveyed and reported on —no work done. Mahurangi District. —On the new line of road to Albertland nearly two miles have been completely formed, over very broken forest country, with bridges and culverts. The continuation of this line northwards to Hoteo, about six miles, has been well explored, and the survey completed. From Hoteo onwards to Albertland, the country is open and covered with fern,