E.—2b

8

The amounts of work executed during the year are as follows:—Earthwork, 27,628 cubic yards; rock, 4,369 cubic yards; cuttings and embankments, 653^ chains; fascining and embankment, 4 chains ; bush and scrub clearing, half-chain wide, 34 chains ; scrub and fern, 75£ chains; thirty-one culverts, 240 feet run; nine bridges, 7 feet wide, 192 lineal feet; timber, 17,675 square feet; contracts, total, 2,392^ chains; line surveyed, 29 miles. Opoiti to Poverty Bay. —Inland, estimate forty miles. The work on this track has been only of a preliminary character, with a view of choosing the best line, which, as selected, will pass through the Ahimanu country, reaching Poverty Bay flats near Patutahi. Twelve miles have been surveyed, and divided into four contracts to be undertaken by Natives, and the rest will be surveyed shortly; but it is apprehended that the scarcity of labour will prevent the early execution of the work. Bridle Track : Wairoa — Poverty Bay — by Coast to Maraetaha. —Fifty-eight miles. The only new works undertaken are the contracts for maintenance on that portion between Mahunga and Maraetaha, some twenty miles through the bush, including small repairs and removal of fallen trees. The bush portions of this track will be improved by the felling of the timber for the telegraph line, which will be carried this way. The total amount of work done on this road amounts to—Bush clearing, 12 feet wide, ten miles; side-cutting, 7 feet wide, seventeen miles; culverts, 100 lineal feet. None of this was done during last year. Gisborne to Ormond. —Twelve miles. The contracts for fascining and draining between Makaraka and Ormond, eight and a half miles, have been completed, and a few improvements to the cart road have been made beyond Ormond by the Armed Constabulary stationed there. Some parts of this road are in a bad state and require metalling, material for which can be procured from the Waipara River beach, about a mile and a half distant from the road. The following is a list of works for the year:—Formation and embankment, 20 feet, with double ditch, 332 chains; metalling approaches to eight culverts, and repairs; embankment, 24 feet by 18 inches, 14 chains; formation 30 feet, 19 chains; side and outfall drains, with one 10-fect culvert, 101 chains. The total amount of work is as follows, viz.:—Line surveyed, 13 miles; side and outfall drains, 12-fcet section, 1,496 chains; culverts, 152 lineal feet; fascined formation, 16 feet, 15 chains; formation and embankment, 20 feet, 405 chains; road metalled, 12 feet by 12 inches, 23 chains; also approaches to eight culverts. The works on the branch road Makaraka to Arai, for the year, are—Formation, 20 feet, 107 chains; side and outlet drains, 61 chains; bush clearing, 25 feet, 17 chains; bush clearing 66 feet, 30 chains; grubbing and clearing 25 feet, 20 chains. And the total works are —-Line surveyed, 4 miles; side and outlet drains, 274 chains; formation 20 feet, 107 chains; bushclearing 66 feet, 30 chains; grubbing and clearing 25 feet,2o chains; culverts, 16 feet. Gisborne to Maraetaha by Coast. —Twelve miles. The bridge over the Karawa Creek, reported as being in hand last year, has been completed, in three spans of a total length of 67 feet, in a satisfactory manner; also three 10-feet culverts and one 4-feet culvert. No other work of importance has been done on this road, except keeping track clear of fallen timber, &c. Bridle Road, Gisborne to Hick's Bay, by Coast. —One hundred and twelve miles. The survey of this has been completed during the year, and the work divided into thirty-two sections to be let to the Native tribes. Up to December very little progress was made, owing to Native opposition; but since then twenty-two contracts have been let and thirty-two miles are reported as completed, the Natives working steadily on the parts yet in progress, which are near completion. Ferries have been established on this line, at Pakarai, Uawa (Tologa Bay), Waiapu, and Ohutua, for subsidies averaging about £10 each. The work is as follows for the past year : — Surveyed, one hundred and seven miles; side-cutting, 7 feet, thirty-two miles, 24,230 cubic yards; forty-four culverts, 111 feet. And the total work is—Survey, one. hundred and seven miles ; road formation, 7 feet, thirty-two miles ; culverts, 111 feet; bush clearing, 33 feet, two and a half miles. Te Awanui to Te Horo. —Dray road, three miles. This will connect the landing-place at Awanui with the Waiapu Valley, where are Native plantations. The survey, about three miles, has been completed, but the work has not yet been contracted for. SEVENTY-MILE BUSH DRAY ROAD. Northern Division, about Thirty-seven and a half Miles. (D. Ross in charge.) At the date of last year's report the bush had been felled and cleared, and the only works in progress were the building the Mangamanaia Bridge of 49 feet span, and the formation of two chains of heavy cutting at the Manawatu Gorge. After their completion, no further works were undertaken till the end of October, when road formation was commenced by the Scandinavian immigrants who arrived by the " Hovding" and " Ballarat." One party of these were located near the edge of the Ruataniwha Plains, between Te Whiti and the Mangatewainui (Norsewood). They have completed six and a half miles of formation between Takapau, at the