11.—12

14

Erection of Stockades and Redoubts. —A substantial block-house, 30' x 20', has been built at Opotiki, weather boards, heart of kauri, and lined; the space between being filled with gravel, which makes it perfectly bullet-proof. The gravel had to be carted about a mile, and entailed a great deal of labour. The redoubts in the district have been kept in repair. Civil Duties. Steps taken for the Prevention of Crime. —At Tauranga one non-commissioned officer, and at Opotiki one constable, have been constantly employed on police duties, and received the assistance of other members of the force, as circumstances required. Attending Civil Courts. —First-class Sergeant Mason has been appointed Clerk to the Eesident Magistrate's Court at Opotiki, and Foot Constable Thomson acts as Clerk in the Civil Commissioner's Office at Tauranga. Within the last twelve months there have been 102 convictions in the Eesident Magistrate's Court, Tauranga, viz., —1, larceny (indictable) ; 3, larceny (summarily dealt with) ; 4, malicious injury to property ; 1, neglected children ; 1, contempt of Court; 7, assaults on police ; 1, common assault; 5, vagrancy; 9, threatening language; 14, breach of Municipal Police Act; 2, breach of Licensing Act; and 54 cases of drunkenness. Total amount of fines paid, £66 15s. 6d. Statistics. —The census for the East Coast Electoral District, for sub-districts Nos. 1, 2, and 3, and the agricultural statistics for the same, were collected by members of the force, as well as the Native census for the Maketu district. Public akd Useful Woeks. Nature and Extent of Soad Work. —At Tauranga, the following amount of road work has been performed on the Kati Kati and Tauranga Boad : —2,238 cubic yards excavation, 923 cubic yards filling, 2,139 cubic yards earth removed, 284 cubic yards embankment, 12,460 cubic yards of ditching, and 66 chains of road formation. At Opotiki, 53 chains of road, 38 feet wide, principally through heavy swampy land, has been completed ; 410 cubic feet of excavation, and 60 cubic feet of embankment, 260 cubic yards of filling in approaches to bridges. A dray road, 150 yards by 10 feet, has been formed through the entrance of the paddock to the block-house, and nearly gravelled the whole way. At Whakatane, 12| chains of formation by 28 feet wide, has been made through a swamp, 25 chains of ditching 7 feet wide by 4 feet 6 inches deep and three feet wide at the bottom, 5| chains of road fascined. A drain 5 chains long 3x2 feet was cut from the road to the beach, for the purpose of carrying off the water. Building Bridges and Culverts. —At Opotiki, two bridges, one 16 X 16 feet, one 20 X 8 feet, and three box culverts 22 feet 3x2, have been made. Building Houses, Stables, fyc. —At Tauranga, the barrack-room, 70 X 20 feet, has been matchlined, and racks and shelves fitted up in the room. Three coats of paint have been put on the barracks, Government store, hospital, and the Government house occupied by the Eesident Magistrate ; the floor of the verandah of the last building entirely removed and renewed. The stable has been furnished with a hay-loft, hay-racks, and manger. A well, with an excellent supply of water, 40 feet deep, slabbed 6 feet from the bottom, fenced, and with drinking troughs around it, has been sunk in the Government paddock, close to the mess-room and stable. At Opotiki, a weather-board building, 20 X 10 feet, has been built for a mess-room, and three coats of paint have been put on it, the magazine, store-room, and block-house; a well 18 feet deep, and slabbed, has been sunk close to the block-house. At Whakatane, a whare, 14 x 10 feet, for forage, and another 14 X 12 feet, which is used as an orderly-room, have been completed. The barrack-room, 25 XlB feet, has been re-thatched. Fencing Paddocks and Laying Down in Grass. —At Tauranga, 10 chains of ditching and banking have been done round the Government paddock, a gate made and. hung, and the fencing of the whole paddock attended to and kept in good order. At Opotiki, to make the paddock secure, it was necessary to erect 4 chains of a bank and ditch and 18J- chains of fencing, the material for which had to be carted several miles. A strong gate has also been put in the entrance to the paddock. At Whakatane, the old fence of the paddock has been kept in repair, and a quarter of an acre of ground broken up and fenced in for a vegetable garden. Bemaeks. In my remarks, I may state that the District Engineer has estimated the value of the road work performed by the Armed Constabulary in this district at £313 14s. 2d. Besides the duties already mentioned in this report and the works performed, 178,000 feet of timber was carted, stacked, and issued to the settlers of the late Ist Waikato Eegiment, which entailed a great deal of work and time. The Militia and Volunteers in the district have been drilled by members of the force. Constables have been frequently told off to clean arms, &c, in the Government store, and for other duties which cannot very well be enumerated. The fence round the cemetery has been kept in repair, and the head-boards belonging to the graves of the Imperial soldiers have been repaired and painted. The Natives in the district have been industriously and profitably engaged on road work and agricultural pursuits. A very large quantity of wheat has been grown by them. The district is in a thriving state, roads having been constructed in various directions, opening up the country for settlement, which is already beginning to draw the attention of strangers, and enabling the old residents to occupy their land. The general conduct of the force in the district has been very good. I have, &c, J. M. Eobebts, Inspector, A.C, The Commissioner, Commanding Tauranga District. Armed Constabulary Force, Wellington.