H.—l2a

The present price of rations at Niho o te Kiore is Is, 4d., which is rather expensive for the men. I would have sent in this report sooner, but was waiting for Lieutenant Way to furnish me with June road work returns. I have, &c, Lieut.-Colonel Moule, G-ilbeet Maie, Captain N.Z.M., Acting Under Secretary, Defence, Wellington. Commanding Native Contingent.

RETURN showing AMOUNT of WORK performed by CAPTAIN MAIR'S NATIVE CONTINGENT, for the Year commencing 1st July, 1873, and ending 30th June, 1874. Tauranga, Taupo, and Rotorua-Tarawera Roads.

No. 2. Captain Peeece (per Major Eobeets) to the Undee Seceetaet, Defence Department. Sib,— Te Teko, 29th June, 1874. In accordance with instructions contained in your Memorandum, Armed Constabulary No. 208-73, I have the honor to forward the following report of the duties performed by the Company of Native Contingent under my command, from the Ist of June, 1873, to the 31st of May, 1874, for the information of the Hon. the Defence Minister:— Militaet Duties. Average Strength—The average strength during the past year has been: 1 captain, 1 subaltern, 1 sergeant-major, 2 sergeants, 2 corporals, 4 mounted, and 41 foot privates. Parades and Drills. —Parades at 8 a.m. for fatigues, namely, road work, fencing, making and repairing barracks, and other duties. Inspection parades at each post, in heavy marching order, every Sunday (weather permitting). Drill with arms and accoutrements, in company and skirrnishin'f drill

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Cubic Yards. Remarks. Name of Road. Nature of Work, &o. Date. Eock. Earth. 1873 July ... „ August ... September 300 30 370 290 645i 265 Atiamuri, Te Ana a tu hape, and Waia Hine Maru approaches. Ten men also employed four days repairing road between Rahopaka and Atiamuri. Eock excavating at Te Tuahu. Also, repairing and re-forming 40 chains road near Taumata (fourteen men, ten days). Excavating quartz boulders and hard sandstone, Atiamuri Bridge. Putting down ten culverts at Te Tuahu. Also, forming and repairing 41 chains road at Tangihanga, damaged by flood. Excavating hard rock, Atiamuri Bridge approaches. Forming 18 chains road, 22 feet wide, at Taumata, and removing large land-slips at Te Tuahu and Tangihanga. Side cuttings. Excavating hard and soft sandstone rock at Tuahu cutting and Atiamuri Bridge approaches ; also removing land-slips from water-ways, &c. Forming 10 chains road, 22 feet wide, which had been washed entirely away by heavy flood, on 16th and 17th of month, from Te Taumata to Atiamuri Bridge. Repairing 11 chains washed away at Tuahu, Tangihanga, and Maungatutu. No road work performed in December; men otherwise employed. October... 203| November 2431 December 1874 January... February March ... 600 973 700 907 640 669 1118 850 1000 488| Rotorua-Tarawera Road: clearing fallen trees, bush, and fern; making cutting 5 x 4, 27 chains long. Repairing road at Taumata; clearing away land-slips ; forming road 18 feet wide, 7 chains long. Repairing Road at Tangihanga. Rotorua-Tarawera Road. Tauranga-Taupo Road: formation, 20 feet wide, 7 chains, at Taumata. Also, work at Tuahu. Widening Tikitapu Road; heavy side-cutting. Taumata Road. Tikitapu and Rauporoa. Side-cutting, embankment, formation, and block-cutting. Tikitapu Road ; heavy side-cutting. Tikitapu Road. Extra repairs to roads between Tangihanga and Tuahu. April „ ... May 71 June 45 ,, 1238i 112861 A. C. Depot, Wellington, 28th July, 1874. Gilbert Maib, Captain N.Z.M., Commanding Native Contingent.