Page image

11

H.—lo

7. Issuers and Storekeepers. —A non-commissioned officer of the force (Sergeant Williams) is substorekeeper for the district, under the Public Stores Act. 8. Erection of Redoubts, Stockades. —At Te Kapu Station a redoubt has been constructed on a plan approved by the Commissioner of Armed Constabulary. This redoubt (enclosing barrack-room and magazine) measures 90 by 72 feet, is triangular in shape, with two bastions and the block-house for flanking angles, and surrounded by a deep trench. The slope of the parapet has been well grassed, the banquette staked and wattled. The scarp and counterscarp have been securely turfed, to prevent the earth (mostly loose pumice) from falling in. At Marumaru Station the redoubt has been kept in good repair, and two bastions rebuilt, that had fallen through wet weather. At Onepoto one side of the redoubt had to be rebuilt and staked for similar reasons. At this station a barrack square has been formed and levelled for the reception of the proposed block-house. This work necessitated the removal of several hundred yards of earth, rock, &c. 5,000 bricks for the new block-house have been burnt, and 7,000 prepared ready for the kiln. The weather was most unfavourable for brickmaking during the season. Timber is also being cut and dragged a distance of two miles, up a steep incline of 1,800 feet in that distance, for the same purpose. A brick magazine has been built at Te Kapu station, 10 feet by 8 feet 6 inches, and 7 feet in height. Civil Duties. 1. Attending Civil Courts. —The constable stationed at Clyde attends the Eesident Magistrate's Court regularly, and assists the Provincial Constable (Hawke's Bay) in ordinary police duties. Noncommissioned officers and constables are also detailed for the above purpose whenever applied for by the Eesident Magistrate for the district. 2. Attending Land Court. —One non-commissioned officer and two constables were in attendance at the Land Court held by Mr. Hanson Turton at Clyde from 24th to 29th September, 1874, inclusive. 3. Taking Census.- —The agricultural statistics for No. 6 Sub-district, Auckland Province, and No. 7 Sub-district, Hawke's Bay Province, were collected by Probationary Sergeants Carr and Brownlow, respectively. Public and Useful Woeks. 1. Nature and Extent of Roadwork. —A road has been constructed from Te Kapu to Totara Valley (about four miles), for the purpose of packing provisions, <fee, for the use of sawyers. A track, one mile in extent, has been made from the saw-pit to the river bank, for the purpose of sledging timber. Cuttings have been made at Te Kapu station for carting shingle from the river bed. A dray track has been cleared to the present saw-pit in Te Kapu bush. Eoads have been repaired and cleared in the vicinity of all the posts in the district. Two members of the force from Marumaru station were placed at the disposal of the public works overseer for the district from Ist June to 31st August, 1874 —one being engaged in superintending blasting operations on the Opoiti-Poverty Bay Eoad, and the other as interpreter and assistant chainman to the overseer. 2. Building Bridges and Culverts. —At Onepoto one culvert has been built, and the Kopani bridge repaired. At Ohuka the culverts and bridge, between that station and the Waikare-Taheke crossing, have been repaired and kept in good order. 3. Building Houses, Stables, cfc. —At Te Kapu 20,000 feet of timber (kahikatea) have been sawn by members of the Force, for officers' quarters, stables, Ac.; 18,000 shingles have also been split for the same purpose. Officers' quarters, 36 by 24 feet with 10-foot studs, have been constructed. They contain five rooms, and have two brick chimneys attached. A stable is now in course of erection, measuring 36 by 16 feet, with 9-foot studs and 12-foot rafters. This will contain six stalls and hay-loft. A storeroom and larder have been added to the kitchen and mess-house. The whole of the buildings have been thoroughly repaired and painted, the sergeant-major's quarters finished, and the barrack lined with sawn timber as far as wall plates. At Onepoto a three-stalled stable has been built, the library painted and papered, and the officers' quarters lined and finished. At Ohuka the barracks (four raupo huts) have been re-thatched and kept in repair. At Marumaru a slab chimney has been built to mess-house, and the other buildings kept in good repair. Fencing Paddocks and Laying Bown in Grass. —At Te Kapu, the Government paddocks have been entirely re-fenced with totara posts and manuka top-rail. This was found necessary, as the old fence, being made of kahikatea posts and rails, was perfectly rotten, although only two years erected. For this purpose 700 totara posts and 300 manuka rails were split, and rafted and carted a distance of seven miles. Seven tons of hay were cut and stacked from this paddock, for use of horses during winter months. At Onepoto, about six acres of heavy bush and scrub have been felled, and seven acres grassed, thirty chains of post-and-rail and five chains of scrub fence erected. Two acres were dug up and sown in oats, from which one ton of hay was collected. During harvest-time much bad weather was experienced, and a quantity of hay was lost at both the above stations. At Ohuka, the fencing round the paddock has been kept in repair, scrub and fern cut, and grass seed surface-sown. At Marumaru, the paddock fence has been repaired and securely wattled with inanuku, to make it sheep-proof; fern cut down, and grass seed sown where necessary. At each station, vegetable gardens have been cultivated by the men, and the fences kept in good repair.