C—la.

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Callage Bay to Cape Colville. —This road is in charge of the Coromandel County which has, I believe, done some work on it, but to what extent I cannot say. Puriri to Tairua. —The works on this line are to be undertaken by the Thames County, but at present no start has been made, except the exploration by Mr. Fairburn of a long deviation which the settlers pointed out, and which proves to be an improvement on the surveyed route. As soon as this new line is graded, the work will go on. Waihou Ferry through Komata. —The Ohinemuri County report that this drain has been made, and it is now awaiting the receipt of their plans and specifications to be inspected; until that has been done, I can give no details. It will open about 3,500 acres.of Crown land. Rotorurt Galatea via, Rotomahana. —This line which Mr. J. C. Blythe has had in. charge, starts from the Wairoa village (lately destroyed), and was intended to pass Rotomahana on the way to Galatea, but through the opposition of the Maoris, the first part could not be made. A start was therefore made at Okaro Lake, and a line laid out to the Rangitaiki River near G-alatea, and 10^ miles formed as a cart road. Mr. Blytho had just returned to the Wairoa to go on with the grading of the first part, when he and others were overtaken by the fearful eruption of Mount Tarawera, on tho 10th June last, from which he barely escaped with his life. Nothing of course has been done since, nor will it now be necessary, in consequence of the physical changes in the country. Galatea-Te Kapu via Waikarenwana. —-Mr. J. C. Blythe has constructed 15J miles of bridle road, extending from the Rangitaiki River to the Ahikeroru native village, and has secured some excellent grades in a difficult country. Had it not been for the obstruction of the Uriwera tribe, this road would be much further advanced, though at the same time, I should say, no work can be done in that mountainous country in the winter. I sent a full report of the meeting I had with the Uriweras so need not repeat it here. When the end of August comes, the line ought to be pushed on again, and an endeavour made to enlist the Uriwera themselves in the work. The Ngatimanawa and Ngatiwhare will help all they can to push the work forward. Taupo via, Botoaira and Murimotu to West Coast. —The Waimarino branch of this road has been continued this year under Mr. A. B. Wright's direction to Otuku, a native village east of Rotoaira, a distance of 10-J miles of sixteen-foot road having been completed by native contractors in a .very efficient manner, whilst a considerable length is still under contract. A cart road now exists continuously from Taupo township to Otuku, a distance of 56f miles; but great difficulty is experienced in crossing the Waikato River during winter, as it is not yet bridged. The Murimotu branch of this road leading from that place to Whanganui, and which is more generally known as Fiejd's Track, has had some attention paid to it by Mr. Wright, but as there is a great difficulty in getting from end to end of it at this time of year, Mr. Wright is not able to furnish exact data as to what has been done. At the Murimotu end about 1 mile has been contracted for, and is now about finished, whilst two contracts are in operation at the Whanganui end. The old track has been repaired and vegetation cleared off it for about 22 miles, but this still leaves it one of the worst roads to travel over I ever experienced—not on account of the grades, which are good, but from the mud. Opotihi to Ormond. —Mr. Sidney Crapp, Public Works Inspector in charge of this road, reports that the work has consisted of rock excavations in widening the road from four feet to eight feet wide at all the rocky and precipitous places, as under : —5,402 cubic yards of hard rock, 6,122| cubic yards of picking rock has been excavated, and 153 chains of rock stripped. Maintenance.—Four surfacemen have been employed on this work; the length of road maintained has been about 60 miles all through forest, and, considering the small number of men employed, has been kept in fair order for horse traffic. The Cook County Council have had the control of the following road works, but subject to Inspector Barnard's approval of the specifications and final inspection of the work. A sum of £8,876 has been spent by them—very advantageously as Mr. Barnard reports : Tolago Bay to Arakihi. —Mr. Winter, the County Engineer, has constructed 10 miles, which, I gather, is ten feet wide, and has pegged off an additional 5| miles ready for contract. This line will be a useful road, opening up some good land suitable for pastoral purposes. The fund's however, will not admit of any further works at present. Ormond-Waiapu Road. —-On this line, 6f miles of bridle road have been widened out to a cart road ten feet in the solid, and a large number of culverts put in, draining done, and stumps cleared away, rendering the route available for carts in summer time a distance of 38J miles from Gisborne. The County Engineer estimates that the 44 miles yet to construct will cost £10,000. Waipiro Branch of above Road has been kept in repair, and £ of a mile in addition formed, a width of twelve feet in the solid and additional culverts added, and 8 miles of road flattened at the bends, and grades eased. Tuparoa Branch of Ormond-Waiapu Road.—4< miles of this road have been improved by widening and easing grades, and a bridge of forty-two feet span built, besides several culverts. Gisborne-TVaimata Road. —Of the 7 miles of new line laid off 5J have been formed this year as a ten-feet-in solid road, involving the erection of sixty-five culverts and five bridges, and this work has rendered a considerable area of Crown Land open for selection and settlement—the total length open from Gisborne being 21 miles, available for cart traffic. Gisborne-Wairoa. —On this main line 4 miles have been completed during the past year to a width of twelve feet, and nine bridges (one of seventy feet span) have been erected, besides a large number of culverts (ninety-six). It is believed that the remaining 2^- miles now under contract will be completed in six weeks' time, and then the road will be open to driving from Gisborne to Wairoa. Mr. Baker in his report states—The contract for the bridges over the Haipapa and Kaiterahai formed road been completed, and the sum of £50 18s. expended in clearing away slips on the newlystreams have line. The total expenditure for the year, exclusive of sum granted to Wairoa County Council is£266 Bs. 7d.