C—lA

24

In these works undertaken by the Cook County, the Government grants have in most cases been largely supplemented from County funds. I beg to furnish below a tabular statement of the works carried on during the year.

S. Pebcy Smith, Assistant Surveyor-General.

HAWKE'S BAY. Since the first votes to open up Crown land were taken in 1880, to the end of the past financial year, the sum of £29,755 has been expended on roads giving access to lands which have been prepared for settlement, and the area selected in the same period out of the blocks affected by this expenditure is : By cash sales, 8,091 acres, price £12,875 ; on Deferred-Payments, 39,972 acres, price paid or to be paid, £51,526; on Perpetual Leases, 7,868 acres, capital value, £10,045 ; total area, 55,931 acres ; total value, £74,446. The grants to the Road Boards from the lands taken upon deferred payments and perpetual leases amount to £19,685, a sum sufficient to materially assist in completing the preliminary works undertaken to give access to the different blocks before they were thrown open for selection. RotoHcakarangu Block. —Acreage to be rendered better accessible, 32,574 acres. The expenditure of the sum of £900 has been placed at the disposal of the Wairoa County Council for the OhinepakaPutere Road ; a portion of the grant (£275) is to be laid out in forming a bridle track from the Cricklewood Junction to Putere, and the balance in making a commencement with the dray road Btarting from the Ohinepaka Valley. Since the construction of the road was put in hand, seven small grazing runs in the Waihua Block, covering an area of 13,923 acres, have been taken up. As stated in previous reports, the sum voted for this block is not sufficient to do more with, than to make a commencement on the work. The road is an important district road and gives access to the properties of several enterprising settlers who are occupying land in the back country. Puketitiri Bush. —There has not been any expenditure on the roads in this locality during the past year. Makeretu Block. —BJ miles of road line have been explored for, and graded through the bush, and contracts are about to be let for clearing the road one chain in width. The area opened out by this road is about 8,000 acres of pastoral forest country. Cost to date, £192 4s. Te Ohu Block. —Area to be opened up, 2,000 acres. Mr. Bargh, road surveyor, is now engaged exploring for a road-line through this block. Umutaoroa Block. —Area affected by expenditure, 7,067 acres. The land in this block, at all suitable for settlement, has been taken up by the Danevirk and Waipawa Small Farm Associations. 11 miles of road have been cleared, stumped, and sown with grass, sixty-five chains of formation completed, one bridge and eleven culverts laid down, at a cost of £2106 11s. sd.

Name of Eoad. Bridleroad. Cartroad. Graded in Addition. Bridges not included in Eoads. Area Opened. .Remarks. Miles, 4-5 5-5 Miles. Miles. Acres. 7,200 387 )kaihau-Victoria ... Lohukohu-Iiakautapu jower Waihou Vaimamaku Bridge 'atarariki Drains ... 'aparoa-Waikiekie Lwaroa Drains Ikaaka Drains 8-1 271ft. 075 mis. 11,000 3,000 Bridge in hand, building Just completed Contracts let for 2J miles Completed Completed Tenders called for In progress In progress About complete In progress In progress Complete In progress (bridges) In progress (bridges) Uncertain Explored Complete—no detail Delayed Delayed In progress In progress In progress Delayed Completed Completed In progress i" l'-fmls. 3,000 Vaerenga ... Jhurchill Punt Vhaingaroa-Kahuru Lawhia-Aotea Lawhia-Waipa dexandra-Hikuranga Jabbage Bay-Cape Colville 'uriri-Tairua Vaihou Ferry, through Komata ... totorua Galatea ralatea-Te Kapu ... 'aupo-Waimarino... lurimotu-WestCoast (Field's track) 'ologa-Arakihi )rmond-Waiapu ... V^aipiro and Tuparoa risborne-Waimata risborne-Wairoa ... 4 3,000 s" 5,000 8,000 18" 6-5 10-6 12-5 3,5*00 61,000 15-5 10-25 i" 40ft. 3-0 10-0 6-75 0-75 5-5 4-0 7,3*00 67,000 70ft. 19,5*00 67,000 Totals 40-5 72'25 26-6 204,887