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18

APPENDIX No. 2.

DETAILED, REPORTS ON THE ROAD-WORKS UNDERTAKEN BY THE SURVEY DEPARTMENT.

AUCKLAND. Okaihau to Victoria Valley. —During the season very little has been done to this road, owing to the Native contractors, through whose land the road runs, having been much engaged in land disputes, and attending Native Land Courts. One of the two contracts mentioned in last year's report has been lately finished and the other nearly so. The delay, however, lias not been of much importance,' as the finished part has passed the junction with the Orurn branch; and the cost has not been increased thereby, the inspection having been done in connection with that of the Fern-flat Village Settlement. The works done are 34 chains of bridle-track and 28ft. of bridging. The portion oi bridle-road between the Mangamuka and Waihou Bridges (about eleven miles) has also been maintained and repaired. Mr. G. G. Menzies has charge of the works. Wairua to Helena Bay. —Contracts have been let lately to widen about four miles of sidecutting, so as to make the bridle-road into a narrow cart-road, and also for about two miles of forest clearing one chain wide. A contract has also been let for a bridge of 42ft. span over the Mimiha Stream. The work done is one mile of road widened and forest cleared; also several land-slips have been cleared away. Mr. A. M. Sheppard is in charge. Paparoa to Waikiekie. — This road is a continuation northerly of the four and a half miles constructed last season, and mentioned in last year's report under the heading of " Mangapai to Mareretu." Mr. J. C. Blythe; at the latter end of 1888, surveyed and graded five miles of this road, and of this five-mile length three miles were further surveyed for the purposes of conveyancing or taking under the Public Works Act, and the title thereof has since been satisfactorily arranged for. The work done consists of 130 chains of bridle-track, including 81ft. span, of bridges and culverts. Mr. Russell, under Mr. E. Fairburn's supervision, had charge of the works until their completion. Wairua Bridge. —During the season a contract has been let for a bridge of 127 ft. span over the Wairua Eiver in Block XV., Hukerenui Survey District. Mr. A. M. Sheppard is in charge. Awaroa Swamp, Otama to Deed's. —During the season the Waipipi Eoad Board has had performed, under the charge of their inspector, Mr. J. T. Mellsop, the followiug-w Torks—viz. : One mile and three-quarters of fascines covered with clay to a width of 16ft. by Bft. deep, with same length of side-drains cleared. Akaaka Swamp Drains. —During the season Mr. A. B. Wright surveyed and levelled 110 chains of this swamp for draining purposes, and prepared a contract, for which tenders were invited by the Waipipi Eoad Board, and subsequently a contract was let for same. Mr. J. T. Mellsop has charge. Waereiuja. —Mr. Wright, during parts of April and May last, surveyed about two miles of this road, both for engineering as well as conveyancing purposes, extending between the school-house, Waerenga, and the commencement of Mr. Haszard's road, being the portion of it which runs through private ground, and the title thereof has been arranged for, free of compensation. A contract for the construction of 135 chains of this has been prepared and tenders called for. Mr. T. Grange, with a small party of men, commenced, at the beginning of June, forming a narrow cart-road on the portion of Mr. Haszard's line starting at edge of forest and extending eastward, and will also inspect the work on the other portion when the contract for it is let. Waingaro to Akatea. —Work done—about 50 chains of road widened from 6ft. to 12ft., and eleven miles of road kept in repair. The work has been done by the Firewood Creek Village settlers, under the supervision of Mr. F. H. Edgecumbe. Akatea to Papakauri. —About 120 chains of bridle-track have been made, and some bridges are under construction. The work is still proceeding: Mr. F. H. Edgecumbe has charge. Whaingaroa to Waitetuna. —The works carried out on this road during the season have been some small repairs, and the construction of a portion of its southern end, required to complete it as a through line of communication between Huntly and Ngaruawahia respectively at the one end and the Eaglan-Whatawhata Eoad at the other, and which has now been done by forming the late unfinished portion as a narrow dray-road; the remainder of the road northwards is only a bridleroad. The work done consists of 117 chains of formation 12ft. wide, and 24ft. of bridging, besides clearing away a few landslips. Mr. P. Cogswell, under Mr. E. Fairburn's supervision, had charge. Kawhia to Alexandra. —During the season the Whatiwhatihoe Bridge has been painted, and some small repairs made to its approaches and to those of a culvert a little south of it; also, the Oparau punts have been repaired; and a few slips and fallen trees cleared away from road. The works were carried out under Mr. E. Fairburn's supervision. Te Mata to Kauroa. —This, a much-needed deviation, was surveyed more than two years ago, but the construction of it was delayed by compensation difficulties. These have since been satisfactorily settled, and the formation just completed. The work done consists of 92 chains formation—■ principally side-cutting 16ft. to 18ft. wide—and 16ft. of bridging. Mr. W. P. Cogswell, under Mr. E. Fairburn's supervision, had charge. Coromandel to Thames. —Mr. A. B. Wright, of this department, during last summer made an engineering-survey of about five miles of this road. The work on it has since been let in two contracts. The county is in change. Puriri to Tairua. —The work done during the season consists of 47 chains of precipitous rocky side-cutting sft. to 6ft. wide, and 38ft. (united spans) of open culverting. About half a mile of