C.—s

26

been an active demand for this land, it was considered well to defer further expenditure until it was seen Avhether the land would be occupied or not. Daimcirke to Wainui. —The two formation-contracts in progress at the time of last report Avere taken over early in the spring, and these, together with various Avorks carried out by the local bo.dy by means of accrued land revenue, have greatly facilitated settlers' operations—that is, during the fine weather ; but hitherto sufficient funds have not been available for erecting the three bridges W'auted betAveen Dauevirke and Weber. The total expenditure for the year upon maintenance, formation, inspection, &c, Avas £544 6s. lid. In addition to this a subsidy of £500 has been paid to the Danevirke Eoad Board in aid of the new bridge just erected over the ManaAvatu River; but this bridge has not yet been opened for traffic owing to certain complications which have arisen with the Native owners of the Kaitoke Block as to the legality of a road Avhich Avas taken many years ago under the Governor's warrant. The three Road Boards within which this road lies have been notified that they must in future provide for its maintenance. Expenditure for Year. —The total expenditure upon all roads within the district out of direct road votes for the year ended 30th June last Avas £1,803 12s. sd. Since the first votes to open up Crown lands were taken in 1880 to the present time £37,224 os. 9d. has been expended upon roads giving access to lands which have been or are being prepared for settlement. Land Revenue handed to Local Bodies for Expenditure oil Road-ivorks. —During the period under review the revenue handed to local bodies was £3,559 Bs., which, added to last year's total, gives £30,742 10s. 3d. since the commencement of the system. In addition to this, a sum of £500 has accrued, and is available for expenditure as soon as the necessary proposals are made and approved by the Land Board. The instructions to furnish a statement of the mileage and character of the roads made or improved by the local bodies came to hand too late to enable me to furnish any trustworthy information on this head. It may, howeA'er, be said that there is a tendency to use revenue from this source largely for the purposes of maintenance —a course Avhich the Land Board deprecates, seeing that these funds are a diminishing quantity under the operation of the existing land-laws, and by the process of purchase of the fee-simple by selectors. Loans to Local Bodies. —So far as I am aware, the only operations in this district which come under this category are : £1,000 borroAved by the Maharahara Road Board for the purpose of completing roads in the northern portion of WoodA-ille district, and £3,000 obtained by the Danevirke Road Board for the purpose of opening up a more direct road to Wainui from that settlement. The greater part of this amount Avas expended upon the erection of the bridge over the Manawatu River before referred to. G. W. Williams, Chief Surveyor.

Summary of Road-works &c., executed in Hawke's Bay Land District for the Year ending 30th June, 1890.

TARANAKI. Mokau Punt. —At the Mokau Eiver, opposite the Native settlement about one mile from the Heads, a punt has been constructed for' the purpose of establishing a ferry over the river. At this point the river, when the tide is in, is about 12 chains in width, and when the tide is out the width is reduced to 6or 7 chains, according to the season. As steamers trade regularly up the river to the coal-mines, it w 7as deemed undesirable to have an overhead cable Avith which to work the punt in the usual way, as it would have to be lowered and raised each time a steamer passed in or out, necessitating strong straining-gear and two men to work it. The punt is therefore Worked by winch-gearing, and on a chain lying across and on the bed of the river, and secured to posts on each side. The punt is a double pontoon, with a carrying-platform on top 35ft. by 10ft., and is suitable for shipping stock as well as for ferry purposes. The establishment of the ferry benefits and renders more accessible thj Crown lands lying to the north of the Mokau River. Cost, £220. Pukearuhe to Mokau. —The vrork during the year on this section of road (16! miles) has been the repairing or renewing some of the old horse-bridges, improving the width and grades of some of the cuttings, and general surface-work. A contract has lately been let for excavating aroaddoAvn the Rangimitimiti cliffs, which, when completed, will avoid "the old track around the Mokau Heads and the dangerous track down the cliff. Cost, £151.

Name of Work or Road. Roads coi impr or mair Cart-road. nstructed, •oved, itained. Graded Contracts , in in Alea, "Bridle-^" Addition. force. I °Penedroad. I" i Miles. Miles. ' Acres. 4-25 ... ... 1,020 Miscellaneous Boads and Bridges. /ote 80, item 19. —Waioniatatini-Hi-cks Bay Boads to open up Lands before Sale. fate 82, item 30. —Tologa-Mangatokerau „ 82, „ 32.—Ormond-Waiapu (main road)... „ 82, „ 31. —Tologa-Arakihi „ 82, „ 33. —Ormond-Opotiki (maintenance) „ 82, „ 37. —Danevirke-Wainui I ! 60 1-73 1-50 8 l! ,„ 1m 5-78 | > 49 >lo° 4-06 ... ... : 20,300 14,000 Totals 61-73 61-73 15-59 8 84,470