C—B

4

Bridges, Culverts, etc. The total number of sill bridges to date is ninety ; small bridges on piles, eight; one two-span bridge ; and culverts, four. Private Telephone-line to Works. This line of 14 miles has now a considerable amount of work on it, as, in addition to our own, it carries wires of the Post and Telegraph Department. The private wire as been maintained as found necessary. Buildings. The total number of buildings on works comprises thirty-seven of all classes, and they used as workmen's quarters, wharf-stores, &c. Of this number four wharf-stores were built during the year. All are in very fair order. Floating Plant. This consists of the following : Two Priestman grab dredgers complete, one steamer, four oillaunches, three pontoons, and sundry small punts. All are kept in good repair. Artesian Boring Plant. To date some fifty-nine bores have been sunk for settlers and the works. Of this number twentyeight were sunk during the year, one of these being situated on the pound-site, the balance being for settlers. Flows have ranged from 3,000 gallons to 100,000 gallons per diem. The water still continues to be mineralized, but seems to suit stock very well indeed. Schedules of twenty-eight bores are attached hereto, and are of interest geologically. The bores are being sunk for settlers on easy terms extending over periods that suit them. Repayments to date total £210 16s. Bd., of which amount £179 17s. 9d. was received during the year under review. All outstanding amounts will be collected in due course, so that no loss will accrue to the account. Only one plant is used on the works, and the value of bores sunk during the year is £646 18s. 6d. Light Tram-line. Owing to the strikes on the Continent the oil locomotive only arrived quite lately, and as the season was late the line to be laid down for purposes of carrying spoil to ballast peat roads was not proceeded with. Instead of this the rails and sleepers are to be used in connection with transport of road metal on Pipiroa-Waitakaruru Road. Works performed during Year. The following works have been executed under piecework conditions : Double drain and roadbank, 2 miles 18 chains ; double drain and road formation, 1 mile 56 chains ; widening road-drains and spreading spoil, 11 miles 48 chains ; new drain and road formation, 25 chains ; clearing scrub and stumping roads, 2 miles 23 chains ; converting road-banks into roads, 1 mile 14 chains ; cleaning road-drains, 34 miles 48 chains ; new outlet drains, 4 miles 61 chains ; deepening outlet drains, 8 miles 18 chains ; cleaning outlet drain, 9 miles 60 chains ; new subdivisional drains, 56 chains ; deepening subdivisional drains, 4 miles 56 chains ; cleaning subdivisional drains, 3 miles 16 chains ; new stopbank drains, 1 mile 33 chains; deepening stop-bank drains, 51 chains; cleaning stop-bank drains, 22 chains ; stripping peat, Waitakaruru Canal, 75 chains ; snagging Piako River (upper reaches), 1 mile ; removing heavy timber from drains, 3 miles 75 chains ; fencing, 36 chains : distance covered, 93 miles 61 chains. The following works have been executed by day labour : Blinding peat roads with sand (10,000 yards, approximate), 4 miles 29 chains ; road formation, 3 miles 73 chains ; new road-drains, 1 mile 17 chains ; deepening road-drains, 4 miles 20 chains ; cleaning road-drains, 23 miles 41 chains ; clearing road-lines of scrub, and stumping, 3 miles 44 chains ; new outlet drains, 1 mile 20 chains ; deepening outlet drains, 66 chains ; cleaning outlet drains, 3 miles 64 chains ; strengthening stop-banks, 7 miles 11 chains ; cleaning stop-bank drains, 4 miles 55 chains ; new stop-bank drains, 1 mile 1 chain ; timbering road-drain, 20 chains ; discing and rolling roads, 13 miles ; snagging Waitoa River, 6 miles 45 chains : distance covered, 79 miles 26 chains. Construction of—wharves, 3; flood-gates, 5 ; bridges, 19 ; framings to gates, 12 ; sheds, 4. Artesian bores sunk, 28. Posts, 700. Poles, 300. Fascines, 1,500. Spoil removed by dredgers, 140,262 cubic yards. Many other services of a maintenance nature have been done by day labour. A daily average of about 175 men have been employed on piecework contracts and day labour throughout the year. Day labour has again proved quite satisfactory. Settlers on Hauraki Plains always have a preference both as regards piecework and day labour, and have done a lot of work during this past year. Cattle. At the beginning of the financial year there were some sixty-nine head of Government stock on the ground standing a cost to the account of £88 9s. 6d., after allowing for the sales of last year. Of this number there has now been sold by auction, &c, some forty-five head, giving a net return of £193 9s. 3d. The balance of stock are still on the ground, but some of the number will be written off on account of deaths, &c, after mustering. When it is considered that the stock were depasturing only on rough drained country the result may be considered satisfactory.