5

C—ll

Road-formation. This year's expenditure on road-formation works has all been provided out of special vote, and amounted to £1,173 9s. Bd. A distance of 6 miles 24 chains has been completed during the year, making a total of 29 miles 21 chains constructed to date. A further distance of 11 miles is well in hand, and, though there has been a good deal of expenditure on this in clearing, culverting, &c, no portion of it is yet actually formed. A definite policy has now been decided on, and, as stated before, will during the coming year be pushed on with all expedition. Roads will be bridged and culverted and made passable for stock purposes. This traffic will settle the country, and simplify and cheapen the actual formation which will follow as conditions permit. Considering that this is reclaimed swamp country we are somewhat fortunate in that the roading will be a comparatively easy matter, and will be completed without any construction difficulties. For the most part the land contains just enough sand and grit to make passable roads, even without the use of metal. Fencing. The fencing of the main outfall is well up to date. The year's expenditure under this head was £787 lis. 7d., and the distance completed 10 miles -64 chains. Bridges. Two three-span pile bridges have been erected during the year across the Te Rahu - Mangaroa outfall at the main-road crossings, in each case necessitating the erection of temporary bridges to keep the road open for traffic. Five single-span sill bridges have also been erected in connection with the general roading scheme. Floating Plant. This plant consists of two Priestman dredgers, one Hammond bucket dredge, one suctiondredge (incomplete), two ferry pontoons, one snagging-barge, two coal-barges, two oil-launches, and sundry small punts, boats, &c.—all, with the exception of one ferry pontoon and the suctiondredge pontoon, being in first-class order and in constant use. One oil-launch has since last report been temporarily transferred to the Waihi Swamp to facilitate the engineering surveys of that area, but this will be returned shortly. Buildings . The total number of buildings on the works, including quarters, stores, workshops, &c, is seventeen. All are in good order, and sufficient for the purposes. Surveys. During the greater portion of the year a survey party has been busily engaged on the necessary land and engineering surveys required by the works. These, principally engineering surveys, are well up to date. Summary of Works performed. During the year the following works have been carried out, : — Cubic Yards Excavation by wheel-scoop teams ... ... ... ... 12,980 Excavation of canals, &c, by dredgers ... ... ... ... 268,760 M. oh. New outlet drains ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 50 Deepening and cleaning drains ... ... ... ... 11 44 Roads formed ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 24 Fencing erected ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 64 Pile bridges erected ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 Sill bridges erected ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 Ferry pontoon built ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 General maintenance and improvement of existing works was prosecuted, together with many minor services too numerous to mention in detail. Works Expenditure for Year. On account of piecework contracts and day-labour of all descriptions upon drainage operations the sum of £11,935 Bs.' Bd. was paid out of local imprest. In connection with roadconstruction and river-bank protection, out of special votes, the sum of £1,324 4s. 2d. was paid out of imprest. Principal Works proposed for Next Year. The following works will be actively prosecuted : — (1.) Completion of Omelm and Awaiti Streams dredging. (2.) Continuance of Kopeopeo outfall and Tarawera River dredging. (3.) Commencement of Awakaponga Stream dredging. (4.) Vigorous prosecution of general roading scheme. (5.) Maintenance and deepening of existing outlet drains. (6.) Continuance of construction of new outlet drains. (7.) Continuance of fencing of main outfalls.

2-C. 11.