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Roads. The White-pine Bush Road was completed during the year, and has been found very useful, especially being used by the public, in connection with the extension of the East Coast Railwayfrom Awakeri onwards. A road has also been formed along the Te Rahu-Mangaroa outfall drain from the main Whakatane-Matata Road to the main Rotorua Road, whilst the road from the Kopeopeo outfall drain down along the Eastern drain has been completed and carries a great deal of traffic, as this road saves a long detour. The main East Coast Road is now complete from Awakeri to the Tarawera River, and drains have been cut from the Tarawera River towards Awakaponga Station, and the formation is now in course of construction by carts, as the Public. Works Department found that, owing to the shortage of trucks and other causes, they could not supply material arranged for previously. Bridges. The bridge gangs have completed several flood-gates and bridges, including the following: Gow's Bridge across dredge cut (30ft.); Roulston's, Dunstan's, and McCorley's bridges (small); Whakatane Main Road (small) ; branch drain from Western drain to dredge cut (small) ; Section 110 drain, two bridges (small) ; Hyland's drain, two bridges (small) ; Awaiti drain, one bridge (small) ; Tarawera Western drain, one bridge (small) ; Mayo's X Road, one. bridge (small) ; Reid's Central (one 20ft. span); dismantling and re-erecting bridge across Kopeopeo dredge cut (30ft., pile); McCracken's Road drain (20 ft., pile); Railway Road-Western drain (20 ft., pile); Palmer's Bridge dredge cut (pile); railway road near Wharfe's dredge cut (pile); railway road near Reid's central (pile); flood-gate across main Matata Road near Powell's ; flood-gate across main Matata Road near Seccombe's ; Sheat's flood-gate ; flood-gate, Rahunui Drain ; Eastern Boundary Road bridge and flood-gate ; Section 63, flood-gate. Also the benzine-shed was removed from Matata to Thornton, besides many other small works, consisting of repairs to dredges, punts, fencing, &c. Stop-banks. Day-labour gangs have been employed for some time in strengthening and raising existing stopbanks alongside the Tarawera River, and a contract was let to a gang of Dalmatians, who did over 90 chains ; hut experience shows that stop-banks are best built by the day-labour gangs. Dredge No. 8 has deposited extra material on existing banks. / Drains tn Operation. The total length of drains in operation to date is as follows : Dredge cuts, 26 miles ; main outlet drain, 97 miles; road-drains, 26 miles. Roads in Operation. The total length of roads in operation is now 106 miles. Summary. New drains .. .. .. .. .. .. 9 miles 20 chains. Widening and deepening drains .. .. . . .. 35 ~ Dragging and cleaning drains and dredge cuts .. .. 60 ~ New roads formed .. .. . . . . . . 7 ~ 53 chains. Surfacing roads.. .. .. .. .. . . 6 ~ 60 ~ Stop-banks .. .. .. .. .. . . 4 ~ Fencing . . .. .. .. .. .. 7 „ 40 chains. Levels taken .. .. .. .. .. .. 57 ~ 40 „ Pile bridges .. .. . . .. .. . . 8 (number). Small bridges .. .. .. .. .. 10 ~ Flood-gates .. .. . . .. . . .. 6 ~ Spoil dredged .. .. .. .. .. .. 215,768 cubic yards. Workshop, Thornton. This year a great deal of repair work has been done for dredges, scoops, &c., and the saving in time by having work done expeditiously cannot be estimated, as both time and expense are kept at the lowest possible level. Buildings. All the buildings in connection with the works are in good order, having been kept in repair, Floating Plant. This consists of four Priestman dredges, three oil-launches, one towing-barge, and various small boats and punts. The ferry punt in use. some, time ago at Thornton was towed to Waihi, and is being used there as a coal-barge. The punt at Matata was dismantled, and any bolts and iron found serviceable used in the construction of the new pontoon, which was built there for dredge No. 9.