15

Of the Town Roads, Tennyson-street, Customs-street, and the lower portion of Waghorn-street have been formed and metalled, and Milton-road, from the saddle to Mr. Catchpool’s, has been formed, the Provincial Government giving a grant in aid towards the latter work. The old made portion of Milton-road and Carlyle-street have been remetalled and widened in several places, and a party of 9 men with 3 carts are now employed in re-metalling Hastings-street. After this Shakespeare-road and Waghorn-street will be thoroughly repaired.

The only other public works undertaken during the past half-year are the building of a Post Office at the Eastern Spit, of a Shed for Fire Engines in Shakespeare-road, and of a new Ferry Punt for the Ngaruroro, which latter will be ready for use in about three weeks. It was necessary to delay the putting together of the Punt to give more time for the seasoning of the timber.

I have the honor to be, Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

CHARLES WEBER,
Provincial Engineer.

His Honor the Superintendent,
Napier.

Crown Land Office, Napier,
5th February, 1863.

No. 63–14.

Sir,—I have the honor to report to you as follows on the Survey executed during the half-year ending the 31st December, 1862.

Mr. Bousfield has been employed in filling in the detail of the Ahuriri Block, having surveyed about 20,000 acres at a cost of £448. He will proceed to Moeangiangi immediately, to make the Survey of that and the Arapawanui Block.

Mr. Locke has been engaged in staking out numerous Selections in the Hapuku Block, and in surveying Unagricultural land to go to Auction. Total surveyed and staked out, about 18,900 acres at a cost of £316.

I have had under mine own special surveillance a survey party headed by Mr. F. Cherry, staking out selections at Eskdale, and in the Puketapu district. Total surveyed, about 13,000 acres at a cost of £150.

In conclusion I beg to call the attention of the Government to the necessity of having a fire-proof room, as a fire in this office would probably involve a pecuniary loss of not less than thirteen thousand pounds, (£13,000,) independent of the serious inconvenience that would occur to those who have purchased land from the Government.

I have the honor to be, Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

H. S. TIFFEN,
Chief Provincial Surveyor.

February 2nd, 1863.

Sir,—I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your communication of 16th ult., requesting me to furnish you with a report of the district over which my duties extend as Inspector of Sheep, &c.

A detailed Report of such could not be made without my visiting every station in the Province, which at this particular season, when three or four flocks are expected to arrive from the Wellington Province, would be attended with considerable risk, as it would entail my absenting myself for some time from the neighbourhood of the Southern boundary, where I hope to meet the flocks.

So far as a general report of the District is concerned, I may state that out of eighty-one stations (sixty-four licensed, seventeen unlicensed) there are but four on which diseased sheep have been found—viz., those of Messrs. Walker, Fannin, Morris, and Rid-dell, lying between 45 and 110 miles north of Napier, and at the time of my last visit to that neighbourhood, the flocks had either been dressed for the cure of the scab, or were about to be so treated, and as the flocks are small, I have reason to expect good results in most cases.

Trusting this will serve the purpose of a more detailed report,

I have the honor to be

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

F. J. TIFFEN,
Inspector of Sheep and Registrar of Brands.

RETURN OF CATTLE SLAUGHTERED IN THE NAPIER DISTRICT FROM 1st TO 31st JANUARY, 1863, (INCLUSIVE).

WILLIAM LANGFORD,
Inspector of Slaughter Houses.