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Town Roads.

Rather heavy expenditure has been incurred in remetalling Shakespeare Road, Waghorn and Hastings-street, which had to be done in several instances twice during the season, as the metal spread in August and September last had not enough rain to bind sufficiently to resist the high winds prevailing during the summer drought. The spring and autumn months are, as a general rule, considered the best adapted for road repairs; but believing that here a good deal of that work can be done with advantage during the winter, several roads are being remetalled now.

The lower part of Shakespeare-road has been made to its full width, the excavated stuff being used to reclaim portion of the lake at the head of Waghorn-street. Fitzroy-road, leading from the saddle of Shakespeare-road to the block of land between the lower part of Milton and Shakespeare-roads, as likewise portions of Carlyle-street, Thompson-road, and several smaller streets, have been made by grants-in-aid; and Milton-road is now being metalled from the saddle towards Battery-road.

A liberal grant will be required for maintenance during the coming year, as not only the internal town traffic but likewise that from the country has greatly increased, entailing a proportionate wear and tear.

Hastings-street, which is too narrow for the present requirements, should be widened at least 8 feet from the Masonic Hotel to the town-boundary, and if means are available it should be continued on the ridge towards Tareha’s bridge so as to overlook the sea. The present natural road is excellent, in fact better than any artificial one would be for a year or two after making, but it is very narrow when the tide is in, and almost impassable at spring-tides, independent of its offering anything like a pleasant view.

Another point requiring attention in the progressed state of the town, which I will refer to here, as affecting the roads, is its drainage. Napier, with its good slopes from every point almost, will fortunately require artificial drainage in only a few localities, but in some of those, the difficulties to be overcome are of more than ordinary nature.

The greater portion of the lands south of Carlyle-street are either below high water mark or very little above it, so that their drainage will be more properly reclaiming from the sea, and will be of such a costly nature that the subject is necessarily out of place here.

The portion which should be dealt with during the present winter is that between the bottom of Shakespeare-road, the end of Tennyson-street and Churchlane, where the drainage from the surrounding higher levels lodges and frequently overflows Hastings-street.

The most efficient but likewise the most expensive plan of proceeding would be to carry covered drains from Browning-street and from Tennyson-street into the sea, protecting them with sea-valves at their mouths. The lids of those valves may have to be freed now and again from shingle likely to be thrown upon them by heavy southerly weather, but generally the water will have sufficient force to clear its way when the tide is out. The cost connected with those drains will be about (£300) three hundred pounds.

A far cheaper but less efficient plan would be to dig absorbing wells in the Government Reserve in front of the Masonic Hotel, and lead the drainage into them—but those are liable to get foul with the slimy sediment of the drainage, and would be, although railed in, anything but an ornament to the Town.

Road from Tareha’s Bridge to Puketapu.

This road has been completed between Tareha’s and the Meanee Bridge; a new bridge has been erected over the Waitangi, and one is nearly finished to take the place of the present Tareha’s Bridge, which had become unsafe. The piece between Maney’s and the Saltwater Creek (about 40 chains) should be metalled so as to complete the road to the Puketapu Hills, and liberal allowance made for remetalling the old line.

Taupe Road (from Puketapu to Patoka.)

The new line between Hakowai and Pekapeka, avoiding five crossings of the rivers, which had been commenced two years ago by the Military Settlers, is just now completed; about 3½ miles of heavy side cuttings and 9 small bridges and culverts have been made this year on this portion. The whole line to Patoka is now completed, with the exception of the portion between Puketapu and Hakowai, upon which I have specially reported. The maintenance of this road will not be expensive, as the soil of the cuttings is generally favourable.

Waitangi Bridge to Havelock.

A new road has been formed by the site of the Ngaruroro Bridge to Havelock. The length of line made is about (6) miles, of which several portions entailed con-