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necessarily require for a considerable period small yearly grants for the purpose of improving the gradients, widening the roadway, draining, and metalling soft pieces, &c., &c.

Road from Maraekakaho to Kereru.

The old line between Maraekakaho and the Kereru Bush was not only very circuitous, but, owing to several steep hills, and the crossing of the Paporangi creek, utterly unfit for horse drays. No expenditure has been incurred thereon, with the exception of a grant in aid some (6) six years ago for making a dray cutting at the Paporangi. Under those circumstances the old line was abandoned, and one selected saving (3) three miles in distance, starting from the Salisbury Plains, avoiding and heading the numerous creeks and deep ravines, and striking the Kereru road at its entrance into the bush. The whole of this line, comprising about (4½) four and a-half miles of heavy side cuttings, has been made by piecework, partly by grant in aid, as the amount originally voted proved insufficient. As all the cuttings are in dry, sound ground, they will not require metalling nor probably any other outlay for maintenance; but some provision should be made to widen the road in several places, and build (2) two small bridges, also make about (10) ten chains of cuttings between Maraekakaho and the Salisbury Plains. The road through the Kereru Bush will require some expenditure for maintenance.

Petane and Pohui Road.

A portion of the Beach-road to Petane is now being made at a rather heavy cost, but as all necessary materials for roadmaking on the line, whether stone, timber or clay, will have to come from a distance, any system adopted will be costly. About (10) ten chains have been formed and partly metalled in Petane Valley, (2) two small bridges have been built near Pohui, and a gang of men are now employed in improving the old road up the Petane river to Kaiwaka, which will save one-half of the shingle track. I was formerly under the impression that a better line could be got by crossing the Otaokawai about (1½) one and a-half miles below its source, but on closer examination it proved impracticable, at least with the means at command. The beach line should be extended this year towards the Petane Bridge, and a cutting is required at the mouth of the Mangakopikopiko.

Mohaka Bridle Track.

About (120) one hundred and twenty chains of new line have been cut, and the old line has been widened at Tiwhanui, and considerably improved in many places. The amount voted for a bridge over the Waitaha, viz. (£65) sixty-five pounds, has not been expended, as no suitable timber could be found in the vicinity, and the cost of the necessary material in Napier alone would have absorbed the amount set aside for the purpose. As reported on a previous occasion, the Waitaha is a gully 75 feet wide and 40 feet deep, with almost perpendicular papa banks; it is very subject to being flooded, when it carries large quantities of debris with great velocity, so that a suspension bridge alone is safe. As timber suspension bridges must be of larger dimensions than required for bridle lines, to give them sufficient strength, and as this line never will be suited for drays, I should recommend the erection of a wire-bridge, which, according to price-lists before me, can be imported from England for (£150) one hundred and fifty pounds, and erected for (£60) sixty in addition. It is very desirable that the Waitaha should be bridged, as it forms now the greatest hindrance to overland traffic in times of freshes between this and the Wairoa.

The track through the Waipapa Bush should be widened, and the Bush cleared at least 25 feet on each side of the track.

Wairoa District Roads.

Between Mohaka and Waihua about 140 chains of bridle line have been cut, and the roads leading along the Wairoa in front of Clyde have been formed and the necessary culverts inserted.

During the coming year a portion of the new formed roads should be metalled, and Clyde-road should be drained and formed to the foot of the hills. To assist the settlement of Turiroa and the Ohinepaka blocks it is very desirable that a dray-road should be formed along the south bank of the Wairoa to Turiroa.

A horse track runs at present over the hills to Ohinepaka, but no practicable dray line can be got there, owing to the numerous and sudden dips in the only leading range.

The line up the Wairoa offers but very slight difficulties, with the exception of one point about half a mile below Turiroa, where the hills terminate in an abrupt bluff washed by the river. In this place the road would have to be faced by sheathed piling of rather substantial nature. About (£700) seven hundred pounds will be required to open a practicable line between Turiroa and Te Wairoa.