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met with the field work, are chargeable
to the General Government, although defrayed out of the survey vote for the cur-
rent year.

CHARLES WEBER,
Chief Provincial Surveyor.

REPORT UPON ROADS AND BRIDGES.

Engineer’s Office,
Napier, 8th May, 1869.

The road works during the present financial year have mostly been carried on with the amounts set aside for those purposes by the “Loan Act Amendment Act, 1868,” and by the “Toll-Gate Act.”

Owing to the scarcity of labor during the summer months, all available hands having been taken up for harvesting and sheepshearing, a considerable portion of the works had to be deferred to the autumn, and some of the contracts cannot be completed during the present financial year.

I am glad to be able to report the roads generally in good condition, and sufficiently extended for present requirements. Every homestead off the sea coast, with the exception of Mangaharua, is approachable by drays, and all that appears required for the next year is the maintenance of the made portions, for which some provision will have to be made. Until now it was impracticable to contract for the maintenance of the roads, as the new works were generally interwoven with the made portions; but as not many new works are likely to be undertaken during the coming financial year, I beg to suggest that the maintenance of all roads be carried on by contracts, excepting damages caused by floods to bridges; and as those are perfectly sound, and the waterway sufficiently enlarged, they will probably suffer very little from those causes. The roads between Napier, Havelock, and Puketapu can be well maintained from Toll-gate receipts; but at least £1000 is required for the maintenance of the main south road, and at least £800 for that of the other lines.

I shall now describe the different roads under their respective headings.

Town Roads.

No new roads have been made in Napier, but all have been well maintained and generally improved. The cost of maintenance of the town roads will always be considerable, owing to the great wear of the limestone used as metal.

Napier to Waitangi.

The upper beach road has been completed to Tareha’s bridge, and it will make an excellent road, provided it receives proper attention during the coming winter, by filling up the ruts which necessarily must be caused by the traffic, until the foundation is properly consolidated. More than two miles have been completed between Tareha’s bridge and Waitangi, and the remaining portion is now in the hands of the contractor.

Waitangi to Waipawa.

The line between Waitangi and Havelock has been completed, and the metal being well set, will require very little outlay for the coming year. The line from Havelock to Waipawa is finished, with the exception of small portions at Pukahu and at Hapuka’s pa, which are under contract. The portions metalled with river shingle will require very little during the next year, but those covered with limestone, especially near Poukawa and Te Auto, where the material is very soft, will want annually a coat of at least three inches, entailing an outlay of about £80 per mile.

Waipawa to Eparaima.

The greater part between Waipawa and Waipukurau has been metalled, and about three miles between the Tukituki and Eparaima have been lately formed, principally through the flats near Captain Newman’s gate, and through the Motuotaria bush. About one mile near the Tarewa bush (on Mr. Harding’s run), where the subsoil is very spongy, will require re-metalling during the coming winter, and the water-tables on the whole line, which are constantly being filled up by stock, will need constant attendance, employing at least two men for the winter. The approaches to the ford at the Tukituki are now being piled, and the timber for re-flooring Eparaima bridge has been contracted for.

Eparaima to Southern Boundary of Province.

About one and a half miles of side-cuttings have been made on the new line from Eparaima to the Porangahau flats at Lambert’s bush, but the gradients are unavoidably steep, so that it will be of little use but for bullock teams. The greater portion of the line from Lambert’s bush to Porangahau has been formed; and as large discharge-drains have been cut from the road-drains into the Porangahau river, the road will not only be practicable during the winter without being metalled, but the flats will be drained to a considerable extent, greatly benefiting the agricultural settlers lately located there. A substantial bridge has been built over the Kokomoko, and a dray-bridge over the Mangatarri is under progress by contract.

Tareha’s Bridge to Puketapu.

The greater portion of the road between Tareha’s bridge and Puketapu hills has been re-metalled, and the bridge at Puketapu has been rebuilt, and the piling below the Maene bridge is now being extended under contract, the river showing a tendency of further encroaching upon the land, which would, if not checked, cut off the approach to the bridge from Napier. The timber for piling the portion of the river below Mr. Ashton’s fence, where it has eaten close up to the road, is being prepared, and the work will be taken in hand almost immediately.

Puketapu to Patoka.

This line, which, owing to the light nature of the soil, suffers generally severely from heavy rains, has been thoroughly repaired, but no arrangement has been come to with the landowners for opening up the proposed line through Messrs. Breingan’s and Smith’s properties. Owing to the diversity of opinion of the five landowners through whose