Superintendent’s office,
Napier, May 30, 1868.

IT is hereby notified for general information that

— GRAHAM

has been appointed Turnkey to the Napier Gaol; appointment to date from and on the 1st proximo.

DONALD McLEAN,
Superintendent.

I, DONALD McLEAN, Superintendent of the province of Hawke’s Bay, in pursuance of the authority vested in me by the “Hawke’s Bay Cemetery Act 1867,” do hereby, with the advice of my Executive Council, appoint the following persons to be Managers of the Wairoa Cemetery:

ROBERT PEARSON FINLAYSON,
CHARLES HARMER,
JOSEPH CARROLL,
JOHN JUDE TAYLOR.

Given under my hand this 9th day of June, 1868.

DONALD McLEAN,
Superintendent.

REPORT ON ROADS & BRIDGES
Of the Province of Hawke’s Bay, for the financial year 1867-8.

The amount expended upon roads and bridges during the financial year, closing on the 30th June, has been considerable, partly for completing the main south road out of the amount made available by the “Loan Appropriation Act,” and partly for maintaining and extending the other lines, some of which had suffered heavily from the floods of May last, followed by long continuous drought, with high winds, which, necessarily, not only stripped the metalled portions, but also injured greatly those that were nearly formed.

I am glad to be able to report that the roads are now generally in good condition; and, as the water-way of nearly all the bridges has been enlarged, I have very little fear for the future.

All road work, where practicable, has been executed by contract, upon tenders, at rates considerably below those of former years, especially for cart work.

A good many contracts now in hand are absorbing nearly all the available labor in the province.

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

Town Roads.

The road from the boat-shed at the Spit to the post-office, and likewise Customs-street, from the wharf to the main road, has been widened, and raised above the level of the highest known flood tides. The small bridge on Waghorn-street has been removed, and the road has been carried across the tidal lake.

About 10 chains of Battery-road, between Milton-road and the bottom of Chaucer-road, have been made by grants in aid.

The cutting in Coote-road has been completed by the gaol gang, and this road will be open for traffic as soon as the metalling is completed.

The works most needed are a new bridge to the full width of the present road, near the bottom of the Shakespeare-road; and

Hastings-street, from the Masonic hotel to the beach, should be widened at least 8 feet, it being far too narrow for the present traffic.

The necessity for draining the portion of Hastings-street between Browning-street and the Masonic hotel, becomes apparent after every rain-fall; and, although the water percolates very soon through the shingle, covered drains should either be carried into the sea, or at least into absorbing wells at the beach.

Napier to Tareha’s Bridge.

About one-half of the upper beach line, between the town boundary and Tareha’s Bridge, is now in the hands of contractors, and should be handed over in about ten weeks. The construction of the remaining portion will be less expensive, as a clay foundation, with a coat of gravel, can be used advantageously.

Tareha’s Bridge to Puketapu.

This road has suffered more than any other from last year’s floods, and the cost of reconstruction has exceeded the estimates £380.

Tareha’s bridge has been rebuilt and lengthened. Two new bridges, with enlarged water-way, have been built over the Little Waitangi and the branch stream south of it.

Mcanee bridge has been lengthened, and a rather expensive timber facing for the protection of the south bank has been constructed—the addition and protection work entailing more labor and requiring more material than the original bridge. Protection embankments have been erected to considerable distances above and below the bridge.

The road from the race-course to the bridge has been newly formed and metalled upon the deposit, and the side-drains between the Mcanee bridge and the Saltwater creek, which were silted up, have been cleared out, and that part of the road has been reformed. Those works, although very expensive, have been indispensable, and I feel satisfied that they will prove effective.

The line between Tareha’s bridge and Mcanee bridge will require a light coat of metal, during the ensuing year. The culverts between the Mcanee bridge and Puketapu hill should be lengthened and partly removed, and a more substantial bridge is greatly needed at the Puketapu flat.

Taupo Road (Puketapu to Patoka).

The most important portion of this line, viz., that from Puketapu to Peka Peka, is in the same unsatisfactory position in which the past year had left it, as no arrangement could be concluded with the present proprietors of the private properties intervening between Puketapu and the new line at Hakowhai; in fact, I do not see any chance of success before the “Compulsory Land Taking Act” is brought into operation, the different interests being too conflicting. As the settlers in the Peka Peka and Pukititiri districts, and the large number of bushmen employed in the Pohui Bush suffer great inconvenience from being forced into the river bed, every effort should be made to open up the line as surveyed through private properties, especially as the cost of making it practicable will not exceed £100.