1T.—13.

Civil Duties. Constable Kirk is Clerk to the Resident Magistrate's Court at Alexandra. Ten non-commissioned officers and constables were employed during the month of March in taking the census and collecting the agricultural statistics of the Electoral Districts of Waikato and Waipa. Public and Useful Works. During June and July last year a bridge, 70 feet long and 10 feet wide, was built over the Tiarere Stream (Cambridge and Taupo Road). The height of the stringers from summer water-level is 22 feet 6 inches, and from flood level 13 feet. The sill into which arc stepped the piles of the centre pier is founded in a bed of reddish cement equal to rock, and at a depth below the bed of the creek of 6 feet. The sills of end piers have foundations almost equally good. The timber throughout is rimu, being the best hard wood procurable, and 8,500 feet have been sawn and used in its construction. The timber was sawn by members of the Force, and hauled or carted1 by Armed Constabulary teams from the Hinuera bush, a distance of over two miles : this portion of the work was most difficult and laborious, o\vin<r to the numerous swamps and gullies which intervene. Twenty miles of the Cambridge and Taupo Road through a broken country have been reopened and widened; three very large culverts, equal to small bridges, twenty box-drains, 24 feet by 12 feet 9 inches, and a large number of stone and tile culverts have been fixed along the road over the numerous small streams ; the stone used in the culverts was quarried by the men. A bridge, 90 feet by 12 feet, over the Karapera Creek at Cambridge, has been re-erected and strengthened; also a small bridge, 18 feet by 6 feet, over a stream on the Rifle Range. The head-quarters of the district removed from Hamilton to Cambridge last July ; the magazine, Government store, gymnasium, and three other buildings wero brought up and re-erected at this station. Two barrack-rooms, 30 feet by 20 feet, have been match-lined and ceiled and put in proper repair. A cook-house, 18 feet by 20. has been built. The palisading round the barracks has been taken down ; tho ends of the poles, which were beginning to decay, sawn off, and the whole re-erected. The four-acre paddock on which tho barracks stand has been refenced, in which a well 40 feet deep has been sunk, and a pump fixed for station use. The five-acre paddock has been ploughed up, harrowed, and resown with grass aud clover; the fence also has been renewed. Alexandra Station, with its large redoubt, has been kept in good order, fully employing the few men that have been stationed there. Kihikihi Station, after being closed from May, 1877, to January, IS7B, has been rogarrisoned, the buildings repaired and newly painted.

TAUPO DISTRICT. Military Duties. Average Strength of Officers and Men. —The average strength of the Force in this district during the past twelve months has been —1 Superintendent, 1 Sub-Inspector, 1 Surgeon, 9 non-commissioned officers, and 66 constables. Nature of Parades and Drills. —Parades have been held as follows : —For Divine service on Sundays'at 10 a.m.; in heavy marching order, every Monday; and for inspection and drill, once a week. The firing for prizes allotted by the Government, in lieu of the " annual course of musketry," took place between the 27th February and Gth March. Carrying Mails and Despafches.-'-^'Desp^.tches, &c, have been carried by mounted orderlies, as occasion required. Escorts, Guards, fyc. —A mounted constable escorted two prisoners (charge dismissed against one) from Ilotorua to Taupo ; and a foot constable performed a like duty and handed over the other (committed for trial) to the authorities in Napier. A guard has been kept up regularly on the redoubt at head-quarters. Making and Improving Target Banges. —The ranges at Opepe, Tarawera, and Tapuaeharuru have been kept in repair. Storekeepers and Issuers. —The duties of storekeeper have been performed by the officer commanding the district. Erection of Bedoubts and Stockades. —The redoubt at head-quarters has been entirely rebuilt, and the ditch enlarged. At Opepe the stockade has also been renewed, and improvements made. Civil Duties. Steps taken for the Prevention of Crime. —Constables have been told off for police duty, if required, at Tarawera and Taupo. Attending Civil Courts. —Constable Thompson is still Clerk to the Resident Magistrate's Court at Taupo, which holds its Civil sittings fortnightly. Members of the Force attend, on Court days. Attending Native Land Court. —'Constables were told off for duty at the sittings of the Native Land Court held at Taupo in August. A Native sergeant and constable also attended the Land Court sitting at Maketu in May. . Taking Census. —Four mounted constables were employed in February and March collecting agricultural statistics and taking the census in Petane Riding (Hawke's Bay District), and Counties of East and West Taupo. Public and Useful Works. Nature and Extent of Boadwork. —The road between Atiamuri and Kaiwaka (109 miles) has been kept in good order by Armed Constabulary labour alone. During the year 2,313 chains of road have been re-formed, 12,827 chains of ruts filled in and water-tables cleared out, entailing a removal of 3,462 cubic yards of earth ; 10 chains of road have been fascined, 360 yards (cubic) of embankment built up, slips removed to the extent of 197 cubic yards, 6 cubic yards of metal broken and laid down, 6 chains of drain (3 feet wide by 2 feet deep) cut, and 90 cubic yards of rock blasted. Men have also been employed clearing logs and laying off and chaining a new road at Kaiwaka. A road from Taupo to the

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