The Government Roads Department . The office of the Government Roads Department in Napier is situated on the first floor of the South British Insurance Buildings, in Browning Street, and comprises the District Road Engineer's office, and the clerical and drafting room. The office staff includes the chief engineer, the chief and assistant draughtsman, the head clerk, and the imprestee; the department employs an average of 250 men, three inspectors, four overseers, and six foremen. The district, which is an exceedingly large and rugged one, extends from the mouth of the Waiawa river in the Bay of Plenty, to the mouth of the Waimata river in the south, the western boundary line running through Motu, Mangapoa, Lake Waikare-Moana, and Ruanga, to the Manawatu Gorge. The work of the Department includes the construction of roads and bridges, and the execution of all Government construction works within the limits of the district.

Mr. Donald Neil McMillan, District Government Road Engineer for the province of Hawke's Bay, is a native of Auckland, and was born in March, 1863. After completing his education, he served his time to engineering, under his uncle, and was subsequently employed by other engineering firms, including the Manawatu Railway Company. He then entered the Roads Department of the Government service as a road-overseer, in which capacity he was stationed successively in South Taranaki, Wellington West, and Hawke's Bay. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of inspector, and was stationed page 337 in Otago to superintend special work. A year later, 1902, he received his present appointment. In 1892, Mr. McMillan was anchor-man in the famous New Zealand Tug o' War Team at Wellington. He takes a keen interest in the local Highland Society, was for some time one of its chieftains, and is a member of the committee.