  The covariant form of the field equations for two--dimensional $R^2$--gravity
with torsion as well as its Hamiltonian formulation are shown to suggest the
choice of the light--cone gauge. Further a one--to--one correspondence between
the Hamiltonian gauge symmetries and the diffeomorphisms and local Lorentz
transformations is established, thus proving that there are no hidden local
symmetries responsible for the complete integrability of the model. Finally the
constraint algebra is shown to have no quantum anomalies so that Dirac's
quantization should be applicable.
