D.—l

VI

and the whole chain of communication from Tauranga to the Wairoa will be thus opened for this class of traffic. In the Waimate Plains, and in connection with Native affairs at Parihaka, several road works were undertaken, amongst which was the continuation of the main road from Stony River southwards to Opunake. This has been formed and gravelled throughout, with the exception of two and a half miles of gravelling at one end. From this road three branch roads running inland are in progress, a length in all of twelve miles of such branch roads having been formed within the year. South of Opunake, as far as Waingongoro, extensive works have been carried out in the way of improvements; and, with the exception of about six and a half miles the road has been gravelled throughout. A branch from this road to Normanby, six miles in length, has been formed. Middle Island. —The principal road works undertaken, have been metalling and other improvements on the road from the Wairau River, near Blenheim, to the Pelorus Bridge, and a new road from thence to Nelson via the Rai Valley; bridges and other improvements on the road from Nelson to Westport and Greymouth; the Clarence River Bridge, for which the ironwork has been ordered from England; and the road from Kaikoura to Waiau, and the Waiau Bridge. In addition to these may be specially mentioned the Rakaia Gorge Bridge in Canterbury, and the Forest Hill Tramway in Southland. The whole of the works executed are of great utility, having been much required to keep pace with the increasing demands of settlement. HAEBOUE WOEKS AND LIGHTHOUSES. For harbour works last session a sum of £23,314 was voted, the largest item being £15,000 for the continuation of the training-wall at Greymouth. This has been steadily carried forward, and the whole of the vote was expended or contracted for within the year, A small sum of £2,000, provided for commencing a training-wall at Westport, has also all been expended or contracted for. The item of £3,000, in aid of harbour works at Hokitika, has been handed over to the Harbour Board there, under whose supervision the work is being carried out. The removal of rocks at Catlin's River has taken longer than anticipated, but it will now be completed forthwith. The buoy rock at Nelson has been lowered so as to obtain a minimum depth of 7 feet of water at lowest tides. A training-wall at Collingwood of a tentative character is in progress, with the view of restoring the Aorere River to its proper channel. On harbour works altogether, the expenditure out of Public "Works loans within the year has been £18,810, and the liabilities on the 31st March last were £4,755 : total, £23,565. Under the heading of lighthouses the works completed during the year have not been very extensive or costly, but they will be of considerable utility to shipping. They consist principally of the lighting of Cape Egmont, two leading lights in Tory Channel, and a beacon in the French Pass, erected as part of a proposed complete scheme for lighting that place. In addition to these completed works, preparations have been made for the construction of lighthouses at Waipapapa Point and in the Hauraki Gulf. For the Waipapapa works the site has been selected, and an order has been sent to England for the light apparatus and lantern; and for the Hauraki Gulf Lighthouse the works were commenced in February last, all the plant necessary being already in hand. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. For public buildings generally the amount voted last session was £194,106. Of this sum, £128,356 was expended during the year, and the liabilities at the end of March last amounted to £84,457 : total, £212,813. The portion of this expenditure, including liabilities, devoted to the North Island was £71,634, and