39

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Nelson District. General. —Small repairs have been executed to the Government Buildings, Lunatic Asylum, and Police-station at Nelson; and to the Government Buildings and Police-station at Blenheim. Westland District. Courthouses. —A contract was prepared and tenders are now advertised for additions and alterations to the Courthouse at Westport. The Courthouses at Greymouth and Kumara have been repaired. Police-station, Brunnerton. —Additions were made to this station. Post-office, Hokitika.- —This office has been repaired and painted. Canterbury District. Sunnyside Asylum. —The fittings and furniture for the central block were supplied and the water-service completed. In October the whole female division was gutted by fire ; plans were at once prepared, and a contract has just been entered into, for its restoration. To accommodate the patients in the meantime the Immigration-barracks at Addington were repaired, and an attic in the male division of the Asylum made into a dormitory. A residence for the doctor has also been built. Police-stations. —The station and residence at Christchurch were repaired, and a petty contract carried out for a new roof and repairs to the Kaikoura station. Post and Telegraph Offices. —At Christchurch the entrance to the private letter-boxes has been covered in, the mail-room distempered, and various repairs executed; and the office at Geraldine re-roofed. Quarantine-station. —The jetty at Quail Island was repaired, a 20ft. span being added at the landward end, and the approach-road made good. General. —Additional accommodation for the Official Assignee has been provided, and alterations made for the Crown Lands Department, in the old Government Buildings. Otago District. Seacliff Asylum. —The drainage of the site was continued, and various minor works carried out. Police-stations. —Stations and outhouses have been erected at the Bluff, Eiverton, Otautau, and Wyndham, stables and lock-ups being also provided at the two latter places. A contract is now in progress for a lock-up at Pembroke. Post-offices. —Large repairs are being made to the Oamaru office, and the contract for a new office at Clyde is almost completed. General. —The repairs to the dynamite magazine at Port Chalmers are finished, and the municipal buildings at Port Chalmers, in which provision is made for a Courthouse, is making good progress. A large amount of repairs and maintenance has been undertaken throughout this district. NUMBEE OF MEN ON WOEKS. The table below shows the average number of men employed under this department on works and surveys for the year, not including contractors' men engaged away from the works: — Number of Employes Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... 426 Wanganui ... ... ... ... ... ...} 073 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... ...J Wellington ... ... ... ... ... ... 201 Nelson and Marlborough ... ... ... ... 44 Westland ... ... ... ... ... ... 484 Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... ... 227 Otago ... ... ... ... ... ... 420 Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... ... 91 Total ... ... ... ... 2,166 ENCLOSUEES. Accompanying this report are the following, viz.: — 1. Statement showing lengths of railway authorised, constructed, and surveyed. 2. Diagram of railways, showing mileage open each year, in the North and Middle Islands, separately. 3. Diagram of railways, showing mileage open each year, in the North and Middle Islands, combined. 4. Map of the North Island, showing railways opened and in progress. 5. Map of the Middle Island, showing railways opened and in progress. I have, &c. W. N. BLAIE, The Hon. the Minister for Public Works. Assistant Engineer-in-Chief.

7—D. 1.