D.—l

XVI

for custodian at Auckland. Further votes are also provided for carrying on the Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin gaols , and provision is made for new policestations at Kawakawa, Aratapu, Pukekohe, Paeroa, Waihi, Moawhango, Napier, Eltham, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Te Nui, Nelson, Eangiora, &c Postal and Telegeaph. The chief works carried out under this head last year were the new postoffice at Hawera (which.was burned down immediately it was completed), new offices at Pahiatua and Ahaura, and improvements at Gisborne, Wanganui, Wellington, and Invercargill The principal works now in hand or provided for are new offices at Waihi, Hastings, Stratford, Hawera (to replace the building recently destroyed), Martinborough, Cheviot, Tapanui, and Queenstown, with numerous minor works at other places. Lunatic Asylums. The principal works carried out at our asylum buildings during last year were the completion of the first portion of the Porirua Asylum, new laundry block and new boilers, &c, at Sunnyside , sundry works at Seacliff, and the payment of the balance of the purchase-money for the Porirua Asylum Estate. This year provision is made for commencing the rebuilding of the Auxiliary Asylum at Auckland, and some much-needed additions to the old building at the same place, the commencement of a new wing at Porirua, the completion of the works already in hand, providing new laundry appliances, &c, at Sunnyside, and laundry improvements, water-supply, &c, at Seacliff. School-buildings. The total amount voted last year under this head was £46,000, namely £31,000 under the Consolidated Fund and £15,000 under the Public Works Fund, and the whole amount was expended. This year the same amount is asked for, but as a matter of convenience £20,000 has been placed on the Public Works Estimates and £26,000 on the Consolidated Fund. Hospitals and othee Chabitable Institutions. An amount of £8,400 was voted under the above head last year, and, although arrangements were made for expending nearly the whole of it, none of the expenditure came to charge prior to 31st March. Provision has therefore been made on the present estimates for re-voting the whole amount, the bulk of which is required to cover existing liabilities. Miscellaneous, and Eepaies. In addition to the works already mentioned a very large amount of work has been done on other minor buildings, and in general maintenance and repairs. LIGHTHOUSES, HAEBOUE WOEKS, AND HAEBOUE DEFENCES. A vote for £3,000 was taken last year for a new light on the east coast of the North Island. Experts were consulted, when it was found that two new lights were really required—namely, one on Cape Palliser and the other on Cape Kidnappers. An order has been sent Home for the lanterns for both lights, but the funds at our disposal will not admit of both lighthouses being erected this year The light on Cape Palliser is considered by the Shipmasters' Association to be the more important of the two, and it is therefore proposed to proceed with that work immediately The amount required to complete the light on Cape Kidnappers will be provided for next year, but provision to the amount of £2,400 is made on this year's Estimates for the lantern. An amount of £3,500 was voted last year for harbour works, but only £650 was expended prior to the 31st March, but a further amount of over £1,500 has been expended since that date. A vote of £4,250 is proposed to cover this expenditure and sundry liabilities already incurred.