D.—l

XII

Every country electorate in the colony is demanding new roads or better roads, but the Government can meet only the urgent demands of some, the others must wait another year. The amounts required to be authorised this year are, — £ For immigration ... ... ... ... ... ... 350 Main roads ... ... ... ... ... ... 13,387 Miscellaneous roads ... ... ... ... ... ... 21,493 Flood damages ... ... ... ... ... ... 20,000 Development thermal springs ... ... ... ... ... 62,645 Lands Improvement ... .. ... ... ... ... 237,741 Government Loans to Local Bodies Account ... ... ... 43,978 Native Land Roads ... ... ... ... ... ... 59,871 £459,465 Provincially distributed, they are for, — £ Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 116,834 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... ... ... 41,648 Taranaki ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 52,064 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 96,779 Nelson ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 12,822 Marlborough... ... ... ... ... ... ... 19,108 Westland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 14,023 Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 11,244 Otago ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 40,112 Southland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 28,613 General ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 26,218 £459,465 ROADS ON GOLDFIELDS (MINES DEPARTMENT). It is proposed to continue to assist local bodies by means of grants and subsidies towards the improvement of existing roads, to enable machinery to be conveyed to the mines which have already been partially developed, and also for the construction of roads, bridges, and tracks in the more outlying portions of mining districts. The vote for roads and tracks last year amounted to £89,357, the expenditure being £32,578, with liabilities amounting to £39,702. The vote proposed for the current year is £96,892. DEVELOPMENT OF GOLDFIELDS. As already mentioned in the Financial Statement, as well as in the Statement of the Hon. Minister of Mines, the development of our goldfields continues to steadily progress, and it is only reasonable to expect that on the completion of the extensive development works now in progress, and with the working of the additional and improved machinery which is being erected for the crushing and treatment of our refractory ores, and for the dredging of our river-beds, the yield of gold will be considerably increased. Prospecting operations are going on over a large area for gold, silver, copper, cinnabar, manganese, and other ores, and reports of new discoveries have been made from time to time. Mining for opals is also receiving some attention, and already nine leases, covering an area of 233 acres in the Mount Peel district of Canterbury, have been issued for this purpose. It has also been reported that opals of a valuable kind have been discovered at Tairua, in the Hauraki district. The deep-level shaft at the Thames, which has been referred to in previous Statements, is being constructed as fast as circumstances will permit, and the pumping machinery is being erected as it arrives from the manufacturers in England, ten of the largest boilers ever erected in the colony having been placed in position. The old Queen of Beauty shaft, which was the one selected, has also been enlarged to 17 ft. 6 in. by 8 ft. 6 in. in the clear, and is now down to a depth of 425 ft., being within 322 ft. of the depth of the old shaft, which was sunk 747 ft. when the old company ceased operations. Reports will be presented upon the important subject of water-supply and conservation for mining as well as for irrigation purposes. This question is surrounded with many difficulties, owing principally to the existence of prior