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and other buildings already in hand, and also for a new brick Courthouse at Palmerston North, new Courthouses at Leeston and Macrae's, and new policestations at Auckland, Karangahake, Te Kuiti, Opunake, Manaia, and Invercargill, together with several other works of less magnitude. Post and Telegeaph. The principal expenditure under this head last year took place on new offices at Hawera, Marton, and Martinborough, and additions or renovations at Paeroa, Ohaeawai, Napier, Hastings, Greytown, Wellington (Telephone Exchange), Wakapuaka, Greyinouth, Amberley, and Bealey. This year we ask for a vote of £8,160, which provides for a new building at Otahuhu, purchase of land and building at Petone, new sites at Eketahuna, Newtown (Wellington), and Bluff, and additions and improvements at Mangonui, Waitara, and Dunedin. Lunatic Asylums. Considerable expenditure was incurred in connection with our asylum buildings last year. At Auckland £9,565 was expended in additions to the male wing and in completing the restoration of the auxiliary building. At Porirua £4,874 was spent in carrying on the new building—which was nearly £1,000 in excess of the vote obtained for the work—-and smaller sums at Wellington, Nelson, Sunnyside, and Seacliff. The total expenditure under this class during the year amounted to £16,404. The new auxiliary asylum in Auckland, built in brick, affords accommodation for 121 patients, and supplies the place of a wooden building destroyed by fire which accommodated about 100 patients. The additions to the male wing, also built in brick, afford accommodation for 31 patients, mostly single rooms, a feature badly required at this asylum. At Nelson a new house for the Superintendent is in course of erection and nearly finished. When complete the rooms in the asylum building at present occupied by the Superintendent and his family will be set free, and will be available for occupation by several patients or attendants. At Sunnyside (Christchurch) dormitories have been constructed in a portion of the attics, and afford accommodation for 36 patients. Within the last few weeks 25 patients have been transferred from Wellington to relieve to some extent the pressure there. In addition to the above, the work now in progress and nearing completion at Porirua will accommodate 78 patients, which will further relieve Wellington, and a cottage for convalescents at Seacliff will provide accommodation for 8 patients. The vote proposed for the current year is £17,900, which, in addition to covering the expenditure which has already taken place at Auckland, Porirua, and elsewhere during the portion of the financial year already expired, provides for a commencement being made with the remainder of the Porirua building, which, when finished, will afford accommodation for 212 additional patients. The vote also provides for a new dormitory at Nelson to accommodate 26 patients, and for further work at both Sunnyside and Seacliff, including a new detached dormitory at the latter asylum to afford accommodation for 100 patients. Schools. The amount voted for school-buildings last year was £48,780 —namely, £26,000 under the Consolidated Fund, and £22,780 under the Public Works Fund ; and £48,495 was expended —namely, £26,352 under the Consolidated Fund, and £22,143 under the Public Works Fund. This year we ask for a total authorisation amounting to £59,350 —namely, £25,000 under the Consolidated Fund and £34,350 under the Public Works Fund, the latter amount including the special provision for ordinary school-buildings and technical schools mentioned in the Financial Statement. LIGHTHOUSES, HARBOUR-WORKS, AND HARBOUR DEFENCES. The amount voted for lighthouses last year was £7,550, and £6,067 was expended, principally on the building and lantern at Cape Palliser and the