d.—i

X

moana and G-isborne to the north, and Wairoa to the south; to carry on the construction of the Napier-Mohaka-Wairoa Coast Eoad, via Tutira Lake ; and to continue the road via Nuhaka from Wairoa to Grisborne. A large block of land for settlement, situated east of Dannevirke, is now in process of being roaded, and that work will be continued during the year. In Wellington the very large number of important roads to give settlers an outlet should be pushed forward, and the constructed roads metalled wherever possible. In the Middle Island a connection with the railway at Starborough, and roads through that estate, should be arranged for early. The maintenance and advancement of the main r,oads which are the chief means of communication on the West Coast must be attended to. A number of bridges in Canterbury and Otago are now in need of practical renewal, and, as this is evidently beyond the means of the local authorities, some provision is this year made for a few of them. The through road in the Tautuku Forest, from Owaka to Waikawa, should be metalled if the settlement of that land is to be successful. In Southland and Stewart Island new roads and bridges are required for advancing settlement in the west and on the east coast. For tourists and invalids some provision is made for increased accommodation and convenience at Eotorua, Te Aroha, and Hanmer. The amounts required to be authorised are, — £ For immigration ... ... ... ... ... 150 For main roads ... ... ... ... ... 184,516 For settlement roads... ... ... ... ... 199,616 For improved-farm settlements roads and improvements ... 24,284 Out of the Government Loans to Local Bodies Account—settlement roads ... ... ... ... ... 50,000 For roads to open Native lands recently bought ... ... 5,338 For thermal-springs works ... ... ... ... 15,024 £478,928 They may be provincialised as under:—

BOADS ON GOLDFIELDS (MINES DEPAETMENT). The construction of roads and tracks by means of grants and subsidies, as intimated in my last Statement, will be continued. The vote for these purposes last year amounted to £98,092, the expenditure being £49,569, and the liabilities at the end of the.year £43,586. The amount proposed to be authorised for the current year is £99,561, on account of which a vote of £60,000 is asked for. DEVELOPMENT OF GOLDFIELDS. It is satisfactory to be able to state that the prospects of gold-mining are now generally of a more stable character than they were this time last year.

Provincial District. Immigration. Settlement Boads, &o. Main Boads. Thermal. Boads to Native Lands recently purchased. Total. Auckland Hawke's Bay Taranaki Wellington Nelson... Marlborough Westland Canterbury Otago ... Southland General 71,653 18,912 22,616 66,862 3,564 12,590 6,003 7,376 25,971 25,135 13,218 43,368 30,468 30,383 27,236 7,528 10,200 7,710 4,050 13,197 10,376 12,024 500 '300 200 2,000 4,145 493 200 131,190 50,373 53,299 '94,498 13,092 22,790 13,713 11,426 39,168 35,511 13,868 "l50 "500 Totals ... 150 273,900 184,516 15,024 5,338 478,928