D.—l

XIII

Another important work provided for last year was the additions to the south wing of the General Departmental Buildings at Wellington. Additional accommodation in these buildings was very urgently required, and has now r been provided. The amount expended on this work last year was £3,659, and a further vote of £1,000 is required this year to close accounts in connection with the matter. The extra office floor-space provided by these additions is equal to 5,200 square feet, while four large strong-rooms have been provided in addition. Besides the improved convenience, a saving in rent of £675 per annum has been effected. The Government Houses at both Auckland and Wellington have been renovated internally and externally. The expenditure on the former during last financial year amounted to £307, and on the latter to £1,334, while further votes to the amount of £3,500 and £2,050 respectively are proposed this year to complete the work. The houses having been renovated, it was also necessary that the furniture and fittings should be looked to. The greater part of the furniture requires renewing, having deteriorated very much since the passing of " The Governor's Salary and Allowances Act, 1873." A good deal in this direction has already been done, but more remains to be done. In this connection the stringent conditions of the Act just referred to have been found to be very restrictive. . It is, therefore proposed to make provision for the furnishing of the Government Houses, so as to remove the difficulty which the Auditor-General at present experiences in passing expenditure vouchers. Judicial. A good number of buildings under this head have been dealt with during the year. Those on which the principal expenditure, has been incurred are as follows : — Courthouses. —New buildings at Marton, Palmerston North, and Mosgiel; and additions or renovations at Auckland and Beefton. Gaols.' —The only work on which any large expenditure has taken place has been the new gaol at Dunedin, on which an amount of £4,641 was spent during the year. The building is now complete and occupied, and it is proposed to utilise the ground at present occupied by the old building as a site for the new law-courts. The other works in hand have been the new buildings at Mount Cook (Wellington) and Mount Eden (Auckland), on which the expenditure has been £691 and £369 respectively. Police-stations. —New buildings have been erected at Hikurangi, Coromandel, Moawhango, Eltham, Baetihi, Wellington (Thorndon and Manners Street), and South Dunedin. The principal works provided for under " Courthouses" this year are the proposed new law-courts at Dunedin, and new Courthouses at Eketahuna and Macrae's, and the completion of the Courthouse now in progress at Palmerston North. Under the item " Gaols " provision is made for carrying on the work at Mount Eden, and erecting a new Gaoler's house there; also for carrying on work about the grounds at Mount Cook, and a Gaoler's house at Clyde, &c. Under " Police-stations " a host of small matters are provided for, the only large item being the new police-barracks at Auckland. New stations are to be erected at Te Kuiti, Mokau, Opunake, Manaia, Feilding, Kaikoura, and Invercargill; new cells and other conveniences at Wellington; new cells at Christchurch ; and alterations and additions at Greymouth. Post and Telegeaph. The principal expenditure last year under the head of " Post and Telegraph " buildings was the purchase of a new site at the Bluff, and erection of new offices at Waitekauri, Waihi, Marton, and Ashhurst, and additions or repairs at Kuaotunu, Hawera, Wellington (Telephone Exchange), Wakapuaka, Hokitika, Geraldine, and Queenstown. The appropriation proposed for the current year is £8,425, the principal works provided for being new fire-proof store, Wellington, new post-offices at