D.—l

LIGHTHOUSES, HARBOUR-WORKS, AND HARBOUR DEFENCES. The expenditure on lighthouses last year was chiefly on the new lighthouse at Kahurangi Point. This year provision is made for a new lantern and tower at Cape Campbell, and for the continuation of works at Kahurangi. The principal expenditure on harbour-works was at Wairoa and on the Napier Spit protection-works. New wharves are provided for at Manukau Sand-spit, Orua Bay, Waiwera, Mercury Bay, Opotiki, Mokau, Pakawau, Bruce Bay, and Okuru; for the Spit encroachment-protection works at Napier, the improvements to the Collingwood Harbour, and the reclamation - works at Sticking Point, Lyttelton. A new examining-room and office is to be erected at Onehunga and some dredging w r ork done at the same place. The vote last year for harbour defences was £25,000, but the expenditure only amounted to £6,678. This year the amount proposed is £15,000. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. In compiling this Statement and the estimates which accompany it every endeavour has been made to meet the necessary requirements of the colony. The total appropriations proposed for all purposes, exclusive of Government Loans to Local Bodies Account, amount to £2,193,052. Every reasonable effort will be made to put in hand the new works authorised as soon as the votes are passed, and to have them pushed forward as rapidly as circumstances will permit. I trust the foregoing information concerning the public works expenditure and the allocations for the present year will commend itself to honourable members. The progress and development of the colony is such that it is impossible to deal, within a limited period, with all the requirements which are placed before the Government, but the proposals now submitted will, I feel sure, be recognised as sufficient to meet the requirements for the current year.

iii—D. 1.

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