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Camp Mental Hospital. —Superintendent's quarters were renovated ; hot-water service and ranges in main kitchen overhauled and renewed. A high fence is being erected round it by the patients. Old-age Pensions Office, Dunedin. —Alterations have been made to the counter, and gas laid to strong-room. Public Works Store, Dunedin. —Additions have been made. MARINE. Waipu Channel, Auckland, was examined and reported on; tenders called for the removal of a reef of rocks in the Helensville Channel; survey made for a wharf at Huia, Manukau Harbour. A jetty is in course of erection for H.M.S. " Iris," cable-steamer, in Auckland Harbour. A report has been made on the silting-up of the Ohinemuri River, near Paeroa. The whavf at Mahanga Bay, Wellington, has been extended. A new wharf has been built at Somes Island, Wellington. A new wharf is being built at Motuihi Island, Auckland. At Okarito a goods-shed was erected ; and a survey was also made of the lagoon, &c, here by Messrs. Gillies and Spence. A survey has been made of the Okuru Harbour. A survey has been made of Karamea Harbour. A very considerable survey has been made of Point Elizabeth Harbour, including a lot of sounding: it is possible to make a harbour with some considerable outlay. A survey was made and plans got out for a wharf at Kaikoura. ROTORUA AND HANMER. Rotorua. —The drainage of Rotorua is still in hand. It has been waiting for the completion of the new water-supply for flushing-water. As the latter is now nearly completed, it can shortly be finished. There are still the filter-beds to complete and house connections to make. During the year good progress has been made with the Rotorua water-supply : a dam and reservoir have been constructed at the source —at the Moeraki Springs ; some six miles of 16-in.-diameter Canadian wood stave pipe main have been graded for and laid, bringing the water into the town; and about six miles of reticulation pipes of various sizes—6 in., 8 in., and 10 in.—have been laid through the streets. Considerable difficulty has been met with, as in various streets they pass through hot ground, and have to be specially treated and laid in pumice and tar coating to preserve them from the effects of the hot sulphur and acid fumes. The whole is now Hearing completion, and house connections are being made. Hanmer. —A water-supply is being provided by means of some three miles of 10 in. main of similar stave pipes to those being used in Auckland. The headworks are complete and the pipe main about half laid. ELECTRIC AND CABLE TRAMWAYS. A large amount of work has been done by the Head Office staff in approving plans and inspecting works and vehicles for the tramways in the four chief towns. UTILISATION OF WATER-POWER. The land adjacent to the Wairua Falls, Whangarei district, has been purchased by the Government. The -Rotoiti-Kaituna power scheme has now been inquired into thoroughly, and pretty well every possible route surveyed. The final selection of the route is now in hand; probably it will be what is known as the Pokopoko -Te Akau route. With nearly six miles in length of conduit a fall of 590 ft. can be obtained. Records are being obtained of the rise and fall in the lake, the rainfall, and other details. Similar records are also being obtained at Taupo of the Taupo Lake in connection with the Huka Fall scheme, in the Waikato River. Further information regarding the quantity of water available for the Hutt scheme has been obtained. The Lake Coleridge water-power scheme survey was finished in July, 1906. The flows of the following rivers—Clarence, Waimakariri, Rakaia, Rangitata, and Selwyn—have been gauged during the recent droughts. DEFENCES. Auckland. The storage-room for equipment, &c, at the electric-light emplacement, South Battery, North Head, has been enlarged. The barracks and officers' rooms, North Head, have been renovated. The extra magazine, North Head, is being constructed : the excavation is finished and the concrete-work is well in hand. The cot age for the Defence storekeeper, Mount Eden magazine, has been enlarged and put in order. Land for rifle ranges at the Thames and Te Aroha is being arranged for. Wellington. Roads in Scorching Bay, and Shelly Bay to Point Halswell, have been improved and repaired. Electric light was installed at the observatory station, Fort Gordon. Mahanga Bay wharf was extended.