D. —1.

XI

of the Arrow scheme is in hand, and is so far advanced as to permit of work being taken in hand at an early date, after the usual formalities have been complied with. The following schemes have been in whole or partial operation during the last irrigation season : Ida Valley, Galloway, Manuherikia, Earnscleugh, Ardgour, Last Chance, Tarras, Teviot River, and Bengerburn. Officers sent abroad. Arrangements were made for Mr. C. J. McKenzie, Assistant Engineer-in-Chief, to visit America, England, and the Continent of Europe, for the purpose of investigating modern methods and practices in engineering as carried out in those countries, and their application to New Zealand conditions. He will investigate particularly the question of tunnelling-machinery. highway construction, and finance. Mr. J. R. Marks, District Engineer, Dunedin, who has been very intimately connected with the irrigation problems in Central Otago, also accompanied Mr. McKenzie to America, in order to particularly investigate irrigation problems in America generally and California particularly. At the same time he will also be able to gather much useful information on all the different phases of engineering, particularly highway engineering, especially as many of the American conditions and problems are similar to those which, on a smaller scale, exist in this country. ROAD-CONSTRUCTION. The expenditure for the financial year ended 31st March, 1925, exceeded that of the previous year, which, as honourable members will no doubt recollect from my previous Statement for 1924, represented a record for this Branch of the Department's activities. The diagram below shows the trend of the Department's roading programme for the past eleven years.

It is interesting to note that of the 56,680 odd miles of legalized roads and tracks in the Dominion, 23,097 miles have been fully metalled to dray-road width, and an additional 16,114 miles formed to dray-road width. It is estimated that an expenditure approximating £50,000,000 will yet be required to fully complete all roads as metalled dray-roads. Considerable attention has also been paid during the past year to the question of road-surfacing, The realization of the capabilities of improved surface to withstand the ever-increasing motor traffic, and thus considerably reduce the cost of