H.—ls

Two locomotives are in constant use transporting the stone to the various protective works, the output from the quarry to all works during the year being 22,000 tons. A great deal of survey work was carried out, including soundings in the roadstead, swinging-basin, and berthage area, traverses of various shingle beaches, lagoons, &c., and investigations at the Orowaiti overflow. All plant has been well maintained during the year, and all buildings were completely renovated and painted. In my last report it was mentioned that the Railway Department, which controls the wharves at Westport, was calling for tenders for an up-to-date electric crane for the coal-wharf. Owing to unforeseen circumstances the completion of negotiations for the purchase was delayed, but the contract has now been let, and the crane is due to arrive in New Zealand at the end of May next. Harbour Boards' Special Legislation. During the year the following Bills were promoted and passed : — Auckland Harbour Board Em-powering. —This Bill dealt with the following matters : — (a) Empowered the Board to lease to the City Council the Orakei Basin inside the Railway Embankment for a boating, bathing, and camping area : (b) Empowered the Board to reclaim certain land at Devonport and transfer it to the Devonport Borough Council on payment by the Council of the actual cost of reclamation ; the land to be used for road and recreation purposes ; and vesting a small portion of reclaimed land in the Board : (c) Empowered the Board to erect social rooms, &c., for the use of its employees at the Board's quarries : (d) Validated certain expenditure on production of Board's Jubilee Booklet. Napier Foreshore. —This Act empowered the Board to lease to the Napier Borougli Council a part of its endowment land adjoining the Marine Parade for recreation purposes ; and for the Council to sublet the area on occasions of carnivals, fetes, &c. Napier Harbour Board Empowering Loan and Constitution Amendment. —This Act dealt with the following matters : — (a) Gave effect to the recommendations of the Napier Harbour Commission in the matter of endowment reclamation and the allocation of unexpended loan-moneys in hand : (ib) Increased the membership of the Board from thirteen to fourteen by giving an additional member to represent the Borough of Hastings : (c) Empowered the Board to "borrow the necessary money to pay the expenses of raising certain loans to pay off loans falling due : (d) Validated the excess sum borrowed over and above the loan authorization, the said excess having been raised through a misunderstanding. Napier Harbour Board Loans Enabling Act, 1918, Extension. —The principal Act of 1918 authorized the Board to borrow the money necessary, with the amount of sinking fund, to meet the repayment of certain authorized loans as they fell due. The Act of last session extended the provisions of the principal Act to the reborrowing of the amount then athorized, less further sinking funds accrued, when such loan falls due. Whangarei Harbour Board Vesting and Empowering. —This Act vested certain small areas of foreshore, as an endowment, in the Board. In addition to these Bills the Timaru Harbour Board promoted the Timaru Harbour Board Loan Bill, purporting to authorize the Board to borrow the sum of £200,000 for the purpose of carrying out harbour-works in extension and improvement of the port. This Bill was opposed by the Department on the ground that the trade of the port and the prospects of its improvement in the near future did not justify the carrying-out of the work, and that the financial position of the Board was such that if the loan were authorized the district would be unduly loaded with increased rates and charges to cover the additional interest and sinking fund. After thorough investigation the Local Bills Committee recommended that the Bill be not allowed to proceed, and this recommendation was adopted by Parliament. The Board has now submitted alternative schemes of works for investigation by a Commission as provided for in the Timaru Harbour Board Act, 1876, with a view to promoting loan legislation again. The 1876 Act empowers the Commission to approve the plans from the point of view of practicability of the schemes only,' but under the authority of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1908, the order of reference of the present Commission has been extended to enable it to view the proposals from the point of view of the economic, financial, and all other relevant considerations, and also to suggest some other modified scheme if none of the schemes submitted by the Board meets with its approval. The report of the Commissioner has now been received, but as it has not yet been discussed by the Board I refrain from commenting thereon. Harbour-works. Karamea Harbour. —-The erection of the new wharf-shed was completed early in the year. This is a substantially constructed building, 30 ft. by 20 ft., and its provision has considerably facilitated the work at the port. In connection with the development work which was necessary in order to enable the permanent stonework at the training-walls to proceed, 3 miles 50 chains of tram-line from the training-wall to the quarry-site at the Oparara Quarry has been completed and the track laid throughout. Two miles of ballasting has been completed, 300 lineal feet of trestling erected, and a

5