D.—l.

Another division of the Department's work for which I have thought it wise to ask for an increased appropriation this year is the construction of roads and bridges. Last year the vote had to be curtailed considerably, and the completion of many roads necessary to settlers could not be undertaken ; but, notwithstanding this, the Public Works Department, assisted by the Unemployment Board, had more men engaged on metalling of settlement roads than in any other period of its existence. This year the Unemployment Board is again giving assistance to the Public Works Department towards the labour-costs in metalling roads to backblock settlers, and I am doing all I can to provide money for metal and other materials required for this purpose. Every proposal is well investigated before work is started, and I am quite satisfied that such work provides one of the most fruitful returns we can obtain from the expenditure of loan-money. During visits of inspection, particularly in parts of the North Island, I have been impressed with the numbers of settlers, many of whom have been established for considerable periods, who are dependent on unmetalled roads for access to their holdings. The difficulty of carrying on farming operations with indifferent access needs no mention, and it is my desire to continue the policy of my predecessor by assisting such isolated and established settlers as much as possible. Even a thin coating of metal of 9 ft. or 10 ft. width would afford considerable relief, and on those side roads which serve perhaps only two or three settlers, and where traffic is light, such relief could by this means be given at a considerably lesser cost than would be occasioned by the construction of the full-width metalled road of standard depth, and available roading funds thus be made to go much further than at present. Every effort will be made in this direction, but full regard must be given to the general circumstances of the road and extent and weight of traffic likely to use it. On main highways it was not practicable to spend more than £159,323 on construction, and this was financed mainly by a transfer of £100,000 from the Revenue Fund. This year it is proposed to provide a sum of £260,000. On account of the advanced state of deterioration of a great many bridges on main highways the Main Highways Board desires to carry out a more energetic programme of bridge renewals. The safety of the travelling public is more important than the improvement of existing highways, and the greater portion of the finance provided for construction of main highways will, therefore, be spent on bridge erection. The expenditure of £90,568 last year on public buildings was exceptionally low. The greater part of it was absorbed by school buildings and mental hospitals. More activity is proposed this year in the erection of school and mental hospital buildings. A considerable number of land-drainage and flood-protection schemes are in hand, as well as work in connection with the clearing of land. On this work it has been found that camps for unemployed single men are very suitable, and 1,500 men are now in camp engaged in these operations. In addition to this, there are 1,200 married unemployed men on land-development. When arranging work for unemployed men preference has been given wherever possible to land improvement and development. Several camps were also established for the clearing of willows, which had so obstructed the flow of certain streams that continual flooding of the adjoining lands was occurring. Good work has been done in this direction, and local bodies are urged not to overlook the necessity of maintaining these streams in their improved condition, and so ensure that full value is obtained for the expenditure. Money provided under the " Settlement of Unemployed Workers " vote has been expended under the supervision of the Public Works Department principally on the erection of cottages and farm buildings, but some smaller amounts were utilized for fencing, drainage, provision of implements and fertilizers. With the setting-up of the Small Farms Board it is expected that a greater amount of work will be done this year in the settling of suitable workers on the land.

III