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Police Buildings, etc. The following works in connection with police-stations have been carried out during the year by the Public Works Department: —• New police-stations were erected at Waitotara and Woodville, new offices and lock-up at Wairoa, and offices at Patea and Waikouaiti. Additions were made to the Invercargill Police-station. A house and section were purchased for a police-station at Maori Hill, Dunedin, and a site for police purposes was acquired at Port Chalmers. Repairs, renovations, and/or improvements were effected at the following stations : — Whangarei District. —Dargaville, Houhora, Kaikohe, Kaitaia, Kawakawa, Maungaturoto, Ruawai, Russell, Whangarei, and \\ hangaroa. Auckland District. —Auckland Central, Coromandel, Devonport, Ellerslie, Epsom, Freeman's Bay, Grey Lynn, Howick, Huntly, Mercer, Mount Albert, Newmarket, Newton, Ponsonby, Pukekohe, Thames, Waiuku, Warkworth, and Wellsford. Hamilton District. —Cambridge, Frankton Junction, Hamilton, Hamilton East, Katikati, Kihikihi, Matamata, Morrinsville, Ngaruawahia, Paeroa, Putaruru, Raglan, Rotorua, Taupo, Tauranga, Te Aroha, Te Whaiti, Tokaanu, and Waihi. Gisborne District. —Gisborne, Patutahi, Ruatorea, Taneatua, Te Araroa, Te Karaka, Tolaga Bay, Waipiro Bay, and Whakatane. Napier District. —Hastings, Napier, Nuhaka, Porangahau, Port Ahuriri, Takapau, Taradale, Waipawa, Waipukurau, and Wairoa. New Plymouth District. —Fitzroy, New Plymouth, Rahotu, Stratford, Waitara, and Whangamomona. Wanganui District. —Mangaweka, Manunui, Ohakune, and Taumarunui. Paimerston North District.—Ashhurst, Eketahuna, Feilding, Kimbolton, Levin, Marton, Otaki, Palmerston North, Rongotea, and Woodville. Wellington District. —Carterton, Greytown, Johnsonville, Karori, Kilbirnie, Lyall Bay, Masterton, Petone, Taranaki Street, Tinui, Upper Hutt, Wellington Central, and Wellington South. Nelson District. —Havelock, Motueka, Seddon, and Wakefield. Greymouth District. —Ahaura, Blackball, Charleston, Cobden, Granity, Greymouth, Hokitika Kanieri, Kumara, Reefton, Ross, and Westport. Christchurch District. —Addington, Akaroa, Ashburton, Belfast, Bingsland, Cheviot, Christchurch Central, Coalgate, Culverden, Darfield, Fendalton, Islington, Kaiapoi, Kaikoura, Leeston, Lincoln, Linwood, Lower Riccarton, Lyttelton, New Brighton, Oxford, Rakaia, Rangiora, Riccarton (Upper), Southbridge, Sydenham, Waikari, and Woolston. Timaru District. —Duntroon, Geraldine, Glenavy, Oamaru, St. Andrews', Timaru, and Waimate. Dunedin District. —Anderson's Bay, Caversham, Clyde, Dunedin Central, Green Island, Kaitangat-a, Maori Hill, Milton, Mosgiel, Naseby, North Dunedin, Outram, Owaka, Port Chalmers, Portobello, Ranfurly, Ravensbourne, St. Bathans', and South Dunedin. Invercargill District. —Bluff, Invercargill, Mataura, Nightcaps, Otautau, Riverton, Tapanui, Waikiwi, Winton, and Wyndham. Many police-stations throughout the Dominion are very old buildings which are getting beyond repair and are quite inadequate for present requirements. Genebal. Police Buildings. —Since my last report I have had the opportunity of visiting all the district headquarter stations in the Dominion, and as time permitted I visited as many country and suburban stations in such districts as was possible with a view to seeing for myself the condition of the buildings and meeting the men attached to each station. Many of the buildings I inspected are in a bad state through age, and these will have to be replaced by new buildings as finance will permit. It would be a waste of money to attempt to repair many of them—they are old, out of date, and tumbling down with dry-rot and old age. Others, principally country and suburban stations, although in a sound condition, lack conveniences. In these cases a thorough examination has been made by Public Works experts, and a number of them have been turned into useful modern dwellings at a moderate cost. These will last for many years to come and now give convenience and comfort to those occupying them. Some £15,000 has been authorized for expenditure this year on general repairs and renovations, and the work is being proceeded with as quickly as possible. It will take four or five years to complete my programme of modernizing and renovating all existing country and suburban stations where the expenditure is warranted. A great number of country stations have yet to be visited by me, but I hope to see the majority of them in the near future. The buildings at some country stations I have inspected are beyond repair, and in these cases I am asking for authority to have them replaced by new, up-to-date buildings. At the four centres —Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin —we are very much handicapped for want of office accommodation and quarters for our single men. I have asked for the necessary provision to be made on the estimates to deal with the congestion in these centres Authority to proceed with the work at Wellington has been already granted. At Auckland it will be necessary to acquire additional land adjoining our present site, in order to provide accommodation for expansion. New offices, quarters for single men, garage for our motor transport, new lock-up, and a parade ground are matters necessitating early attention. lam at the present moment negotiating for the additional land required. Should this be successfully arranged, plans will be prepared with a view to proceeding with the work when the necessary authority is granted.

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