D.—l.

now completed. It is difficult to forecast when the remaining portion of the scheme will be completed owing to the difficulty of obtaining the remaining piping under present war conditions. In view of the importance of irrigation and its bearing on closer settlement, it is my endeavour to continue the irrigation-works in progress as actively as the present war conditions will permit. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The expenditure for last year on the various divisions of buildings was : — General Government buildings .. . .. 337,769 Courthouses ~ .. .. . . . . 13,154 Prison buildings and works .. . . .. 2,533 Police-stations .. .. .. .. .. 24,343 Post and Telegraph buildings .. .. 352,562 Mental Hospitals buildings .. .. .. 126,644 Health and Hospital institutions .. .. .. 44,020 Total .. . .. ..£901,025 New Departmental Buildings. The erection of a number of major departmental buildings which were commenced during the preceding year has been continued, and, under the prevailing conditions, satisfactory progress has been made. The new premises for the National Commercial Broadcasting Service at Auckland are nearing completion, and work was continued on the building being constructed for the Internal Marketing Division. The departmental building in Jean Batten Place, Auckland, was approaching completion at the end of the year under review, and several offices will enter into occupation at an early date. At Wellington good progress has been made with the Stout Street building, the structural concrete work and stone facing have been completed, but a considerable amount of work remains to be done in the way of exterior and interior finishing, including the installation of services and the subdivision of all floors. A contract has been let for extensions to the Dominion Laboratory, and construction work was commenced recently. Owing to the fact that essential material lias not been available, it has not been practicable to proceed with the foundations of the new Government Printing Office in Wellington. Extensions to the departmental buildings at Greymouth were completed and the additional accommodation occupied during the year. Agriculture. Reasonable progress has been made during the year in providing buildings and other more adequate facilities at the Lincoln and M,assey Agricultural Colleges. Apart from some minor completion aspects at the Ruakura Animal Research Station, the main activity, in continuation of last year's work in progress, was at the Wallaceville Animal Research Station. At both of these research stations the staff are now in occupation of buildings of types which suitably house the extensive range of equipment' and other facilities which are so essential to investigation and research relative to animal husbandry and crop and pasture management. The need for extensions of accommodation to facilitate the wine-production activities of the Te Kauwhata Horticultural Station has been long felt. A section of this work which was commenced during the year under review is now nearing completion.

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