133

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DEFENCES. Auckland. At one of the forts the concrete walls have been altered to earth slopes, and the entrance altered ; trees and gorse have been cleared and the ground levelled; a directing-station for electric search-light has been built and fitted up; and a wash-house and coal-store built at the barracks. At another fort magazines and casemates have been constructed ; a camping- and parade-ground formed ;an artificer's shop, smithy, and laboratory have been built and fitted; and. an obstaclefence erected. The gaol at one fort has been painted. The electric emplacement at one fort has had its entrance improved, and additional protection provided to it and to the battery-commander's stations. The old torpedo-boat shed and slip have been removed to the reserve near Victoria Wharf. A number' of appliances for mine-fields have been provided, and a large boat-shed and a tramway-slip built. An additional electric-light emplacement is being built. Reports on Mount Smart Rifle-range have been made. Loading-stages for shipping horses for South African Contingents were constructed for both trips of the " Cornwall." Wellington. The rifle-range at Trentham has been enlarged and improved. The ground has been drained; the butts parapet has been raised'and made thicker; markers'seats provided; twenty-five targets have been fixed; a telephone-box has been provided at the butts, and an ammunition magazine built and fitted up ; a flagstaff erected ; the office removed and repaired ; some alterations in the fencing have been made, and five new gates erected, and the firing-ranges suitably marked ; various conveniences provided. The road from Kilbirnie to Shelly Bay has been thoroughly repaired and remetalled where necessary. A submarine mining observing-station is well advanced. The electric-light installation has been improved by laying new cables, and an emplacement improved by lowering the floor and fixing cupboards. A magazine at one of the low batteries has been made watertight. Some repairs, additions, and renewals were made to the Shelly Bay slipway and to the incline at Mahanga Bay. The roof of the electric-light engine-house has been made watertight. A small shed has been fitted up as a store for light-gun ammunition. The emplacement and magazine for a heavy gun is in course of construction. Some alterations have been made in one of the rangefinders. A mining-shed has been built by contract. A permanent water-supply is being provided for one of the forts. A concrete floor has been laid in the Volunteer barracks at Mahanga Bay. The artillery store at one of the forts has been altered, and a range-finder pedestal constructed. Some minor works have been done at two other forts, and a custodian's cottage erected. A smallarms ammunition store has been erected at Kaiwarra, and the shelving in one of the magazines renewed. Canterbury. The drains at the barracks have been improved ; the timber in one gun-racer has been replaced with concrete. A rough shed and marks for mine-field have been erected; trenches have been cut for telephone-cable, the. sea-wall erected, and excavations for a new search-light made. The wharf at Ripa Island has been repaired, and extensive additions are now being made. Dunedin. The rifle-range at Pelichet Bay has been extended, and the approach road widened and improved. A kitchen, messroom, and bathroom has been built at one battery, and a range-finder station nearly finished. At other forts a large-gun emplacement is in progress : a range-finder station, a gun-emplacement and magazine constructed; also a search-light emplacement and a submarine-mine commanders' station. I have, &c, W. H. Hales, The Hon. the Minister for Public W T orks. Engineer-in-Chief.

20—D. 1.