D.—l

60

Wanganui. —Very satisfactory progress is being made with the erection of this building. It was found necessary to sink deeper than was at first intended to get good foundations. The coke-breeze-concrete floors are laid. The dome of the tower is finished. The ceilings are finished. All the doors are hung, and most of the internal woodwork is fixed. Good progress is being made with the fittings. Foxton. —A contract for additions, alterations, and repairs has been completed during the year. Dannevirke. —A contract for additions, alterations, and repairs has been completed. Weber. —A new post and telegraph office has been built. Hastings. —A contract for painting the buildings has been let. Tarawera. —A lineman's residence has been built. Customhouse. Wanganiti. —-A contract for additions in brick to the Customhouse, to give accommodation to the Lands and Boad Departments, has been completed. Native Schools. Pariroa. —A contract for the removal of the school buildings from Mawhitiwhiti and re-erect them at Pariroa is nearly completed. Only part of the painting remains to be done. Tangoio. —Buildings are being erected, and good progress is being made. Preparations were made for decorating and illuminating various public buildings, in honour of the coronation of His Majesty King Edward VII., at New Plymouth, Stratford, Hawera, Wanganui, Feilding, Palmerston North, Dannevirke, Masterton, Hastings, and Napier. Wellington District. Porirua Asylum. —A new boiler, engine, dynamo, and switch-board have been provided, and are now working. The water-supply has been extended. The hot-water service enlarged. A clerk's cottage has been built. The attendants' mess-room has been enlarged. Alterations have been made in the bath-rooms, female wing. Additions have been made to the engineer's cottage. Some window-shutters have been provided. The scullery has been enlarged, and its fittings, &c, improved. Improvements and repairs to the kitchen-fittings are being made. Fittings have been supplied for the pathological room. A large amount of painting has been done. Mount View Asylum. —Various works have been executed during the year. A defective drain under the building has been replaced by a new one, and all the lavatories, &c, have been properly connected, trapped, and ventilated. Some additions and alterations to doctor's residence are in progress. Sundry repairs to boiler-fittings have been made. The fire at the Wairarapa Farmers' Co-operative buildings entailed a large amount of work in fitting up temporary offices for the various Departments located there, and also in reinstating all the offices again when the building had been repaired. Departmental Buildings. —A house of seven rooms has been built at the back of the Departmental Buildings. Many rooms in the Buildings have had additional fittings and renovating-work done. Improved ventilation has been provided for the Income-tax offices and the Agricultural and Defence offices. Mount Cook Barracks. —A temporary stable has been built. A commandant's office has been provided and fitted up. Some excavation has been done for a permanent stable and for a paradeground. A new approach road is being formed. New outbuildings are being erected. A mobilisation store has been built. Some trouble has been experienced with the drains choking. Extra accommodation has been provided for the Storekeeper's clerks, and new furniture. Terrace Gaol. —A Gaoler's residence is nearly completed. Additions have been made to a warder's cottage. A new approach road is being constructed. Some repairs and alterations to south wing have been done, and also to the fencing. Some small additions, repairs, &c, have been made to the Mount Cook Police-station. Borings have been made to test the foundations for the proposed Public Trust Offices. Some repairs and renewals have been done to the Kaiwarra magazine, and also to the caretaker's house. Many alterations have been made in the General Post Office. A new parcel-room has been thereby provided. Additional private letter-boxes and new fittings have been provided. Extra cellar accommodation has been provided by excavation. The foundations of the building were repaired and strengthened in many places during the execution of this work. The building in Lambton Quay formerly occupied by the Bank of New Zealand has been rented as a Post-Office Savings-bank and money-order office. Fittings for many country post-offices have been made in the workshops. A new office in brick has been built at the Manners Street Police-station, and new stables in the rear of the Central Police-station and a clothes-store built. Fire-escapes have been fixed at the Ministerial residences and various minor works done. The galvanised-iron fence has been extended round the back of the grounds of the Premier's residence. Some detail work has been done at Government House, and fire-escapes fixed. Some ground drains have been provided. Many small repairs and improvements have been done to Parliament Buildings, including kerbing round pavement-lights, additional shelving in library, renovating custodian's dwelling, improving ventilation in Postmaster-General's office, &c. Some new furniture has been provided for the Tourist Department Office in Brandon Street,