63

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Te Oranga Home, Burwood. —A number of improvements have been made. Two cells and a stall milking-shed have been erected. The detaining-yard has been enclosed by a high galvanised-iron fence. The erection of the new wing is making good progress. Sumner Deaf-mutes Institute. —A tender for the installation of May's fire-alarm system has been accepted, but no work has been done. A building has been leased for offices for the Tourist Department. It has been fitted up and furnished. Buildings for a magnetic observing-station have been built in the Christchurch Domain and fenced in. A mobilisation store in brick has been built in the Christchurch Drill-shed grounds. Preparations were made for the illumination of the Post-offices at Christchurch, Lyttelton, Ashburton, and Timaru in honour of the coronation of His Majesty King Edward VII. Otago District. Courthouses. The contract for the erection of the new law-courts, Dunedin, has been finished, and the buildings were officially opened on the 23rd of last month. The building is now being furnished. A contract for building a strong-room and providing fittings in library has been finished. A new Courthouse has been built at Gore. A petty contract for renovating the Oamaru Courthouse has been completed. A contract for the erection of a new Courthouse at Outram was completed in September last. Police-stations. A contract for the erection of new police buildings at Boxburgh was completed in September last. A contract for additions to the police buildings at Ophir was completed in September last. A contract for the erection of a new police-station at Outram was completed in July. A petty contract for erection of stable and repairs to police residence, Biverton, was completed in May. A petty contract for renovating and painting the Kaitangata Police-station has been completed. A petty contract for renovating the Kurow Police-station is in progress. Post and Telegraph Offices. A contract for additions to the Dunedin Post and Telegraph Office has been delayed in completion by bad weather. A contract for the erection of a new post and telegraph office at Caversham was finished in August last. A contract for additions to the South Dunedin Post-office was finished in November. A petty contract for repairing the fences at the Oamaru Gaol was completed in January. A contract for the electric lighting of Seacliff Asylum is nearly completed. A contract for a boiler-house in connection with the electric lighting was completed in July last. The old portion of the Industrial School, Caversham, has been ventilated and new linoleum laid. The roofs of the light-keepers' houses at Cape Saunders have been thoroughly repaired. A great amount of maintenance-work has been done in connection with the numerous buildings in the district, and a large number of fittings have been supplied. Preparations were made for illuminations of various public buildings in Dunedin, Invercargill, Gore, Port Chalmers, and Oamaru to celebrate the coronation of His Majesty King Edward VII. MABINE. The Sticking Point reclamation-works have been progressing slowly. Bepairs to Quail Island Wharf, Lyttelton Harbour, were completed in August last. Some rocks in the Little Wanganui Biver have been removed. The Okarito Wharf extension has been finished. Tenders are now being invited for the erection of a shed on the wharf. All the materials for the Kahurangi Lighthouse tower and keepers' dwellings have been obtained, and a start has been made with the erection. The iron frame for the Wigham light on the Jackson's Head beacon has been constructed. Plans are being prepared for a new cast-iron tower for Cape Campbell Lighthouse. Drawings for beacons at Havelock were prepared. These beacons have since been erected by the Marine Department. Many places and proposals for harbour and marine works in various parts of the colony have been examined and reported on during the year. DEFENCES. Auckland. At one fort an electric cable to a directing-station has been laid, gas has been laid on to the engine-shed, an electric-light emplacement has been erected, sheds have been built for quartermaster's stores and Maxim gun, the fort has been drained, repairs to officers' quarters are in hand, &c. At another fort an obstacle fence has been built, and an artificer's shop and laboratory erected, fitted up, and a water-supply laid on. The cliff in front of electric-light station has been strengthened and better protection provided. A new camping-ground has been levelled and sown in grass. An old emplacement has been cleared away, and a start made with other emplacements for more modern guns. A large quantity of stone has been broken for concrete at various forts.