D —1.

The total cost of the railway, including extensive road construction and improvement works undertaken to facilitate the progress of the line, has exceeded two millions and a half, and the average annual expenditure thereon has approximated £110,000. As an average annual rate, extending over so long a period, this sum cannot be regarded as unsatisfactory, though doubtless the much larger expenditure that has taken place during the last few years has been amply justified. So much money having been expended on the work, it was highly desirable to make a special effort to complete the line at the earliest practicable moment, and I feel that I can heartily congratulate the House and the country on this having now been practically accomplished. GBNEEAL EEVIEW OF THE WOEK OF THE PAST YEAE. I will now proceed to generally review the public-works operations during the past year. The total expenditure on all the works and services borne upon the publicworks estimates amounted to £2,106,362, which is £99,243 less than the previous year's total. If, however, we exclude special accounts having their own ways and means, and take only the actual charges against the Public Works Fund, the disbursements total to £1,881,564, or £158,755 less than during the previous year. Steady progress has been made with the various works in hand, however, and I will endeavour to give as clear an account of what has been done regarding the principal items as the ordinary limits of a departmental statement will allow. TOTAL EXPENDITUEE. The following table shows, as regards each class of work, (a) the total expenditure from the inauguration of the public-works policy to the 31st December, 1890; (b) the similar expenditure between the Ist January, 1891, and the 31st March, 1908; (c) the gross total expenditure to the 31st March, 1908 ; and (d) the expenditure for the late financial year : —

The last total in the above statement is less by £8,487 than the total expenditure for the year previously mentioned. This is accounted for by a recovery of that amount having been brought to book, as shpwn in the table, under the heading of " Cost and discount, raising loans."

II

Expenditure. Class of Work. A Total to 31st December, 1890. B C 1st January, Total to 1891, to 31st 31st March, March, 1908. 1908. D Year ended 31st March, 1908. Railways— New construction ... Additions to open lines Utilisation of water-power Roads Public buildings Immigration Purchase of Native lands Lighthouses, harbour-works, and harbour defences Tourist and health resorts Telegraph-extension ... Development of goldfields Defence-works (general) Departmental Payment to Midland Railway bondholders Lands improvement ... Minor works and services Cost and discount, raising loans, &c. £ 11,975,098 2,092,002 3,575,804 1,776,003 2,144,386 1,191,137 880,095 600,849 561,101 429,720 349,789 £ 6,216,761 3,892,523 8,348 4,285,664 2,028,594 42,326 844,611 144,425 158,568 878,887 225,555 458,448 218,596 150,000 24,575 11,891 214,170 £ 18,191,859 5,984,525 8,348 7,861,468 3,804,597 2,186,712 2,035,748 1,024,520 158,568 1,479,736 786,656 888,168 568,385 150,000 24,575 312,580 1,235,642 £ 692,858 364,068 315 323,742 226,035 9,131 2,190 6,863 45,048 155,492 8,631 18,574 18,219 300,689 1,021,472 9,561 837 Cr. 8,487 Totals ... 26,898,145 19,803,942 46,702,087 1,873,077