22

H.-2

The revenue for the year has been £1,689 —that is, 6d. per unit sold. Valuing the current supplied for public light, baths, tea-house, State Nursery, &c. (27,870 units) at 4d. per unit, the plant lias earned £464 from such supplies, making a total equivalent revenue of £2,153 — i.e., s'4d. per unit, and showing a working-profit of £1,074. The capital cost at the end of the year was £19,000; and, allowing 5 per cent, for interest and sinking fund (£950), the plant has paid for itself, lighted the baths, streets, and public buildings at a very cheap rate, and earned a net profit of £124 for the year. The work of excavating and preparing for the additional plant to be installed has been pushed on, and the site is ready for the extension of the power-house. The Carnival Grounds and dancing-platform were successfully lighted during the Carnival month, and eight permanent lights have been placed on the Marine Parade. The bowling-greens were illuminated during the three nights of the evening tournaments, and proved a very successful feature. Five street-lamps have been erected during the year in Ohinemutu Village, constituting a much-needed improvement, and the Native meetinghouse of Ohinemutu, " Tama-te-kapua," has been connected with the mains. In order to supply the new Bath Buildings pending the completion of the extensions at Okere power-house, an oil-engine generating-set of 18 kilowatts capacity, was installed during the year, ami has pioved of great assistance on several occasions in relieving the overload on the Okere plant. Water-supply System. The new water-supply system recently installed by the Public Works Department has not been taken over, but water has been supplied throughout the year from the new mains, giving a pressure of 70 lb. to 80 lb. throughout the town, as compared with a pressure of 201b. to 351b. given by the old system. The result has been most satisfactory in dealing with fires, and, in each case in which the brigade has been called in reasonable time in case of tire, the fire has been promptly extinguished; whereas, with the old pressure, the brigade were never able to do more than save the surrounding buildings. The revenue from water rates during the year has been £343, and the expenditure on maintenance £146. This latter item will probably increase very considerably with the main (six miles) and reticulation (eight miles) of wood-stave pipes comprising the new system to be maintained. In addition to the wooden-pipe system laid by the Public Works Department, some two miles of smaller distributing-pipes have been laid in suburban streets during the year, and fifty-nine new water-services laid on. In accordance with the recommendation of Captain Hennah (Fire Inspector), twelve standing hydrants have been placed round the various buildings belonging to the Department, with hoses, branches, and nozzles attached, ready to run out at a moment's notice. In case of fire these standing hydrants may be the means of saving a whole building, which, were it necessary to wait the five or ten minutes before the brigade could be alarmed, would be entirely destroyed. Drainage. The new drainage system has been completed, and put into operation by the Public Works Department during the year, and has since been taken over by this Department. It is working very satisfactorily, and is making a very marked improvement in the health and comfort of the town. Some fifty premises were connected at the end of the year, and others are coming into line at the rate of one or two per week. It is anticipated that this drainage system will be effective in entirely obviating typhoid cases in future in the premises connected up to it. Bath Buildings. The old Bath Buildings have been maintained in good working-condition during the year at a cost of £433 6s. 3d. The electric wiring, mineral-water supply, and a number of other works have been carried out at the new Bath Buildings under the direction of the Balneologist, Dr. Wohlmann. Sanatorium and Hospital Buildings. Urgent repairs to these have been carried out during the year at a cost of £56 10s. 5d., and considerable improvements were effected in connection with the installation of the drainage system; but a further expenditure of £200 is urgently required for painting and renovating these buildings, which are deteriorating rapidly for want of such renovation. The shingle roof will also require replacement within a couple of years' time. An additional male-ward of eight cubicles is in hand. Balneologist's Residence. A ten-roomed residence has been erected during the year in Hinemoa Street in place of the old building. Rotorua Gardens. These have been maintained during the year in first-class condition on the limited amount available for such an extensive area. The flower-displays have been of the best description, particularly the azalias, dahlias, roses, gladioli, and daphne amongst the perennials; schizanthus and pansies amongst the annuals; and the daffodils amongst the bulbs. Some seventy thousand individuals amongst the annuals were propagated and planted out during the season.