D.—l

XIII

For the current year a large proportion of the proposed expenditure is in connection with the experimental farms. An amount is required for the furnishing and titting-up of the lads' training quarters, Ruakura, which will then be in a position to accommodate lads. The provision of butter- and cheese-making plants at Ruakura and Weraroa is contemplated. These will provide a means of utilizing the milk from the herds on the farms. The , difficulty that officers have in securing house accommodation in some of the smaller centres renders the erection of some departmental residences necessary. There are, as usual, minor works necessary, which are detailed in the estimates. Last year's expenditure amounted to £5,895, and this year's items total to 110,725, on account of which a vote of £5,500 is provided. Public Health. —The expenditure under this vote was very small—namely, £319 ; and for the current year only one small vote of £250 is proposed, for building-works in connection with the Cambridge Sanatorium. ROADS AND BRIDGES. A very large amount of work has been done under this head. The number of roads dealt with is legion, and it is impossible to mention more than a very few of them, but the following arc some of the more important undertakings which were either in hand or completed during the year, with the amounts expended thereon : — Work. Expenditure. Te Akau Block .... .... .... .... 3,444 Kawhia to Marokopa River .... .... ... 2,665 Pakihi .... .... .... .... .... 2,902 Ohura Road .... .... .... .... .... 6,474 Otunui Block .... .... .... .... 2,527 Mangapoike Valley Road (east end), (£1,500 contributed by settlers) .... .... ' .... .... 2,590 Te Arai Settlement .... .... .... .... 2,705 Waimarama Block .... .... .... .... 2,771 Mason's to Parapara .... .... .... .... 2,461 Piripiri Block .... .... .... .... 3,863 Waiau Ferry to Hanmer .... .... .... 2,340 Taieri County, flood damage (£1 for £1) .... .... 3,061 In addition to the above, some important bridges were in hand. The following are some of them, with the amounts expended during the year :— Expenditure. Bridge. " £ Waiharakeke Bridge.... .... .... .... 2,006 Wairoa River Bridge (Frasertown) .... .... 4,324 Manawatu River Bridge (lower gorge) .... .... 3,678 Wanganui Town Bridge .... .... .... 2,176 Buller River Bridge (O'Sullivan's) .... .... 2,460 Fairlie to Mount Cook (bridges) .... .... 2,193 A special feature of the operations of %.\e past year was the expenditure on the construction of roads to facilitate the transport of material and produce to and from newly settled lands in the interior of the North Island, more particularly in the King-country and adjacent districts. A comparison of the distribution of expenditure as between the North and South Islands is largely in favour of the North Island, the actual figures being,— £ North Island .... .... .... .... 271,406 South Island .... .... .... .... 110,498 £381,904 In addition to the above, the sum of £40,830 was expended on goldfields roads, and £28,468 on the construction of the new Hutt Road.