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Departmental Buildings, Christchurch. —The contractors are making satisfactory progress with the erection of new Departmental Buildings (brick and stone) in Cathedral Square. The buildings were designed by an architect in private practice. Mount Cook Hostel, —The erection of a new hostel at Mount Cook has been commenced by day labour. Departmental Buildings, Invercargill. —These buildings were completed by the contractors during the year. Hospitals. Tokanui Mental Hospital. —The erection of the new brick building is being carried out as expeditiously as possible by the contractors, and fair progress is being made. Several attendants' cottages have been erected, and three more are being started. Rotorua. —A contract was let for the erection of a cottage hospital, and the building is approaching completion. Tenders have been invited for the erection of an infectious-diseases hospital. Porirua. —Additions to the Mental Hospital have been in progress by day labour since January last. St. Helens Hospital, Wellington, —A new building in brick was completed and opened during the year. St. Helens Hospital, Christchurch. —Plans of a new building have been prepared. Seacliff. —Additions to some of the buildings have been carried out by day labour. Waitati Mental Hospital, —New buildings are being erected by day labour. Post-offices. Auckland Chief Post-office. —This building has been practically completed, and the work of installing the numerous fittings is in progress with the view of opening for public business at an early date. The work has been satisfactorily carried out by the contractors, Messrs. J. and W. Jamieson (Limited), of Christchurch, the contract price being £95,551. Work on the contract was commenced at the beginning of June, 1909, and has thus been over three years in hand. The site, which is at the lower end of Queen Street, where in early days coasting-vessels were moored to a wharf, was reclaimed, and the foundations had therefore to be piled through the reclamation and through many feet of soft alluvial mud below the reclamation material. The piles are of reinforced concrete, ranging from 40 ft. to 50 ft. and over, and the care required in driving the long piles caused considerable delay in carrying out the work. The building is erected in a substantial manner of permanent and fire-resisting materials throughout. The use of timber has been reduced to a minimum, even the window-sashes and private letter-boxes being made of steel. The front—towards Queen Street-—is faced with stone, the lower portion for a height of 25 ft. being of Coromandel granite—a very fine durable material. The entire frontage, including side arches, is 236 ft. The accommodation, besides that required by the Postal and Telegraph Department, includes offices for the Traffic and Engineers' Sections of the Working Railways Department. Awanui Wireless Telegraph-station. —Erection of the station was commenced in January last, and is making satisfactory progress. Residences for the officers are also being erected. The work was of an unusual nature, and, being in a locality difficult of access by road, progress at the start was somewhat slow. Kaeo. —A wooden building was erected by contract during the year. Kaikohe, —Designs were prepared, and the erection of a building by day labour commenced. Kawakawa. —Erection of new building by day labour commenced, and improvements to existing office carried out. Devonport. —Additions made to quarters, and repairs carried out. Avondale. —Building purchased and altered to adapt it for use for post-office purposes. Ellerslie. —The erection of new brick office was completed during the year. Hamilton East. —A wooden building was erected by day labour after tenders had been invited. Huntly. —The building had been damaged by fire, and repairs were effected. Kingsland. —A brick building, including quarters, was erected under contract. Matamata. —A wooden building, including quarters, was erected by contract. Mercer. —Additional accommodation is being provided by day labour. Newton. —Alterations, including a telephone exchange, were carried out. Ponsonby. —A two-story brick office building is in course of erection under contract, and is approaching completion. Putaruru. —A wooden building was completed and opened during the year. Te Aroha. —-A brick building, including quarters, was erected under contract, and completed during the year. Te Awamutu.—A new one-story office in brick was erected under contract. Te Kuiti. —Additions and renovations were made to the .office. Waihou. —The erection of a wooden office, including residential quarters, is in progress. Waiuku. —Plans for an office in brick have been prepared. Warkworth. —A new wooden building, including quarters, was completed early in the year. Taneatua. —An office in wood was erected by day labour. Matata. —The erection of a building was completed under contract. Taupo. —A new office (in wood) was erected during the year. Tolaga Bay. —Additions were carried out by day labour. Manutuke. —An office was erected under contract.