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Public Works. During the year £1,125 12s. lid. was expended on public works, particulars of which are given hereunder : — Technical School, Tufu. —The .erection of this building, which was in progress at the end of last year, has been completed. The total cost of the building was £124 4s. 5d., of which £63 6s. sd. falls into this year's account. Particulars of the building were given in last year's report. Roadside Tanks. —A sum of £24 17s. Id. was spent on material necessary for the erection of more drinking-tanks, as outlined in my last report, but owing to the non-arrival of the tanks the work has been unavoidably delayed. A -supply came to hand in March last, and I am now preparing to erect twenty-three of these roadside drinking-tanks, which, with the seven erected in 1911-12, will make thirty in all. Quarantine Station. —A piece of land comprising some 3| acres, with a sea frontage to Alofi Bay, situated about one mile and a half south from the centre of Alofi, was secured on a twentyyears lease. It was impossible to secure the freehold at the time owing to dissention on the part of the owners, but recently the owners agreed to sell the freehold for £100, and I accordingly secured it at that price. The land will prove a valuable asset to the Administration. Two small buildings of a makeshift character have been erected on the land for quarantine purposes, at a cost of £140 ss. 6d. The land is admirably adapted as a site for a hospital. Hakupu—Liku Road. —Distance, 6 miles 48 chains. An excellent road, 16 ft. wide throughout, has been made. About three miles of the road was very rocky and necessitated much blasting. The work, which took nearly three months to complete, cost £331 7s. lOd. Tuapa-Hikutavake Road. —Distance, 1 mile 64 chains. This work proved the most difficult piece of roadmaking yet attempted in Niue. With the aid of a plentiful supply of explosives and the enthusiastic work of the Hikutavake people, who have hitherto had to travel over an extremely rocky bridle-track to their village, the many difficulties were made light of. A good road 14 ft. wide throughout has been made at a cost of £213 lis. 4d. Tufukia-Amanao Road. —Distance, 42 chains. With the acquirement of the quarantine station and hospital-site it became necessary to make a road into the land from the main road near Tufu School. The course of an old Native track was followed, and the work was completed at a cost of £34 7s. 2d. Tuapa Hill Road (completion). —The regrading of this dangerous piece of road, which was partially carried out in 1910-11, has now been completed. The total cost of the work amounted to £130 ss. lOd., of which £61 4s. 6d. falls into this year's account. Peta Hill Road. —This road, which is the terminus of the roads from Lakepa, Liku, and Hakupu, on the eastern side of the island, is very steep and dangerous for vehicular traffic, and it has been decided to regrade and widen it. It is very rock)', and a great deal of blasting will be necessary. The expenditure in this year's account —viz., £27 —represents explosives purchased for the work, which will be commenced in a few weeks. Avatele-Fatiau Road.— Distance, 1 mile 60 chains. A commencement has been made with this work, but only a few chains had been completed at the end of the year. The expenditure up to the 31st March, including necessary explosives, amounted to £25 14s. Alofi-Liku Road. —This work will be commenced after the completion of the Peta Hill. Road. £21 ss. 7d. has been expended on explosives. Improvement of Live-stock. During the year an attempt has been made to improve the breed of the pigs and fowls. A purebred Berkshire boar and two purebred Berkshire sows, also two white Plymouth Rock cockerels and ten hens, were purchased on the recommendation of Mr. C. J. Reakes, of the New Zealand Agricultural Department. The stock arrived at Niue in September in good condition, but, notwithstanding great care and attention, the trying tropical climate proved too much for the boar, two cockerels and two hens, all of which succumbed. Through the death of the boar the increase has been smaller than I could have wished, but nevertheless twenty-four young pigs have been reared and distributed throughout the island. From latest reports I gather that they are all doing well. With regard to the fowls partial success only has been attained. The birds with their heavy New Zealand plumage suffered very much from the heat, with the result that we have succeeded in rearing but few young birds. I have recently asked that another boar and two cockerels be sent to Niue as soon as possible to replace those which have died. The total cost of the pigs and fowls, together with food and attendance, amounted to £72 6s. 3d. Furniture for Medical Officer's Residence. With the' view of cutting down the cost of transporting furniture, Arc, to and from Niue with every change of Medical Officer, and making everything as easy and convenient as possible, it has been decided to furnish the Medical Officer's residence. Orders have been sent to New Zealand for the necessary furniture, which should arrive shortly. A sum of £6 16s. 9d. has already been spent on articles obtained locally. Proposed Public Works. During the year 1913-14 works already authorized will be completed.—viz., Avatele to Fatiau Road, IJ miles; Alofi to Liku Road, 9J miles; Alofi to Hakupu Road, 7A ::iiles; Peta Hill— widening and regrading, \ mile,

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