8

H.—2

Schedule showing Financial Position at each Resort.

The expenditure during the year amounted to £48,462, against £45,934 for the previous year, an increase of £2,528. Following the usual custom I give a brief summary of the operations of the Department in the various places under its control. Rotorua Sanatorium and Baths. The revenue at the principal resort of the Department shows a slight decrease from the previous year, being £464 short of the amount for that period, the actual figures being £5,677, against £6,141. This falling-off may be accounted for principally by the shortage of visitors from Australia, due to the causes previously mentioned. The Australian public have always been great patrons of the thermal district, and the smallpox epidemic affecting the traffic struck Rotorua particularly hard. Another contributing cause was the absence in England during the greater part of the year of the Balneologist, Dr. A. S. Wohlmann. This necessarily affected the out-patient " private " practice, which is largely a personal matter, and cannot be handed intact from one man to another. During the last three months, however, the business at the bathe has more than returned to its normal level. Advantage was taken of Dr. Wohlmann's visit to Europe to purchase many of the latest and best electrical appliances in order to thoroughly equip the baths in this respect. In Dr. Wohlmann's report (attached) will be found a description of the new electrical apparatus purchased by him for installation at the baths. Rotorua Water-supply, Sewkrage, Electric Light, and Poweb Systems. The receipts for electrical energy supplied to consumers amounted to £.'s,'J"{7, against £2,827 for the previous year, being an increase of £410. During the year exceptional progress has been made in the electrical branch, the number of lights connected to the mains being higher than in any year since the inception of the service. Further, the large number of domestic appliances connected with the system is exceedingly satisfactory, and in itself this service makes a fair load on the day running. There has been an increase of ninety-three new consumers, while fifty-eight consumers have added to their installations, making a total of 777 lights. In the past twelve months forty-seven new connections have been made to the water-supply system. rf In Fenton Street 363 ft. of the 16 in. wooden water main has been replaced with iron pipes, and the work was carried out without interruption to the water-supply. Similar substitution as regards 462 ft. of 6 in. mains was carried out in the basement of the main bath-buildings. During the year it has become more than ever apparent that the wooden pipes originally laid down have not proved a success, probably owing to the chemical action of the Rotorua soil", and a great deal of trouble has been experienced through bursts and leaks. Provision requires to be made for the replacement of the wooden mains by iron or steel pipes. An exhaustive report has been made on the matter by the Electrical Engineer (Mr. D. E. Beal), and an engineer of the Public Works Department is at present also investigating the matter. The cost will naturally be large, but the work is of such importance that the expenditure must be faced if a water-supply commensurate with the growing importance of the town is to lie maintained. The new pump-motors in connection with the drainage system have proved satisfactory. During the year twenty-four premises have been connected with the main sewers, and this increase has necessitated the 6 in. sewer at the eastern end of Eruera Street being extended about 320 ft. in order to allow some of the new houses to be connected. Rotorua Gardens and Reserves. The Rotorua gardens and reserves have received the usual attention during the year, and in the former a considerable portion of the main drive has been metalled, greatly improving the entrance to the grounds and bath-buildine.

Year 1912-13. Year 1913-14. Rosort. I e 9 '■3 I M :'- - - leg M = ill o -a i fit, 8 I I M H I * £s =o C fcc ™ o g> g &c £ .. .. .. 1,528 totorua .. .. .. 14,890 lotorua Acclimatization District 1,086 Vaitomo Caves .. .. j 2,871 lanmer Springs .. .. 2,299 : lermitage, Mount Cook .. 2,676 j Ce Anau and Manapouri steamers, 1,571 Glade House and Milford Track Jueenstown .. .. .. : 84 £ £ 2,342 814 18,188 3,298 957 .. 2,345 ; .. 4,029 1,730 2,323 2,420 849 £ 129 526 £ 1,339 14,928 1,261 3,775 2,088 2,853 1,207 £ 2,574 19,253 645 2,408 3,929 2,928 2,387 £ 1,235 4,325 £ 616 1,367 353 1,841 75 1,180 481 397 81 515 434 Note.—No allowance is made in these figun ir buildings. es for interest on oi ipital ex ;penditurt> >r for depi reciation < of plant