d.—i

XIV

before, but this year I expect it will be larger again. The following table gives a comparison between the last two years : —

The appropriations proposed for the current year amount to £148,300: namely, £98,300 under the Public Works Fund, and £48,000 under the Consolidated Fund—£7,ooo of the latter being for the Parliamentary Library. The principal works carried out last year, or provided for this year, are as follows : — Genekal. The chief work under this head is the completion of the Government Printing Office, for which £8,000 was voted last year, and £7,252 expended. This very-much-needed, and at the same time handsome, addition to our Government buildings will have cost when completed about £16,000. It is already partly in use, and will be entirely finished and ready for complete occupation very shortly. In respect to the expenditure on this building, the saving effected will more than cover the interest on outlay. The other works under this class are of a small and unimportant nature, and do not require special mention. The vote proposed under the heading of " General " this year is £18,170, which includes £9,000 for the completion of the Printing Office, and £3,500 for the additions at present being made to the Departmental Buildings in Wellington. As announced by the Colonial Treasurer in the Financial Statement, the Government proposes to provide this year for the erection of a fireproof building to accommodate the General Assembly Library. As the buoyancy of the revenue left us a large surplus to commence the present year with, it is proposed to defray the cost of this building out of the surplus, and a vote for £7,000 as a charge against the Consolidated Fund will therefore be provided for the work on the supplementary estimates. Judicial. A considerable number of buildings under this head have been in hand during the year. Those on which the principal expenditure has been incurred are as follows :— Courthouses. —New buildings at Paeroa, Hawera, Hunterville, St. Bathan's, and Stewart Island, and additions or renovations at Napier, Feilding, Reefton, and Hokitika, Gaols. —The principal work has been at Dunedin —where the new brick gaol, of which an illustration was given in last year's Statement, has practically been completed—and Mount Cook (Wellington), but work to a smaller extent has been done at Auckland, Wanganui, and Addington. Police-stations. —New buildings have been erected at Mongonui, Paeroa, and Waihi. A house and land has been purchased at Rangiora, and additions or renovations have been made at Stratford, Wanganui, Eketahuna, Nelson, Oxford, Addington, and Coalgate. We ask this year for a vote, under the head of "Judicial," for £16,920. This provides for the completion of the Dunedin Gaol, the Marton Courthouse,

Consolidated Fund. Public Works Fund. Totals. Year. Voted. Expended. Voted. Expended. Voted. Expended. 1895-96 1896-97 £ 46,700 43,460 £ 42,829 41,280 £ 96,985 90,855 £ 76,240 70,579 £ 143,685 134,315 £ 119,069 111,859