INDEX.

Page Prefatory .. .. .. .. 1 Financial Results, 1896-97 .. .. .. ii Receipts during 1896-97 .. .. .. ii Expenditure during 1896-97 .. .. ili Statement of the Receipts and Expenditure of the Revenue Account for the Year ended 31st March, 1897, compared with the Financial Year ended 31st March, 1896 .. .. iv The Million Loan under " The Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Act, 1896" .. .. vi The Public Works Fund .. .. .. vii The Lands Improvement Account .. .. vii The Native Lands Purchase Account .. .. vii Ways and Means of the Loan Accounts .. vii The Cheviot Estate Account .. .. viii The Land for Settlements Account .. .. viii The Conversion Account .. .. .. viii The Loans to Local Bodies Account .. .. viii The New Zealand Consols Account .. .. ix The Public Debt .. .. .. ix Railways .. .. .. .. xi Railway Construction .. .. .. xft Light Railways .. .. .. .. xii Midland Railway .. .. xii Aid to the Public Works Fund .. .. xiii Native Land Purchases .. .. .. xiv Land- and Income-tax .. .. .. xv Advances to Settlers Office.. .. .. xv The Public Trust Office .. .. xv

Paga Department of Agriculture.. .. .. xvi Rhea or Ramie Plant .. .. .. xvii Ordinary Land Settlement and Roading, &c. .. xvii Land-for-Settlements Operations .. .. xviii Department of Labour .. .. .. xix Gold-mining Industry .. .. .. xix Old-age Pensions .. .. xx Post-Office Savings-Bank .. .. xx Government Insurance Department .. .. xxi Valuation Department .. .. .. xxi Forests and Forestry .. .. .. xxii Beet-root Sugar.. .. .. .. xxiii Dairying and Frozen-meat Industry .. .. xxiv Commerce and Trade with the Islands .. xxiv Freights .. .. .. .. xxv Ocean Mail-services .. .. .. xxvi Suggested Eastern Service .. .. .. xxviii Business Agents for the Colony .. .. xxix Education .. .. .. .. xxix Conference of Premiers at Hobart .. .. xxx Conference with the Secretary of State for the Colonies .. .. .. .. xxxii Finance of 1897-98 .. .. .. xxxiii Estimated Results at the Close of the Year 1897-98 xxxvi Separate Accounts .. .. .. xxxvi What the Census discloses .. .. .. xxxvi The Progress of the Colony .. .. xxxvii Conclusion .. .. .. .. xxxix