D.—l

VIII

At Sunnyside a receiving and hospital block on the same general plan as at Porirua is nearing completion. A further contribution has been made to electrifying the machinery, and the Vigilant automatic fire-alarm system is being installed. An auxiliary farm of 338 acres has been acquired at Templeton. At Tokanui the erection of a third unit was completed, and satisfactory progress is being made on a fourth, liie permanent water-mains have replaced the temporary service. Four additional cottages for the married staff are nearly ready. At Nelson a brick kitchen has been erected as a first instalment to the rebuilding of the institution. The removal of the old kitchen will allow the drainage system to be remodelled to connect with the new sewer. The current year's estimates provide for a substantial contribution to the scheme for further classification and increase of accommodation and other urgent works. Agriculture. The expenditure under this heading for the past year was not large. For the current year some further necessary improvements at experimental farms and quarantine stations are provided for, together with an item to cover the cost of the purchase of land for an experimental farm in Westland. Hospitals. Considerable expenditure is required this year in order to provide the necessary facilities at St. Helens Hospitals. Land has been purchased adjoining St. Helens Hospital, Auckland, on which it is proposed to erect new wards, utilizing the present building as an administrative block and nurses' quarters. It is proposed to proceed immediately with the erection of new buildings at Christchurch, and to erect new wards at St. Helens Hospital, Dunedin, utilizing the present hospital as an administrative block and nurses' quarters. A suitable building has been purchased for the purpose of a St. Helens Hospital at Invercargill, and provision is made for this expenditure, together with the necessary alterations thereto. Additions are also required at Townley St. Helens Hospital, (lisborne. Considerable extension is required to the accommodation at present available for consumptives. This has been more especially necessitated owing to institutional treatment having to be afforded to returned soldiers. Extensions and improvements are required at both Otaki and Te Waikato Sanatoria, and this is provided for. An item has also been renewed to enable grants to be made to Hospital Boards to provide accommodation for consumptives. Workers' Dwellings. Of last year's vote of £50,000 only £35,437 was expended : there were also liabilities incurred of £295 for dwellings in course of erection and for land the purchase of which was being arranged. For the current year a vote of only £20,000 is proposed, as owing to the high cost of materials it is unlikely that many dwellings will be erected. DEVELOPMENT OF WATER-POWEB. The Lake Coleridge electrical-power undertaking has now completed its second year of operation. The maximum load reached 6,250 horse-power, which is in excess of the rated capacity of the three power units then installed at Lake Coleridge. Since the completion of the financial year, however, the fourth unit has been put in service, making a total installed capacity of 8,000 horse-power. An additional unit of machinery is on order having a capacity of 4,000 horse-power, and also material for a pipe-line. The manufacture of the turbine and the generator is well advanced, but there is very little prospect of getting delivery of the plates for the pipe-line, and efforts to obtain a permit for the manufacture from the Home authorities have been unavailing. During the year the additional consumers connected comprised the Christchurch Tramway Board, the Islington Freezing-works, Borthwick's Freezing-works (Belfast), the North Canterbury Farmers' Freezing-works at Kaiapoi, and two flour-mills,