D.—l.

until the section was handed over to the Railway Department and opened for all classes of traffic in December last. Formation work, which was commenced on the next section to Roxburgh Township, is practically complete for 7 miles, and is in progress on the remaining length. The rails have been laid for almost 4 miles and ballasted for 3 miles. The culverting of this section is also nearly complete, and a Stationmaster's house and two platelayers' cottages have been erected at Roxburgh. The Orawia Section of the Orepuki-Waiau Railway was completed by the Public Works Department, and opened for all classes of traffic in October last. The goods service which was inaugurated in September, 1924, was conducted by this Department until that date. EXPENDITURE. The total net expenditure under all votes and accounts appearing on the public-works estimates for the financial year ended 31st March, 1926, was £7,495,094. Of this sum £4,615,585 was expended out of General Purposes Account, and the balance, £2,879,509, out of special accounts. A brief summary of this expenditure, as well as the total expenditure since the inception of the public-works policy to the 31st March last, follows in tabular form : —

VI

Expenditure T , , for Year „ i °.f 1 . Glass of Work. ended 31st March, 31st 1^f ch ' 1926. 1J26 ' Railways — £ £ New construction .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,146,292 33,180,728 Additions to open lines .. .. .. .. .. .. 842,322 15,250,391 Payment to Midland Railway bondholders . . .. . . . . 150,000 Roads .. .. .. .. .. .... .. 568,628 15,684,081* Public buildings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 284,178 9,604,988 Immigration .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 107,521 2,932,490 Purchase of Native lands .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,061,739 Lighthouses, harbour-works, and harbour defences .. .. .. 9,407 1,206,692 Tourist and health resorts .. .. .. .. .. 43,486 392,628 Telegraph extension .. .. .. .. .. .. 931,661 8,108,366 Development of mining .. .. .. .. .. . . .. 882,975 Defence works (general) .. .. .. .. .. .. 89,670 1,208,132 Departmental .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 126,596 2,293,023 Irrigation and water-supply .. .. .. .. .. 56,227 677,408 Lands-improvement .. .. .. .. .. .. 70,493 300,151 Minor works and services .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 312,607 Plant, material, and stores .. .. .. .. .. 34,471 384,632 Quarries (acquisition and operating) .. .. .. .. 12,351 14,166 Timber-supply and sawmills for Public Works Department .. Gr. 9,892 4,174 Motor-transport services .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,994 33,635 Cost and discount, raising loans, &c. .. .. .. .. 297,180 2,340,952 Total General Purposes Account .. .. .. .. 4,615,585f 97,023,958 Aid to Water-power Works and Electric Supply Account .. .. 945,574$ 4,715,914 Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers Improvement Account.. .. .. 47,907j 482,489 Total Public Works Fund .. .. .. .. .. 5,609,066 102,222,361 Wellington-Hutt Railway, &c. — Railway .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 228,374 Road .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 101,658 Railways Improvement Account .. .. .. .. .. .. 641,275 Railways Improvement Authorization Act 1914 Account .. .. 881,441§ 2,087,510 Loans to Local Bodies Account —Roads to open up Crown lands .. .. 697,408 Opening up Crown Lands for Settlement Account —Roads to open up .. 206,626 Crown lands Lands for Settlement Account —Roads to open up Crown lands .. 17,181 570,974 National Endowment Account .. .. .. .. .. .. 53,401 Education Loans Account .. .. .. .. .. .. 564,950§ 2,451,993 Main Highways Account Construction Fund .. .. .. 422,456§ 647,903 7,495,094 109,909,483 ♦Includes £4,500 expended under section 16, subsection (1), Native Land Amendment and Native Claims Adjustment Act, 1923. t Does not include expenditure under the Ellesmere Land Diainage Act, 1905. t Excludes interest during construction. § Includes proportionate cost of loan raised under these accounts.