Inquiry had been made as to the best route the line should take, but a final decision had not been come to by the Government as to which would be the best of three routes proposed. When this matter had been decided upon, the Government would take the neces sary steps to enable them to proceed with the work. THAMES WATER SUPPLY. Mr O’NEILL asked the Minister for Public Works what had been done in reference to the Thames water supply since last session : and whether the Government intended, without delay, to proceed with the construction of waterworks on the Thames goldfields ? The hon member stated that he asked the question because a great amount of dissatisfaction had been expressed with regard to the length of time that had elapsed since the matter was first brought under the consideration of the Government. Mr ORMOND said the matter was a very important one, and had not been lost sight of by the Government. In January last the Engineer in Chief visited the Thames with the view generally of examining into the re quirements and capabilities of the district, but he had been so fully occupied after his visit that he had been unable to make use of the data obtained. Subsequently, further infor mation was obtained, and a report submitted to the Government and adopted by them, under which the “ low level scheme” had been decided upon, which would cost something like £40,000, and would give to the inhabi tants at the Thames all they were likely to require. THE MAILS. Mr YOGEL made a statement with regard to the leaving of the St Kilda for the south. Mr Vogel also supplemented a state ment made by himself a few evenings ago with reference to the £2OO demanded by the N.Z.S.S. Company for carrying the mails, which was to the effect that that amount in cluded the bringing back of the outward mail for the Nebraska. SECRETARY EOR THE GOLDFIELDS. Mr ORMOND, in reply to a question from Mr Gillies, stated that the Secretary for the Goldfields had been engaged for two months at the Thames collecting information. THE EDUCATION BILL. 