the western*'' side without a long detour or zig-zag— a con--ii sideration that must not be lost sight of when*! the proposals cotno to be practically dealt with. I t In speaking of telegraphs he inentionwl that ji the lino from ftlotueka to Collingwood— 4B miles jj in length <- was worked by the Edison-801l tele- -'! phone, and 'that on tho line, Port Chiilinws to jj Seacliff,'old rails were used for poles, which in.ji point of heaviness and stability were a groat sue- jj cess. is Under the heading of Public Buildings .ho ••! mentioned that during the year the new \ Supreme Court buildings and a police station at .j! < Wellington had beeu completed; also a number -j! of police stations, and four new- post offices in .j; various parts of the Colony ; additions to tho ■!' lunatic asylums at Auckland and Wellington,.. l : and to several gaols. The more importantiof the •■" new works are the lunatic asylums near Christ- •;■ ■ church and Duuedin, court houses and other ■* public offices at Timaru and luvercargiU, Christ- ! ( church and Ashburfcon, and ■ general • post and'L telegraph offices. A considerable reduction had :<j, boon effected during the last fifteen months in. the stwff of tho Public- Works Department-.; throughout tho Colony- the number of officers jj dispensed with being ninety'ftve, the aggregate -J of whose salaries amounted to L21,66i annually, j' The staff is still numerous ; but during the cur-- j: rent year furthor reductions may bo found prac- - |j ticable. ;j In dealing with tho proposals for the future. •!' he said we had now reached tho period.- with re- -ji gard to loan expenditure when the operation of j the pledges given in 1879' aro practically felt and^jj the expenditure on public works must now be *1 less than it has been for some time past. Tho-jj balance remaining on tho Public Works Fund on .ill March 31 last was L 1,860,373.' Of this sum, | L ( j45,79'3 is absorbed by the expenditure be- ■•]; tween April 1 and June 30 and by liabilities,..*! ' irrespective of Native land purchases outstaud- * j i iug on tho latter date. 