In_regard to the Extraordinary Budget, it will be observed that several of the public works for which appropriation was made last year remain to be completed in 1899; on the other hand a sum of Tls. 44,500 was expended on Land and Buildings for which no appropriation has been made. In regard to the latter some explanation is necessary. The land adjoining the new Rifle Range, purchased ata total cost of Tls. 24,350, was considered by the Council to be urgently required in order to provide a suitable drill and parade ground for the Volunteers and to preent any erection of buildings in the immediate vicinity of the Range. Tt has become evident that the interior of the Race Course cannot continue to be used by the Artillery and Light Horse without inflicting serious damage on our chief recreation ground, and the purchase of the 60 mow of Tand adjoining the Range 9 peared therefore to be the best possible solution of a serious problem. Similarly, it was considered advisable to purchase sufficient land adjoining the Council's property at the Rifle Range Road to permit hereafter of the construction of certain Sanitary Medical Buildings in the immediate neighbourhood of the Vic-mrsing Institute, The present accom.
n and arrangements of the Health partment, Laboratory, Sanitary Inspector's Offices, Vaccine Station, Pas-tour Institute, ete., are of a temporary and highly unsatisfactory description, but the Council had decided not to recommend any expenditure for this work during the coming year in view of the financial conditions existing. The land purchased at the West Hongkew Police Station was required to secure a proper approach to that build and to allow of its future extension if necessary. Finally, the expenditure. on the experimental wash-house, appeared to be justifiable in view of Dr. Macleod's report on the system of native washing, and from the results up to date, it would appear that the experiment, if tried hereafter on an increased scale, may not be
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.