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the proceeds of land sales may increase, having in view the price which will probably be obtained in England for the shipments of last year’s grain, and the facilities of access to land hitherto unsold which will be afforded by the bridging of rivers and extension of Railways during the current year.

A sum of about £20,000 may be anticipated from the released Sinking Funds. Correspondence on this subject will be laid before you.

The principal change in the form of the Estimates as they will be submitted to you is that it is proposed that provision for the current expenditure on Education should be made out of the Ordinary Revenue instead of out of Land Revenue.

You will be asked to make more liberal provision under this head principally in the direction of offering larger salaries to the teachers of schools who have hitherto in many cases received most inadequate remuneration for their services.

You will also be requested to consider the advisableness of vesting the management of the Education Reserves in a body of trustees.

The Bridge over the Rakaia has been rapidly progressing during the past year, and the Province may well congratulate itself on the success which has so far attended the attempt to bridge one of its dangerous rivers by a simple and comparatively cheap structure.

The prevalent opinion that the course of the river would be injuriously affected by the piles on which the bridge is to be erected, and that it is necessary to maintain a great width of span between the piers, has not proved to be well grounded, and I am of opinion that if arrangements can be made with the contractor, it is desirable to lessen the width of each span by the insertion of another pier, and so to strengthen the bridge that it will be available for Railway traffic.

You will be asked to consent to the bridging the river Ashburton with a light bridge, and this, with the bridges over the Rangitata and Waitaki rivers, the former of which is authorised and contracted for, and the latter sanctioned by an Act of the Assembly, will complete the most important links of communication between the different parts of this Province and that of Otago.

You will also be asked to sanction the erection of a Bridge over the Selwyn on the main line of road which passes through the Ellesmere District.

During the past year the main road to the Peninsula by way of Little River has been formed for some distance, and you will be asked to supplement the provision that has been already made for the purpose by a further grant.

A new line of road has also been laid out from Pigeon Bay to Akaroa, and is now in course of formation.

The General Government has consented to establish a District Court, which shall hold periodical sessions in Timaru, and thus supply what has been a great want to the inhabitants of that District.

I have directed various papers to be laid on the Table, selected from those which have been presented to the General Assembly. I would especially call your attention to the Report of a Joint Committee of both Houses, with evidence taken on the subject of Colonial Industries.

The Colonial Government has, at my instance, requested Dr. Haast, through the Colonial Geologist, to make a complete and detailed Geological Survey of the Malvern Hills, with the view of obtaining further information as to the extent and value of the Coal Fields in that District.

You will be asked to give assistance to the Association which is prosecuting investigations as to the best method of producing a lucrative article of export from the Native Flax.