A large portion of this amount of liability has been expended in reproductive works, or works of expediency, so as to render the country habitable for persons accustomed to the wants of civilisation. At the end of the Maori War, though the Middle Island was tolerably provided in some portions with ordinary roads, it was almost deficient in railways, while the North Island was deficient in both roads and railways, and wanted moreover the special means for making them in the lack of public land to supply the funds. A large portion of the colony was difficult to open—perhaps three times as difficult and expensive as any of the Australian colonies. Even in the open country which prevails in Otago and Canterbury railway and road construction have been difficult and costly, from the bridging of the many wide and rapid rivers with which the land abounded; while in the other districts of the colony great difficulties are encountered from the density of the vegetation, and the uneven contour of the country. In 1870 the public debt was £7,841,891, bearing the annual charge of £479,761. It would be hardly possible at the present time, without a very large amount of research, coupled with the assistance of the officers of the Treasury, to learn how the loans before 1870 were expended. But from 1870 onwards a large amount of the public debt can be shown to have been disbursed fa the following purposes:—

Railways, 1777 miles	£14,875,187
Telegraph—miles of line, 4790	558,343
Lighthouses, Harbour Works, and Defences	620,216
Public Buildings	1,469,716
Departmental Expenditure on Public Works	309,068
Water Supply on Gold fields	496,788
Immigration	2,019,972
Roads	2,847,558
Land Purchases	1,113,680
Purchase of District Railways	361,688
Contingent Defence	435,970
Thermal Springs development	11,254
Rates on Native Lands	42,334
Miscellaneous Public Works	557,273
Expenditure in Raising Loans	1,023,073
Transfer under Roads and Bridges Construction Act to Main and District Roads, and River Works Accounts	224,677
Loan money expended in aid of revenue	3,822,58
Total	£30,752,926