The Bush Advocate. PUBLISHED TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1888.

Bush Advocate, Volume I, Issue 68, 11 October 1888, Page 2

The Bush Advocate. PUBLISHED TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1888.

In addressing -.sp& constituents the other day Mr Allen, the member for Dunedin East, gave a few ; jfttoe^wjfjclj slje^verjr/clearly the past and present condition of tne Public Works expenditure As the 1 subject is oh^ bf 1 general intereat, we quote portion of hisremaiks : — " The Public Works expenditure in 1885-6 had mounted to the enorr imous^Hum of .nearly, .-a >millicin and -.* <aflia«.q'Tl|9/^inißtej?i of JPublic "' Worra x& 18S'I-SS[ propose*! "to ex'^ln#lb6ut; '-^1,1^6; 'and the actuai appropriations were £1,128,000." In 1888-89 the proposed expenditure was £986,903, showfiigf a \\&ifjsfsdjidsi)sg off, and the actual appropriations for the year were onlyp£s9js,B|)7, Rowing a reduction in "the general public works expenditure larger ;b ( y >•' -;£9l,ot)o' than was promised. Before considering this increased re-' duction he de&iredsto point out two good general features, and in doing so he had, to ex plain that in the Estimates there were two columns for figures—one for the amounts y6te^, ff^nich'ataountk' could not be exceeded Tiy expenditure, and the other for the amounts authorised beyond the amount voted for expenditure, to^whicli amounts contracts could be entered into. In 1887-88 the. amounts authorised undor the Public Works expenditure exceeded that voted by no less a sum than. $83,4, QQQ ; but in 1888-8-8-89 the amount authorised exceeded the amount voted by only £257,000, a "drop of £600,000. He did not lay special stress upon this, but it ; seemeM : itb Him s io show pretty clearly that an attempt was being made to put our finances into a proper position. The second good poiut, was this : TJliat the estimated liabilities under the Public Works fund on the 3 1st March, 1888, were smaller than /they had tieen for a great many years Speaking general, ;tp:>ye;dufctiph: of the Public Works fund was satisfactory ; but there .was t one .part ,ol\the expenditure ftftt ' 'was "not satisfactory. .The expenditure was divided into tbifcie parts. M&hxb 2 dealt with the expenditure Upon the North Island Main, ~;trunk f railway,, .and the decrease ii that -ekpendMre 'Beyond whaj; had bepn promised by^ the '' -Minister ; was-£44, 1 289. Thl r|aspn for that that- |Se Ministry^ -&&& .detofmmeo' $6 ) Ut ll n6 i further conj troctei aaditwas psofcable, -unless -, i putsidelpressiure alfc^redYthe-decision, that expenditure upon that .railway wquld. geasf . mahj railways in course of coiiatructibn, v 'dniifbr whi ; cK, a' special, loan -was raißed: I; The ; "decrease ] 6f expenditure Mnder'thi^'part' beyond what was promised ainotinted to £81,000: odd ; so that the total decreases on these two. pa rts beyond what • was promised.. was, ,sl26,ooo. In part I, however, there was an increase of £35,0(^0^4^ sothat the net decrease was £91,000. This increased expenditure' in part lof the Public Works expenditure seemed emu nently unsatisfactory. Eegarding " : partJ3, ; the ekplanation 'of th§ decrease was 'that' the policy of th'e'- Ministry %as practically to stop all expenditure after this year upon all railways in Course of constructidn, with the exception of the Woodville-Palmerston and the Otago Central lines. If they analysed the expenditure under part 1 of the Public: .Works funds, they would -find a decrease in the proposed expenditure upon immigration of £10,000, but . that 'decreaseihad been insisted upon by the House*. 'With regard to waterworks on goldfields, the purchase of native lands, and part of public buildings^ there has been a larger decrease than -was promised, and ,that. was, well enough;; but "on; the Other side they; would findjai increased- expenditure upon the „P ublic Works department of £1750; upon same odd railways, £8400; roads, £16,000 ; telegraphs, , £JO,OOO ; part of public buildings, '.lighthouses and harbour defence) £6000; rates on native lands , : £l0,0pQ ( ; : thermal -springs, £700 ; , and loan expenses £10,000 ; making - a total of £92,920, and leaving the net increase. on this part £35,055. Mr Allen then went on to argue that if they desired to stop borrow--1 rag ihVn* the necessary expenditure must be provided from the consolidated fund/ aid /suggested that the territqrial revenue, spinp £^^QOO a year, ; sh6uld be set a-side for roads, public buildings and telegraph ex.tensf on « ' *-'■."

..TfiE Woodville people c^&e fortuuate tfn^haviag the^Minister for Public ■^yksiYwith^Jthem^for a day; and, ptiiiraily, the^made|fee| mos,t Of their fibpbrtunity. J-y^one'uC^ th£> subjects M)iigKjlup4>s *the demtatißiijwhich #ft|d uTOlf Mitchelstjtf^as^that Wbufning^dodin'the railway engines upon this section of line. From the report in 'the Examiner we observe is7not?| averse 'to,. JusJtol^oihl yi%H& simply*,a J^uestion of expense in procuring the engines «Buitttble*ta<sonßuiaie'itv M^Mitohelsoaadmits tha^it w^juldj be a great benefit 4# Jbush I sejttleM by. g#«hg employ 4 menttojbhem. At-grwent^vernment, liacT no, intention., of introducing engines;" tjiit if they did so he would advise them to buy engines to burn wood oV iKe Napier stna Taranaki, Uriels;' AWe can only >re*peat- our hope that before long .ths Government may" see their way to get a few engines of the needed class. , Soniebf those nowrunning oh this ,'line are riot fit for lbpg trips,' and ytjb certainly ' think more powerful ones are required. ; The journey to Napier is a dismal ride on account >of the ',-sldw speed of the train, and people only .travel who: are compelled to , do. .50,. . . f As , t,o taking & plealsure'trip by' tjie railway,". that is &l)ouV f th ; e laaft thitig people think of i