PUBLIC WORKS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8725, 26 November 1913, Page 6

PUBLIC WORKS.

THE ANNUAL STATEMENT,

The Minister of Public Works (Hon. William Fra.ser) presented his annual statement to Parliament last evening. It contains the following passages:

Owing to the financial position obtaining at the close of. ..last session, jiud in view- of the heavy commitments already entered into, I did not feel justified in making available for immediate expenditure the whole of 'the ■now items appearing on the public > works estimates. All authorities issued and offers made in pursuance of* previous years' appropriations were, however, duly honoured. New votes urgently requiring attention were also authorised oh application. 1 As soon as the success of the flotation of the new ban wars assured all restrictions regarding expenditure of new votes were " removed, - Notwithstanding these precautionary measure's the total expenditure of the past year on public works was not only in excess of that of -/the .previous year, but was actually the largest in any single year for over 3Q.years, and amounted- to the very large sum of £2,711,065—viz., £2,593,385 out rof the Public Works Fund and allied special accounts, and £117,703 out of ike Consolidated,, Fund. i, Expenditure. . £ The following iable shows the brief particulars of the expenditure of the year:— £ , Railways— New construction 684,196 Additions to o;>en lines ... 464,636 Roads r 374,346 Public buildings 445,192 immigration 14,694 Ligh th o v ses. harb ou r-w'o r ks, and-harbour defences ... 16,785 Tourist and health resorts ... 12,906 Telegraph "extension ... 251,375 Development of goldfields ... 10,644 Defence works (general) 23,790 Departmental 57,425 Lands improvement 22,550 Oost and discount, raising loans, etc 72,950 2,451,489 "Wellington-Hutt Railway Improvement 991 New Hutt Road 1,738 "Railway Improvement Account 29,254 ■Opening up Crown Lands for Settlement Account 47,951 National Endowment Account ... .' 2,689 Waihou and'Oliinemuri Rivers Account • 9,555 ' .Aid to Water power Works Account '."..'... .' 35,009 Irrigation and Water Supply Acroimt 14,689 £2,593,365 Public Works Fund. At the 31st March, 1912, the. available ways and means for public works purposes' were £82,580, and further funds were received.as under:—Under fchc> aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Act, 1911, £950,000;' under the mid to Public Works and Land Scitlem( Act. ISI2, £855,226, under the New Zealand Loans Act, 1908, £71,679, i transfer from Consolidated Fund ■£7C(},000. miscellaneous receipts £'j 19,9(3!). milking a gross total of £%821\<154. The ordinary expenditure of the year iimounted to £2,378,539, 4,i;a.rges and expenses in respect of raising loans £72.950. and redemption of debentures CIOCO, thus bringing, the total disbursements up to £2,452,489, a-i'.d .leaving a credit balance at the end of the year of £376,965 (exclusive of £2-19,776 proceeds of 4 per cent, stock loan to pay off debentures due 15th April, 1913). .For'the current year it is proposed fco provide additional funds as under: Balance of loan of 1911 £100,000, balance of loan of 1912 £894,774, transfer from Consolidated Fund £675.000, proposed new loan £1,750,000.- The above, with the balance brought forward, gives a gross tolal of £3,796.739. The estimated expenditure for public works for the current year (excluding separate accounts having their own ways and means) .amounts to £2,995,575, leaving an estimated balance of £801,16 i to be'carried forward to next year.

In addition to the above we have authority to raise, outside^ the Public Works Fund, the undermentioned sums:—Under the aid to ' Water-power Works Act, 1910 £450,000, for irriga-tion-works, under the Irrigation and-Water-supply Act, 1913 £100,000. under the Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers Improvement Act. 1910 (balance) -£50,000. Railway Construction. The. following sections of railway were completed and opened for traffic during the last financial year, or since its close:—Waikoliu to Otoko 7 miles 75 chains, Westport to Te Kuha 5 miles 74 cliains, Te Wera to Pohokura 8 miles 55 chains, Kiwi to Glenhope 12 miles 59 chains, Mina to Parnassus ' 8 mile's 43 chains, Te Hand, to Kaiwaka 8 miles 65 chains; total, 52 miles 51 chains.

The following lengths are practically completed, but have not yet been handed over to the railway, authorities for traffic:—Maungamii to Te Puke 13 miles, Pohokura to W^hangamomona 6 miles 13 chains, Otoko to Rakauroa 6 miles. 50 chains, Coal Creek Exteu.sion'3 miles 58 chains.

In addition to the above the following sections are approaching completion,'and are expected to be ready for traffic ''during the current financial year:—-Kaihu Extension 2 miles .44' chains, Otjria to Kaikohe 16 miles, 25 Tcliains, Eaiwaka; to Otamatea 2 miles 45 chains, iVlount Egmont Branch 2 miles 56 chains,. Cronadun to Inanga--nua Junction 12 miles 70 .chains, Cass to fiealey 14 miles 6 chains," Big Hill to Athenaeum Flat 3 miles, Houipapa to Papatowai 12! miles 72- chains;'" *

The fcotal expenditure on railway construction and ..improvement* work during last .'financial; iyear amounted to £1,179,077, as '.Vunder: —Construction of new lilies* £684,196, addition to open lines £464,636, Wellington-Hutt Rail•way duplication £991. Railways Iniprovemeut•■[.Account £29,254. _'-'■■.

The-statement then gives rtn account of the present position of each of the railways- tiridef . construction, of what lias been done during the .past year.,' and what is proposed to be done .during 'the current year. Most" of these are ibh» past year, and what is proposed be ; done during the - current year. "Most. of these are not of local interest-. ■■■: ■■• ■ '■ ...' South Island Main Trunk. At the northern end the line is *>pen *tq Ward. From there to Mills,;

eight- miles farther south, the formation is now constructed and ready for platelaying, with the exception of'some light earthwork near Mills Station. This section includes some heavy cuttings and fillings, a tunnel 8i chains long and a combined railway and road bridge" over the lire River which is now nearly completed. To the south of the Ure Bridge, where the formation is through sandhills, marram-grass has proved entirely successful for heavy sandy batters, banks, and sand-drifts, i but experiments with other bindingplants resulted in comparative failure. No-rails have yet been "laid* beyond 1 Ward, but large'supplies of rails, .sleep- ■ ers and other permanent-way material are being forwarded .to the" rail-head, almost the whole quantity required for the eight miles to Mills having already been received there and stacked ready for use. The section from Mina to Parnassus, eight miles and a half in length, at the southern end of the line, was completed and opened for traffic by the Railway Department in September, 1912. .Formation work, which had extended over the next four miles, has been suspended, and is not likely to be resumed during the current-year. The expenditure during last financial ivear amounted to £21.877 at the north end and. £23,964 at the south end. For the-current year a total vote of £20,000 will be required. '• Midland. ' , At the Nelson end, since the opening of the section to Oleuhope on the ' 2nd 'September, 1912, construction work was carried on with a reduced of men over about two miles of the route towards Murchison until April last, when the work was suspended. It is not proposed to resume the construction of this section of the line during the current year, but the road between CHenhope and Murchison will be made more suitable for motor traffic. On the Reefton-Jnangahua Section the formation work to the proposed station near the Inangahua Junction has been com- 1 pleted, rails laid, and the ballasting is well, under way. This station will be the terminus of the line for the present, as it is not proposed to undertake any-work beyond the Inangahua Rver this year.

On the Canterbury side of the dividing range .formation has been practically completed between the Cass and Bealev Flat, and a train service to the ! temporary station at Halpin Creek has been inaugurated. Floods in the Wuimakariri caused considerable damage to the formation during the year, which has been repaired, and measures taken for the future protection of the railway. Messrs John McLean and Sons, contractors for the construction of the Arthur's Pass Tunnel, were relieved of their contract and the work taken over by the Government on the 28th December, 1912, in pursuance of a recommendation of a parliamentary Select Committee, since which it has been carried on, principally by day labour, from the Otira end, under the direct supervision of Public Works Engineers. At the Bealev end excavation by co-operative contract was tried, but was not successful, and the experiment was not persevered with. From the Otira portal the bottom heading is now in 2 miles 12 chains, and the tunnel fully excavated and lined for 20 chains less". At the Bealey end tho figures are : Bottom , heading,' 45 chains; excavation to full size and lining, 33 chains. Thus there .remains 2 miles 48 chains between the'headings, and miles between the points to which, the enlargement and lining have been carried on either side. A larger number of capable men could be employed to advantage on this work, but the best men are not obtainable in large numbers. The expenditure on the different sections of the Midland Railway during last financial year was as follows: — Nelson end ',£23.366, Reefton end £10,073, Otira-Bealey £61,809, Bealey-] Cass '£36,788. ' , .

For the current year appropriation?are proposed as follows:—Nelson end PSOOO, Reefton end £10,000, OtiraBealey £70,000, Bealey-Cass £50,000. Other Railway Works. ■ During the year under , review tho sum of £300,059 was spent by the 'Railway Department on rolling-stock, tarpaulins, pneumatic coaling-cranes, Westinghomse brake, steam heating gear, workshops machinery, and steamer for Lake Wakatipu.

The -sum of £164,577 was spent on extension of station yards, purchase of laud, additions to workshops, cranes, bridge-work and subways, lire-preven-tion services, wharves, gasworks, and extension of signal and interlocking system, tablet installation, telegraph and telephone facilities, duplication of line, reduction in grades, and improvement of curves. • The amount proposed to bo voted for ithe current year on account of "Additions to open lines" is £500,000, of I which sum £300,000 is for new rollingstock and workshops machinery, and £200,000 for various new works. Roads and Bridges. The provision made on last year's, appropriations for road and bridge works under all votes and accounts (including the Consolidated Fund vote' for < v maintenance) amounted to £746,950.

The total amount authorised' for expenditure during the financial year, including the unexpended. balance of authorities brought forward at the 31st March, 1912, amounted to £845,248. The: total expenditure for the year amounted, however, to only £468,972, leaving- an unexpended balance of authorities amounting to £376,276, at 31st March last. Between the Ist April and 30th September a further £337,378 was authorised, and expenditure to the extent of £231,605 was brought to charge. The large amount of ,money which has been standing as atith'pris'eclF for expenditure, compared wjth the actual disbursements,;., indicates that : the temporary' restriction placed upon the ..authorisation of .new votes after the close of last session had but little, effect on the expenditure. In my last Statement I expressed the opinion that it was ;almost. impossible, under, existing conditions, to expend within any year the amount of money voted for that for rbad and bridge works. The experience gained, during the past twelve months Jias confirmed this opinion.

Last year I referred to the disinclination of local bodies to make satisfactory provision for the maintenance of main roads. In localities where the main road passes through unoccupied Crown .lands, sparsely settled districts or .Native; lands, whence little or no revenue in the way of rates can be collected, such a feeling is to a great extent justified. All main roads, however, do not come under the above category, nor will it be an easy matt 1"" to define what constitutes a main road. I hope, however, during the recess to find a satisfactory solution of this

problem, as also to the equally obstruse on© of improving the present .method of distributing' grants for roads and I bridges. ; The provision for roadworks tor the current year amounts to £751,750. Other Items. The total expenditure on public buildings during tho last financial year amounted £611.041. For -the current year a total appropriation or £660,009 is proposed. The principal items of expenditure for the Post and Telegraph Depart-j raont during the past financial year i were in connection with tho largo new ; buildings at Auckland and Wellington,] which were completed and opened for public business on the 20th and 26th 1 November, 1912, respectively, lo meet the continuous growth of the Department's business it is still necessary to provide addition:-.! accommodation, and appropriations for this purpose amounting to £206,011 sire proposed on the current year's estimates.

Agriculture. —Further expenditure is contemplated this year to. provide up-to-date buildings and equipment for the experimental farms, to make these institutions object-lessons in all that makes for effective working and economy. When the farms were started there was an almost - entire absence of modern equipment, and improvements arc being effected generally, the • expenditure being spread over a number of years.f An experimental farm is being' established at Mamaku, on which investigations into the cause of bush sickness in cattle may bo continued. At Ruakurn drainage operations which have materially increased the fertility of the land are to be continued, i A noteworthy increase in the numbers of purebred live-stock imported involves extensions of the accommodation at some of the quarantine stations. ; Hospitals.—Under the heading "Pub-, lie Health, Hospitals, and Charitable Institutions," there was an expenditure last year of £9,126 out of the' Public Works Fund. On the current year's estimates provision is made for £25,530 of which it is anticipated that £10,000, will come to charge before the 31st March next. Last year's expenditure included hospital accommodation at Rotoriia, and an up-to-date Maternity Hospital at Wellington. It is proposed to provide similar institutions at Auckland and Chri&tchurch, and the largest items on the estimates relate.to these respective proposals.

School I3uiidmgs. —The expenditure during the .past year was £105,000, of which nearly £83,000 "was paid to the respective governing bodies for the erection of schools, additions to existing buildings, equipment and sites, for public schools, teachers' residences, technical and secondary schools, and University colleges. Workers' Dwellings.—The expenditure under this head during the past year amounted to £46,455 —an appreciable increase over that of the preceding year. The demand for workers' dwellings under the conditions provided in the Act is increasing, and for the current year an authorisation of £75,000 is proposed for the acquisition of land, road-formation on ' sites, and erection of buildings. On account of this sum a vote of £65.000 is asked for for the requirements of the current year.

Development of Water-Power. —Satisfactory progress has been made with the Lake Coleridge power-works. Tho total expenditure" to date is £82,897, whilst the liability amounts to £121.236 and it is estimated that a sum of £48,484 is required to complete the works now under construction, making a gross total of £252,617. A contract hn's been entered into with the Christchurch City Council to supply them with power as from Ist May next at varying rates according to the load. At present there is a prospect that the works will be completed in time, the determining feature beivg the pine-line, tho contract for which is much behindhand. Negotiations for a supply of non-ei- to the Ohristclmrch Tramway Hoard are proceeding, and similar negothtions will shortly be opened with oiher power users and local authorities within the area of supply from the substation. Last year's expenditure in connection with, tho development of water-power amounted to £35,009. and for the current year a vote of £200,000 is provided. , ' ' °

The expenditure on 'telegraph and tclephbne extension during; the year amounted to £251, 375. The vote for the current year amounts to £376,000. Gross Total Appropriations. In addition to the votes already specially, mentioned, the estimates niake provision for the undermentioned services : —Departmental, £64,200 ; Immigration, £36,000 ; Contingent defence, £50,000; Lands improvement, £31,700 ; thus bringing the total amount of the proposed appropriations j including special accounts, up to £3,427,325, as against £3,143,111 voted ,a*hd £2,520,----799 actually expended last year. • JJr Eraser said in conclusion -.—The rapid increase of settlement necessitates year by year a corresponding increase of road • and bridge construction, and the end thereof is not yet;' in. sight. There are still far too many settlers who have had for years past either no access or quite inadequate access to their properties, but the number of these I am pleased to say is diminishing; Once these arrears have been overtaken it will be fT'much easier task to provide | only for, th'o needs of new settlers.-y >■■