Public Works' Statement.

Auckland Star, Volume X, Issue 3010, 10 December 1879, Page 2

Public Works' Statement.

The Hon. Mr Olliver, Minister of Public Works, in delivering the statement, first rcviowed the progress of works up to date. He proceeded to speak of RAILWAYS IN NORTH ISLAND.

Taking the railways in their geographical order, we begin with the Kawakawa, that being the most Northern. The first section of this line has been completed, and is being used iv convoying coal from the miue to the wharf, where the coal is put into barges and conveyed to ships lying at the deep-water anchorage, eight miles below. The first contract on the Whangarei-Kamo line is within a few weeks of completion, and the work of plate-laying will be begun as soon as possible. Tho survey of the proposed Helensville-Whangarei Railway has now been begun, and during tho summer the whole of this country will bo thoroughly examined. It is expected that the wharf at Helensvillo will be completed in about a month, which will provide a very necessary accommodation. Between Riverhead and Newmarket work is in progress along the whole 22 miles, and should bo finished in about 10 months. If in the same time the Newmarket junction station could be finished, railway communication between Auckland and the Kuipara waters would be completed. A large reclamation contract is being carried out to obtain increased station accommodation in Auckland, and a site for railway workshops has been bought at Newmarket. Tho branch lino to Hamilton has been opened for traffic, and in a very short time the southern end of tho KaiparaPunui line will bo finished within 3 or 3 miles of the confiscated boundary. Some works arc being carried on at Grahamstown and Shortlaud, and natives are employed on a piece on another section, about 2 miles long, further up the Thames Valley. The works on tho Napier-Manawatu Railway are being pushed on south of Kopua, and 64 miles tire now open for traffic. .Railway workshops are being built at Napier,

Ninety-four miles o! the Patea-Manawatu Railway are now open for traffic, from Foxhra to Kai Iwi, 9 miles north of Wav» ganui, and a further section of 13 miles ja being constructed. In a few weeks *the Stratford contract on the Waitara-Patca lino will be finished, and. the journey from >New Plymouth to Wangsnui will then be »v affair of one day only. , Surveys are being carefully made north of Carlyle, and this line, desirable for strategetic and other reasons, between Waitara and New Plyr mouth on the north, ttnd' Carlyl^sthe fp(trtofPatea>;on tbe south, may^ be finished at no distant date. The works on the Wel-lington-Woodvillo Railway, in the Wairarapa district, are being pushe4t-c»n vigorously. The contract having been" abandoned; its' completion" is being carried on by the Public Works engineers. These works, and the formation of the Greytown branch, are so well advanced th.-.t the line may be open for traffic as far as the latter place early in February. The railway wharf at Wellington and the workshops at Petone are ' drawing near completion. Machinery' for the latter has arrived, and will shortly be placed in position, giving facilities for repairs as well as for the economical manufacture of many articles at present bought at a high rate. Surveys of the Foxton end of the Wellington-Foxton line are being proceeded with, and some work has been done near Wellington by day labour over a length of nearly five miles.

MIDDLE ISLAND LINES.

The original public works scheme foi the Middle Island was finished in the last financial year, communication by rail being establislied.'between Christchurch and Invercargill. The western railways in Southland, however, the construction of which was taken over from the Provincial Government, and some small extensions of the General Government lines, are not yet complete. With the exception of the RivertonOrepuke branch, these will all be finished during this financial year. A connection is being made on the Nelson and Foxhill line with the Port at .Nelson, and inland an extension of three miles from Foxton is in progress. The Picton and Blenheim line is beiag carried into the town of Blenheim. The harbour works at Greymouth, which may be regarded as an adjunct to the railway system,' seem,. as far as they nave been completed, to answer the purpose for which they were intended. From the manager's report it would seem that the employment of a dredge materially facilitated the work and reduced the cost of these improvements. The works in progress during the year, on the Amberly-JBluff Railway consisted chiefly of extensions of stations and workshops at the large towns, and increased wharfage at Port Chalmers. A large expenditure has been proposed in relaying the^main line with heavier rails, but after much consideration it seems inadvisa : ble to do this ; as before the present raile could be lifted most of them will be bo much worn that it would not be worth1 while to put them on another line. Short extensions are made, or are in progress, of the Malvern, Awamoko, and Green Island branch linea; The Waipahi-Tapanui railway contract was undertaken on terms of payment differing from the usual ones.inasmuch as no progress payments were to be required, as the work went on, all payments being deferred until the line was completed. It was thaught that the adoption of this method'would enable us to indefinitely extend pur railway system, and to obtain such au increase of price for Crown .-lands in the neighl>OUT'lq.ofl^of tt^v tinea, made under similar conditions, as would pay the cost of constructing.. I grieve to say these expectations' K.\ve hot been .fulfilled. The works, which were pushed on with great vigour' foj: some time, are now almost entirely suspended, »nd the contractors have stated their inability to finish their contract without progressive payments being made to them. " V! " )

RAILWAYS AUTHORISED LAST YEAR.

Contracts were let almost to the full extent of the votes to nearly all tho lines authorised last year, and in several caaea the votes were largely exceeded. Sections were let by pieec-work and day labour at i Weka Pass and Canterbury, on the Livingstone branch and Otago Central Railway in Otago, and at Kaiwarra, - near Wellington. On all these there were about 2,300 men engaged at wages ; somewhat less than current rates. It is certain that this rapidly becomes smaller as the work advances. •

ROADS.

Certain main lines of road in the North Island are being maintained, such as the Great South Road (Auckland), the TaurangaTaupo road, the Taupd-Napier road| and some other short lengths of road in native districts. The Government expenditure on roads and bridges in the Middle Island during last year was comparatively small, having been almost entirely confined to Westland and the Southern end of the Island.

WATER RACKS.

Detailed reports up to the 30th June, on Government expenditure in aiding mining enterprise, have already been laid before you. From these reports and the accounts of the financial year, I find the colony has spent in these undertakings £387,169 0s Id, exclusive of £29,234 2s lid by way of subsidies. Of the former sum £79,626 5i 3d has been handed over to tbo Thames County Council as a grant, with an addition of £10,000 from the vote of the currrent year. It has been arranged to hand over the debt of £11,000, due to the Government from to the Garrick Water-race Company, to the County of Vincent. , The s total receipts from all water-races amount to £14,407 7s lOd, exclusive of £2948 Os 2d refund of subsidies and iuterest thereon, being equivalent to an average of about one per ceut. per annum on the outlay from the j date it first became productive, a very unsatisfactory result. Still the collateral advantages are considerable. The Nelson crcok and water races worked by the Government were the mean* last year of obtaining 25S0ozs. gold, and employing 700 imen. < COAL EXPLORATION; l The most important work of this class which has been undertaken duriug the pastyear h the examination of the coal beds of the Mokau district by Dr Hectar, who reports that the coal formation there is of considerable extent, the outcrops haviUg a width of two miles, and stretchiug from Kawhia harbour towards the upper part of the Wanganui River. The coal s'eaim cropping out on the Mokau River vary from two feet to six feet in thickness, and* tho quality is excellent for steam purposes, one and a-half tons of Mokau coal hiving besn proved by Dr Hector's trials to do as much as two tons of the best Waikato coal. In connection wth a district in which coal and limestone abound, an extensive deposit of brown hematite has boea discovered by the geological surveyors it Mount Peel, in the nrovincial district of Nelson. It is fifty feet wide, and has been trace for a distance of over two miios. A new niiue has been; opened at Ferahill, Green Island. Tho Kawakawa coal mine,at tlioßay ot Islnnds.is under going steady development and the coal is rapidly acquiriug au established position in the market as a valuable steam coal. A shaft recently sunk has disclosed the existence of two seams, four and nine feet thick, of superior quality, and at a greater depth than any previous workings, in the Waikaio River, and indications of an improve--■meat in tho quality of tho coal with increasing depth has also been shown by recent discoveries . •

WORKING RAILWAYS. During the first fow days of July heavy floods occurred in Canterbury and Otago, doing serious damage to the lines, partially suspending traffic, and causing a heavy outlay in repairs and renewals. The permanent way is reported to be in good working order, except one of the beach lines, which, owing to the lightness of the rails and sleepers used iv their construction, are becoming seriously impaired. A very large number of sleepers have required removal during the last four months, and it is worthy of note that they were chiefly American timber. These sleepers were only imported as an experiment at a lime when the pressure was great. The traffic returns for July, August, and September show a considerable falliug off, compared with the correspondins period of last year. No doubt this i? owing to the financial deprcssiou, but much may be expected from tho graiu traffic of the approaching season, which bids fair to bo a prosperous one. A good harvest and the revival of trade, symptoms of which are apparent, would speedily produce happier results. lam glad to say that we are extending tho use of New Zealand coal on our railways, aud after the expiry of existing contracts for the supply of Australjau coal, our arrangements will enable us to dispense to a largo extent, if not altogether, with imported fuel, and save several ' thousand pounds a year. I nnd that the cost of railways open for Io i™ tue end of the last financial year is jfcb.690,417 0s 4d, including £633,229 0s 4d for interest to date of opening. The gross traffic returns amount to £1,729,955 3s 7d, J, roJ!» which must be deducted £1,520,897 os od for working expenses and maintenance, leaving £479,047 18s, for payment of interest on the loans out ot which thesi; were made. Tablo No. 11, which will be appended to this statement when printed, shows that for the past year the receipts have been £758,096 8s 2d, aud the working expenses £545,478 18s leaving a surplus 0!

£212,617 IMJ&. This amount repre! sents £2 5s .per cent, on the averace cost, or .jcoagtructiSr^. leaving 2-846 pet cent, "to T)e supplied* fro n other sourceMr Ulliver went on to speak of the importance of undertaking only lines that would pay a, good margin\over their working expenses, and said'that several lines which had been undertaken did not comply with i that condition, /ttw'as the intention of the I Govej-nmeritittierefore, to ask Parliament for authority ,-io np'point aHoyal Commia, : sion ;tg.makfpmbre full and complete in vestigation-mto the coat and value of tho several workß commenced andproposed than it would be possible for the Government to complete. He continued : Before next sea, sipn^of Parlia,ment.tha-GovemmentKliope oy means of the report of these comam sioners, to be placedcin,a "position to make' proposals to Parliament for the prosecution or>pnblio^works-upon" a"-flah rareFuily adapted to the circumstances Sdf the eolonv Our efforts must now, therefore be earnestly directed to the economical mangement of : our railways, and amongst "othetr'misaris'l,think the keeping the accounts "of,the various sections'separate and distinct, so that it may be seen what each is earning and spending, will have the good effect of arousing emulation among the officers, as well aa showing which of tho different systems of working should- be adopted.

PROPOSALS FOR THE FUTURE. ' The fund at our disposal for the next few years will be only sufficient to meet'the necessary requirements for miuceUaneous public works and for carrying on the works already authorised at a rate proportionate r: to our resources and to the point at which ; they will be of real use to the community " ': Our position is briefly this. In respect of the £5,000,Q0p .loan and the, balance of £517,120, including credits, with.which : we began the year, the positive engagements on contracts" entered. into and, liabilities 1' which must be met, together! with.the expenditure already during the current year will absorb £3,800,865, including £1,210 802 fpr,land purchases, and £154,79.1.payabieto counties'in the provincial^ districts of Catii ' • terjbury and Otago in respect of stoppa«es from the surplus land revenue of those districts. .It!-finished',.in''-'tie i B tip v . lated time, these works will" require" £2,559,082 of this amount to : be;paidibefQre,r the 30th of June next, and the remainder of tiieiiabilities. excepting a 'portion of tfiose forj land purchases,' within'the'following year. The; balance, therefore, | which is available out of JtheLnew. loan i? £1,872/p#j >' ;; It is my duty 'to' inform the ,Hpv(se ,that Hie '' 1! ' understanding dn which theilioan Agerts are' Iffiely to ( obtain the £5,600;OQ0 loanih such as will preclude our going upon the - English money'niarketforfurther'ltfaDg'for ajteriod of -three years. 1 wiUpftceea; sir io briefly indicate the principal .works intended to be carried on duringthe current"' t ■year :—Railways :' ,1 Kawakawa-Another I section is nearly ready for tende'rin{f,;atid it ''* is proposed to' go' on .immediately with the f works; its • prosecution being: an: obli- t gation imposed on ' the- ;, Govern- J nient, 'under...an agreement',,between ' thei Superintendent of , Auckland. and ' the proprietors of the Kawakawa coal mine ratified by an Act of the General Assembly! However, this work would be very, desirable, developing,as it will, one "off the mostl •■ important coal fields in the colony! Whan-; garei to-Kamo—Hans have been'prepared , for the second section extending intodeep'•'• -■: wajfr, and tenders-will soon »be called. Kaipara to Puniil.—The whole ot.this work is' now under contract, with the''.exception '■'. ;' J 1 of 'the station at the Newmarket" 3uncti9D,>H Tenders have been received for this work; "• and thpir acceptance is'only awaiting the passing of the Estimates,. , Tenders; have,-! likewise been received for^ levelling- arid draining the site at,Newmarketjoa whichit ' is proposed to erect the district- woikslmps,: '■>■. :as soon as authority has beetf'dbtained-froni ;* Parliament. Waikato to the /riiaraes—lt is Intended to constrivc l t7t 2b'ridge, l over the Waikato, and a section froin'Baniilton Eiist. Orders for the bridge material will be sent to [London: by an-earlyjmsil. ,'Napier hi: 1' "VVoodville-i-Tenders1 'have'*rjeen'; received ; fur the platelaying on this section, south i of ,/, the present terminus atKopua,; the acceptance of which is awaiting'the passing of the estimates. Wellingtortto" Woodville.—j It will probably not be possible to do more thus year than complete the lfne to Master- '< ton ;. but. arrangements wiU<"be made ''for -f laying the permanent way 'oh the Qraytown \, branch, ami tenders will be called for the erection of the necessary stations, so- as to « open the line and branch as nearly together as };he state of the "work wiU'allow. Snr- ■ yeysjof>the extension'-of'the* liheTieyaAd'- :) Jklasterton will be proceeded with.' ■' Bunny- '' thrppe to Woodville^A ,propp"aal ;has . s»en'_re6eived;: from the'liinigrant and "' , Colonial Aid Company to' construct .a, ' portion of the main line connecting the east, and ■> west railway^,l with tho view to open the valuable timbered, lands through whichit passes; 'Th'eportion sug1.'1' geated is from Bunnythorpe: to-Manawatu .. Gorge, and you will be asked to give tho ■■ necessary power to enable the .Government ■ :■:', and the Corporation'to enter .into arrange-""' ments somewhat on the terms indicated iv

the proposal now laid on 'the table, ~!.■ wj . Mr Oliver recapitulated'the. proposals with reference to^the up countrysectioniiiii Wellington. Waikato to. ( Taranaki—While - 0 «j it is not at present practicable to surveyor " do any work on this ( line,-you,will be asked to grant" a small vpte'to enablejthe^ Govern-. '■'-. „ menFto take advantage of any opportunity :j that.may arise iv that direction. :ia »M(11 *

MIDDLE ISLAND. RAILWAYS.

Nelson' to Gfeymouth: It is intended to., call for tenders for a section at each erid'of1' i thisilinej and carry'on thel'Greymqutbiisf'l; Harbour wotks more1 Vigorously than.cir- > cuinstances have 'rendered it possible during:; the past year. Grey month ,tp Hokkika: The continuance of this line will be kept ; * ? steadily in view. WestporttoNfjakaurau Xi^\. Theßuller protective works j wilt be coca- ml ploted, so as to insure the whole' district'as ■' * well as the railway against the encroachments of the river, Picton to Huranui:* r ,

Iv addition to completing the :liue. to:;,. * Blenheim, a section to'th'e^sbuth toWarfli-fe Awatore will be surveyed and advertised \ for contract. Hunjnul, to l Wait;ik*i, miiin lino through ttiVWokaPasstotUeHuranui 'Plains will be completed, and the station ai the large centres improved.;:! The. branch lines to the Upper Ashburtoni Little»Rfver, and Opawa will also tbe'proceeded with. Canterbury interior: Three sections wiirha gope on .with, viz., one at bach end, one southwards from the White Cliffs branch,

Waitaki to Bluff. Further. Ration ao : coinmbdation will be provided: at* the prm« • dial centres, and increased wharfage r at ■•> Port Chalmers. : The .'.branch line from tJamartti -liivingston, Palmerston to Waitcmo, Ciutha to Catlin's r River, and Eden- *' •daleto Tbi-toes, will all'beVfoc^Jed^witKy > Jn order to facilitate the opening of the live to;Tapanui and thereby place the district in , -easy communication with'a market it is ° proposed to assist the contractor in the complction of his' contract, i 'Otagb"Central—' Tender? will be advertised focafurthor.eoritract in continuation. ; of .the j.\Vangatai-■ Hiudon sections. This, ■will finish the.hea-i viest work, the Taieri Gorge, and brin£the, line into the open country of the Sutton ' District. ' Western 'Railway- -Four works .. on! these lines, from Otautau to Nightcaps, Lumaden to Marawii and Kiveitoiito Orep'uki will be steadily carried on. East aud. SVest Coasts—This line will not be lost , sigbt of, and while no special porlioncsn for, the present be. begun the surveys.will lie .continued duuDg this'yearl" ■ . ~,. , . ; DlSTltldtKAliiW'VYS.^ ' Hon. members will regret to leatn that nearly all the railway companies' formc(j.,v' nnder the provisions of the District Railways Act have been, compelled to suspend 's their operations, owing to the general finau- : J j cial depression and the defects which ha\e been found in working those Act. As the residents in the district interested have'shown their faith in' the re.nuuerative ■* character of these lines, by laying them-..'' selves under obligation to submit to tho ;■ r rating of their properties if the railways do.i* not clear working expenses and interest oa .-;. the cost of construction, it may, I think, ; bo assumed that there is every prospect of;. the lines proving commercially successful. ,-■ As the rating power is intended to 1)6 a retained by Government, .the risk will 1* " reduced to a minimum, the Government being already liable to pay interest .at 2 pfit; cent, per annum, .. >■ .4 s< ' WATER-KACES. - • The rate proposed to be taken for waterraces is £39,853. ,i; ''-••' I I PROPOSALS "WITH REGARD TO ROADS. I now come to our proposals with regard : to roads. We lay great stress upon them, both as promoting a solution of the native difficulty in the North Island and as footer- , ing permanent settlement in the 'country in connection with 'the administration ot liberal land laws. Unless we steadily pursue a policy of progress by opening up tho country with roads leading to our mam lines of railway, as well as in parts of tag country where «c are not likely to be awe to establish railway communication, we caa have but little hopo of a revival of the prosperity of past years. This will only be attained by enlarging - the area of our cultivation .and affording every facility for the occupation o£ our land* by a tar larger. population than if now settled upon them. To the reveal _ 0 immigration, and the encouragement 01 .»"; influx of small capitalists, coupled wiwi the active administration of our land iaw, we must look under existing circumstances, for a re-establishment of confidence ami a

healthy pursuit of pur industries more, perhaps, than to the extension of works of a costly character, forwhich the funds may not be', immediately available. The

Estimates will show in detail our proposed appropriation under this head. • After the Public Works Statement, the House sat till half-past three this morning in committee on the Property Tax Bill. A number of amendments were proposed and divisions taken, but all were negatived until Mr Moss proposed an amendment to rate householders' property according to the value it would realise at auction, which ,\vas carried. Another am'endnierit,' proposed by Mr Swanson,1 iti exempt shipbuilding plant, was also carriedi i;! There was' no' other amendment made; ««un ; .•••■;. -r; ■ -wt' •.