PUBLIC WORKS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 292, 6 December 1918, Page 7

PUBLIC WORKS.

ALLOCATION OF VOTES. EOADS. RAILWAYS, BirrLl>tN-GS GOTEBJTMZirr PBOGRAJinttE, LARGE VOTE FOX SCHOOLS. (By Teieirraph. — ParLiarneatary Keporter.l WrTLLINTTrON. Tinirsday. The Minister of Public Works (the Hon. W. Fraeer", in presenting to the House of Representatives the l'ublic Works S'Utercent to-nisht. said: — The difficulty T anticipated of being able to procure a .sufficient supply of laJjour whibt the war lasted wae, I regret to say. only too manifest during last year. Indeed, as time went on it became increasingly accentuated. The ■fact that on the ;!Lst March, 1918, the unexpended authorities in the hands of local bodies and of the officers of my Department amounted to £209,962 for roads and bridges alone clearly proves that it was the ecarcity of laibour and material, and not of money, which accounted for only C 1:5. 1.1>42 having been expended during the financial year on such work. Happily the war is now brought to a vi.torioud conclusion, but a considerable period must almost necessarily elapse before we can hope to pee ■any appreciable number of our soldiers back in New Zealand. Should this period prove to be shorter than Ls at present anticipated I have made ample, provision, both on the litimatce and in the Public Works Fund, to ensure that work will 1* available for all -who need it. In the meantime no appreciable increase of late of expenditure can be expected. I regret to say that the damage caused! to roads and bridges tn- flood during the past year again txt-n very serious. In every instance, hoe ever, substantial assistance han given to the local j bodies whose districts were affected, i The financial results for tne past year from the operations of the Lake Coleridge electric works are particularly satisfactory. Notwithstanding the fact that this undertaking is still incomplete the revenue earned during the year from the sale of electric power has more than sufficed to defray all cost* of administration, including interest on capital outlay, as well as providing v portion of the amount required to be ,-et aside for a depreciation fund. This work bus passed beyond the experimental and w now an exceedingly valuable: The above result Us an . -:«-t-i.'*on a* t.. what may be expected from similar undertaking in other parts of the Dominion. The sum of CliO.OOn is provided for initiatory Ac.rk on the proposed 1 Auckland arid Wellington schemes, details of win.-i will lie found m the Chief Electrical Knsiaecr's s|*c:al report on this subject. WAYS ANT; MF.ANS. On thp Ist April. IDIT. the available Tav-i and mean-, for Ihihlic Works purposes were t.Vil,.*i-2.*i. and ' vrt-lier fjnds were received a* ;mder: I'nder the Aid to PuWir Works am! Land Settlement Act. 1014. i."4.\100: under Finance Act, 1016. section 4'.i. £7i>fl.fl<Xl; under Finance Act. 1017. section 77. tli'i.OOO: other receipts and recoveries. L44.i>4S: making » total of a: 1.4:ii;._:7:;. The ordinary expenditure ur the year amounted to £1.140,7:52. pins expenses of rais ing loans C\. thus bringing the total cfeburoementa up to C1. 140.7:n. This left a balance to the credit nf the wave and mean- account .it -Jl-t March. I'.HS, of i" 290,540. For t % e current year it « projiosed io provide additional fund's a3 nniler: In terms of e-i-cti.m 77. Finance Act. 11)17. £725.000: under Finaire Art. 1 *.J 1 >*- • £2.500,000: makinjr the tofsil ways and means for WIsMM, C3.520..")4D. The estimated expenditure for Pitl'lic Works for the current year i excluding separate accounts havine their own wave and i amounts to t; 2.4tiO.Qs'\ leavinj an estimated balance of £1,0ii0.4!>0 to 'he carried forward to next year 11919-20). In addition to the amounts described above we have authority to raise the following sums: Under the Aid to Water-power Works Act, l!)in, t;76.0T.'<1: under the Waihou »nd Ohmemuri Rivers Improvement Act, 1910, £50,000. RAILWAY CONSTRCCTION. Four short sections were opened for traffic during the yea.r. and construction work has been carried on Tritli all the labour available at eleven different places. Supplies of rails, steel, and iirdwf>o.l timber for bridges have been practically unobtainable owing to conditions due to the war. and the absence ■"rth the Expeditionary Forces of more than half of the Department's engineers las had the efTeri of delaying of the location and surrey work, which must be done in advance of construction. The foflcrwins sex~tions were completed and handed over to the Railway Department for traffic during the past year: — Paerata to Paturnah-oe. 4-m 7c 110 th December, 10171: Matawai to Motuhora. *a 78c (26th November. 1917) ; Whaigamomona to Kohuratahi, 4m 53c (7th January, 19181 ; OharOine to Raetihi, Sm M* (ISth Pecember, U>l7|; toUl, 22m 'It The Cuherden-Waiau Exteneion '15 miles) and Clyde to Croniwell section (12* miles) are sufficiently ajlvanced t° permit of train services being run daily over their whole respective loathe. The total expenditure on railway eon™Tction and rmpro-veroent work during ~* last financial year amounted to *w>49l, as under":—< "-on at ruction of lines, £295.609; additions to open *"«, £200,]fi2: Railways Improvemeni dcwa nt, £111,720. KAXHU VALLEY. No conetniction work of any nature I* 3 "een done on this line durinsr the year. kawakawa-hokianga. ont aS pe n ln progress through--7™ ">e year on the H-mile aectron beKaikohe and Okaiha-u -w-rth re™*M man-powfrr. but r-sulte have been •"Kted by contianous bad -weather and «luent slips of the unstable material enn. i Ulga aftf " r ''onnation had been We • e<i A eteara «x>rk a dee P cla y showing Ibmt 7 rest;lta - It will require another year's work under pretJ* jonditionfl to complete the for-

VTHANCAnKI NORTH ALCIvLAXD. The Irae which win connect Whamjarei district with the North Auckland system at Waiotira Junction is just '20 , m '«s in length, and construrtron work i i= co-mplete<l OT j n aome stage of pro . gTees over 101 miles, eommencins at the '' Wbangarei eJiti. The first four miles; let in one contract in May, 1914, and tho contract hae only recently been I completed, about two years after the I stipulated time. A further length, af °ne and a-<ruarter miles has been com- j. pleted for some lime, ajid the section ' , from WhaiMjarei to Portland Station, ] frve and a-quarter xnilea, is practically readj' for traffic There is a gap, on which little wort, has been done, oi two miles to Oalvleigh, where there is a wharf, and wiere the projected Waipu I branch will some day come in; trat from ' that point onwarde formation is complete, rails laid and ballasted far nearly : nine milee, a»d a ballast train operate* : orer this length. There have i>een many I ( small slips in cuttings on this line, but no serious damage, and tho rate of progress haa been affected by the unusual! rainfall and the dearth of suitable labour. Over the last three milee to the j ' junction point formation work is in pro ,' gross, and will be carried to completion as early as available funds and labour will permit, so that the new line fro-m ' Oakleigh to Waiotira may be used us' means of conveying material and supplies for construction work on the Main Trunk line north and south of the june- , tion. NORTH AUCKLAND MAIN TRUNK. The terminus of the open line remains at Ranganui, on the Otajnatea waterway. S7 miles from Auckland, Uut a temporary poods and passenger service is in ' operation from that point to Huarau. nearly seven miles beyond. Formation work has been carried out over US miles , of route from the terminus, of the open ' line, but weather and labour conditions! have been ditlk-ult during the year, and, the dimmishing number of workmen; available to the cessation of work in the Huarau ami (iolden Stairs tun-, nels. as well -.i* en earthworks fanner ; ahead. The clay country traversed is very unstable, ami slips in cuttings are very frequent. The headings in each of the tunnels mentioned are 12 chains apart, and until these are pierced rapid prrrgre-* with works farther north can- ■ not be expected. WAIUKU nRAKCH. j The section from Paerata Junction to Patumalioe. over four miles in lenjrth, was completed aiid opentni for traffic on the 10th December, 1017. Kails have been laid and ballasting complete! as far i as Maiiku Station, one and a-half mill's farther on, to which point giwxls will be carried pending the completion of an-, other section. KAXf COAST MAIN TRUXK. Northern Sectron. —Construction work a small number of men has been in ' progress since January last on the spc t ti,m from Waihi southwanls toward* Taurantra Harbour. S-ction.—The line hi* fnr some time been open from Maunjianui ; and a regular goods and passenger ser- \ ice lias been m operation over this | ; ength under the control of the Public I Works Department. During the year i the goods service has been extended to, Matata. 20 miles beyond PaeugaroaThe banks over swampy parts of the route <till show a little settlement, and ha>c to be added to frrvm time t<> time as required. Steelwork for the permanent bridge over the Kaituna Rrver ha.* arrived long delay, and the c» = nt has rnsurned the ot the bridge. The formation on many j portions of this line suffered consider! able damage from heavy floods in February last, nut repairs have been effected, i and over a short length the formation ! height was raided to guard against risk j of similar damage in future. station buildings are being erected at Matata. ! The construction of the bridge bctoss the Tauransa. Harbour alongside the terwn has been caried forward as far as materia! procurable would permit, but progress lian been very moderate, (iiflborne Northward. — The section from Matawai to Motiihora. five miles in ' lenjrt'n. »ao handed over to the !ia.ilw,iy ! Department for traffic on the 2trth No- | I vemher. ID IT. No <on-.tru-ction work is '■ being done beyond Motuhora. I STRATFORD-MAIX TRUNK. j At the western end of the Ip-njrth from ' \\ hangamomona to Kohuratahi, 4 miles I . .>4i chains, was completed and handed j over to the Railway Department for | traffic on the 7th January last. Work j has been in progress during the year i over -the five-mile section to Tahora. I station, earthwork being nearly finished, | rails laid, and line partly ballasted to within half a milp of the station site. Beyond Tahora the line is being laid out with a view to the vigorous prosecution of construction-work -when financial and I labour conditions return to the normal, j The heavy works on the 10i mile sec- I tion from Okahukura to Matiere have | been kept fairly well managed through- i out the ypar. The concrete-work on the ' bridge whrch is to carry road and railway over the Ongarue River is finished, but some time must elapee before the rteel superstructure can be built, owing : to the impossibility of obtaining mate- I rials. The Okahu tunnel was taken out | of the contractor's hands on the 20th | June, 1.017, since when the excavation ■ has been carried on by th c Department ' with a small number of men. Better ■ progress is looked for in the future, j The other works on the section are not ' heavy, and will give little concern once ! the completion of the Ongarue bridge and Okaiu tunnel is in sight. For the present construction work is not in progress bpyond Matiere. P.AETIHI BRANCH. Tlie branch line from Ohakunp to Raetihi. SJ miles in length, was handed over ; to the Railway authorities and opened [ for regular traffic on the 18th Decem- ! her, 1917. TOTAL APPROPRIATION?. In addition to the votes for construction of epec:fic lines of railway an appropria- ! tion of £500 is required to provide for '■ old claims and other liabilities on construction account. £1,000 for surveys of projected new lines of railway, and | £80.000 for permanent-way material. The j total vote proposed this year for rail- j way construction amounts to £485,000. . OTHER RAILWAY WORKJS. The expenditure out of the Public ; Works Fund under the heading ' - Addi- ; tiona to open lines" amounted to , ,t;200,162. Of this ram £149,081 was expended in the provision of additional r nll : n<* Fl-ncl.-. U'pstinghotise brake equipment, eteam-teating gear, and worktuups macninery. ilie ba:ance covered expenditure upon improvements to station accommodation and yards, additions to workshops, tablet, telegraph and telephone facilities, interlocking, im- i provemt nts to wharves and bridges, and puxciase of laad. —• . JL

ROADS ON" GOLDFIELDS. The total allocations under this hesid laet year amounted to JCi8,438, on a-- I ouunt of which a vote of £20.200 was takeu. The aetuai expenditure during the year, however, amounted to uuly, as it ■Wβ* decided, to hold over the expenditure o i »U votes except those for urgent works. The expenditure i;mler thp head. " Development of .Mining \va s .jiiite small — viz., £72— and against this there was a credit of Jl4.">, thus leaving the net amount at iiJ.l only. A vote of £1,4,30 i≤ propoae-d to be taken thU year. ] PUBLIC Ml UMNO. The total amount voted and expended on construction of public bundin»s, during tin? Udt financial year amounted t<>— N.-rt buildings Class Will., l'ublic \\ urtd Fuuuj— voted. expended, For the current year an appropriation ( .f tti4B..",ui) tor "new buildings is proposed. NKVV BUILDINGS. New buildings for St. Helen's Hospitals are contemplated at Auckland, ' Chxistchureh and Duncdiu, but probably j only that lor Chrieitchure.li will be com- i meireed during the current year. In ' consequence qL arrangements made with j the Defence authorities m connection I with the treatment of soldiers, extensive building's which were proposed at Olaki and Te Waik.it.) Sanatoria are not now necessary, altnougii <ome expendi- i ture at both places will have to be in-, curred. i WORKERS' D\VKLLIN<;>. Inhere wa-s an expenditure of Clo,f>Oo during the year under thi* heu.liug. also a liability of jLHo fur dwelling in ™urs.----o; ercctiou. Kxpenditure during the current year will be on a (Similar moderate scale. -ClK'iol. BCILniNCS. The ev|x-!iditure ..lit .if t'..- Public ■\\.,r.w Fund "ii s.'li.m.l i.uiMiiijr, *a< \ ilio.OS- cut of a U,lr of I. 1IIU."llll I. (II J tin., :ini.iunt t'.Vi.Don \.:u- paid to F.du I cation I*-ards and .>:in'r controlling j authorities fur the <>re lion of in-. , , liuild I ings, additions, et.-.. f.ir the |inr;>.>>.v. uf primary, -fmi lary. technics , and mi. versity edu.'-jt: i:i. Tiie Ui'.an c. O.O'ln, represents tne ~f -.i.irk.- earriid «'iit directly under the control of the iio\ i e.rnment. including native (t.-hiwila ati'l industrial and special schools. ! Fur the current year a much Urjer I sum will be needed. Durim; the past , four y.ar- t'-e cost of buildins> being abnormally hi-jli, • perations have been | confined to case-; where e\tra aironimo- ! dation was absolutely neeesserv to carry on. and as a <on.«e<|tiencp a large sum is required to provide fur buildings the . erection of which can no longer he postponed. Increased rotes ar" beim.' provided fur hui'dlngx for public school*. • technical schools, secondary school*, and university birldings. Applications for sums amounting to nver L"400.(100. in- I rinding grants made during the current I year, arc n-cw before th" Fdueatinn Department, and provision for this sum has been :nad". ! WAIHOC AND OHINKMfRt RIVKRS.' The ,lrM)Tf built for t'n, work hat.! !'<n kept fully employed durinj; tile year completing the excavation of the Nga.rara.hi i at. formation of a c^top bank :it Thorp's Ben.l. near Paeruu. and at Paerua, Two miles of .siop-banke designed to valuable .Uiryirur land in the Nribrrion district have Wn l completed, and extensions -.o wharree and gnods shedi- buil: at Ngahhia. In defpr-nce to the wishes of the t-ettlers chiefly concerned, some modification of the original protective scheme is bein'j] made, eliminating the proposed straight] cut to divert the river between Waimarie and Hikutaia. Protective wails of a modified height will probably he built where required alnnj: \h- present, river channel between the point* men \ tinned. Much work still remain-, to be done before finality is reached in r-arry in™ the-e improvement w.irks into effect, and the end is not yet in fijrht. DEVELOPMENT OK WATERPOWER. Tne jjener.il disorganisation uf btisi »«»■■ caused by the prolonged »ar has to gome deRTt-e affectPtl the Like l'nl,>-! ridffe power-supply s.-hnne. I h,- business is siill p-owirip, and appliratinn.s 1 r most of the 4U1.1 hor.w-po.rr nf the additional plant have already been rr-' ceived. It. is protable thai in the near future the detiiund will cili for the iustullation uf Mill .mother generating unit at Lake (uleridfre. which w;il about exhaust the eapaeitv of ihe pre ! sent headworks at, the hike. The capi-l taJ expenditure now aicoun-ts :o i.>. 59.754,' including £U;i2o interest o n capital ilur-i eoneOmction; the g--'s.- reverrue during the. year amounted to tfJ.OOiJ and the working expen-.-.s to £14,44!>. : leaving- a balarae to net revenue a<^ 1 count of fl7.(i4:i. UedUL'tmg interest amounting to £14.871, there remains a balance of £27TJ towards depreciation. Having regard to the fact that thU is only the third year of working, and also that the gTowth of the business! has l>een checked for the but two years i beeaute of the difficulty experienced in! getting machinery, the result ls to lie 1 re-nrded as a. most .satisfactory one. | During the year investigatiuna have beeji made of suitable sources of supply for current to haul t.iiins thronjrh the Arthur's Pass tunnel, the completion of! which is now -within mej-surahle distance.; Alternative ne-hpiues have been evolved for carrying the train service throujrh the tunnel only, and over considerable lengths of the mountain section of, railway on both eaetern am! western sides, b-uf no definite derision ha* yrt; been reache<l a* to which sehj'me will be adopted. The provision of an adequate penera.l supply of ptTwpr for the North Island haw eugafipd the attention of the el«c-j trie-al enpneering- -staff throughout the I year, and preliminary invaitijrations of possililp sources, ac well at of prospective' demands, indicate that the most effec-j tive means of meeting the requirpmentel of the community will be the develop-! ment of three main schemes in different, parts of the island. and] either the Awaptmi Gorge or the Ara-1 tiatia Rapids, both on the Waikato; RivTir, offer pmape-cts whic-h maice tKeir; selection practically c-CTtain. to be followpd later by linking up with Waikaremoana. The snm of £150.000 is pro-] vided for initiatory work on the pro-; poeed Auckland and Wellington schemes. CONCLUSION. We have every reason to rejoice at thej victorious termination of this most bar-! barone war. New Zealand has done its! share rigtt nobly. It may well be I pn>ud of those who have taken part in this strug-frle for freedom. It remains now for all of us to bind up our wounds and exert our utmost energies in build-1 infj tip the prosperity and happiness oi this Dominion. Good roads, railways, irrigation, and an abundant supply of cheap electric power throughout the land are each and all important factors in this direction. May tiey eooa be acjrcmpfishcd. facts,