PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 6303, 2 October 1915, Page 3

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

TWO MILLION LOAN PRO--1 POSED.

Works Dependent on Public Response.

Wellington, Oct 2. The Bon. W. Fraser, Minister fo Public Works, presented the Annua public Works Statement to the Hous list night. The Statement says :- Whan I delivered the Public Work Statement last year the general im psession was that the war would no last much more than one year. Ai «re«ent who will venture to preilic ihen the war will terminate? It is 5 extraordirary fact that not withstanding the thousands of worker; w ho feave joined the Expeditionary ' poreea some 5,000 men atill require tc bi engaged en public works to prevem 'the cry of unemployment being heard This io some measure is explainable during the winter months, but not sc during summer and autumn, when shearing, harvesting, aid the othei operations incidental to the primary intoftrie9 will require a considerable imount of labour. These primary indistne, must be considered, or the country aa a whole will surfer. That this labour may have to be provided for by Blackening oh! work on railways, roads, and bridges during summer and autumn is very probable. There is no intention to exploit labour on bebatf of those carrying on such industries, but employment on public works cannot be fuund for those to whom work at fair rates is ofFered elsewhere. It is generally recognised that, it will not be wise during the continuance of the war to expend more borrowed money than is absolutely necessary. The expenditure during the financial year ended 31st March, 1914—£2,949,------992—constituted a record, but the limilar expenditure for 1914-15 was ■dually larger, viz.; £2,953,368-— made up of £'2,835,692 under the Public Work? Fund and allied special - accounts, and £117,676 under tne Consolidated Fund. WAYS AND MEANS. On the Ist April, 1914, the available wiy§ and means for public-works were £1,178,584. And further sums were received as 'und«r: — Under the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Act 1913 £217,778. Under the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Act, 1914 £1,525,000. Under tbe New Zealand Loans Act, 1908, £26,114. Premium on sale of 4 per cent debentures '£8,750. Transfer from revenue £350,000. Other receipts £9,422. Making a gross total of £3,315,648. Tha ordinary expenditure of the year ■mounted to £2,557,295, charge, and expense! in respect of raising loans 135,495, redemption of debentures £11,800, and other expenditure £15,296, thus bringing the total disbursements up to £2,619,886, and Iming a credit balance at tbe end of tht year of £695,762. Per the current year it is proposed to provide additional funds as under: Balance of authorized loan moneys, - £1,476,100. . Propised new loan, £2,000,000. The above, with the balance brought forward, givei a gross total of £4,171,862. The estimated expenditure for public works for the current year (excluding eaparata accounts hav~ iif their own ways and means) amounts to £2,803,550, leaving an eitimated balance of £1,368,312 to be carried forward to next year (1916------.17), RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. . East Coast Main Trunk. Tbe Public Works Department still retains control of the completed length of over thirteen miles between Maungaaai arid Te Puke, on which a regular train service is run, carrying pas-, angers, goods, and metal for the De Pirtraent*. own purposes and for use vj local bodies in the district. There Ms, »S was anticipated, been conwdenble subsidence in the pumice Jinks which constitute much of tne -formation along the length, and maintenance parties using steam navvy, locomotive, and earth-wagons are *ept busy building up the banks whore jqurred. Earthworks between Te IJI L? nd Paen Karoa bave been finished, bet the large steel bridge over the MUuna River, which is being built «nder contract, will not be finished «» about the middle of next year, jjen through communication by rail «J«o Maun«auni to Paengaroa, pos■JWJ to Pongakawa, will be establish- • The stone-crushing plants at wotariki and Te Puke have mainj*l^ * steady output since their "sjallation. Beyond Pongakawa formation work by co-operative contract y 'JO hand, and good progress has "'m? ade UP t0 Otaramakau, thirty ■jwsftom the starting point at _nM n! ,nui* Fartber on still a little *W« towards Matata is being done, :*°fy by horse teams. " i!m h | C°ntract has been let for tbe , W of steel rod_ for reinforced con- ■£" of the important steel «yewhich is.*to carry the line townsTauran« a Harbour near the ioTtu ,nd tenders a^ being invited t^7 c..8|PPly of structural steel for edhS'lk itself ' which*m be erect Oo h* De PMtraent's engineers, sear W -|S— rt sect,on commencing b»»* _*" aatisfactory progress has «5r ith the rock cattin^ tZV** n contracts and by co-opera-Wer_S° Ur* Tw°out°* six contracts We)i;?? pleH and the others are; be&^ W Bections °* tl»s l»ne will Wivi A l ln the CUKent yew'_ Rail60m i? k thorizat'oa Act—the first ; •uth_FiT_S €, nTee t0 tbe end of the' tha LSl cnglh at the Wai™a River > maVh; D(?.from Taneatua to Opotiki, rom llangaroa rl&ht m£lll% hm[t of tbe present «tecl uattho Na Pler «nd» in' W^ abrtnch> Hne to the port of Coas^ c^ p Pr°Priations for Railway *«.tij_2|tlon- to tbe votes already lßtonS ? n aPPropriatiou of £1,000 ■ 2" provide for old land 0n Vther liabilities on Con--otP*oject £s'ooo5 '000 for mx™y* W iines of railwav f and * * -"'Permanent way materials.

The total vote proposed this year lor railway construction amounts to £700,000. ROADS AND ; BRIDGES. The total amount provided on last financial year's appropriations was £1,070,300. The amount authorized for expenditure under the same votes and accounts during the year added to the unexpended balance of authorities at 31st March, 1914, totalled £1,197.------401. The expendture for the twelve month* amounted to £066,237, leaving an unexpended balance at 31st March last of £531,164. For the current year the provision made for roads and bridges has not been limited on account of prevailing conditions, but it must of course be understood that the authorization of expenditure will be dependent upon the Government'? ability to raise the necessary loan for public works purposes. Moreover, it is not intended that the ways and means provided shall be expended by 31st March, 1916, but they are expected to suffice till 31st December, 1916, or even if necessary, to 31st March, 1917. PUBUC BUILDINGS. The new Parliament Buildings again absorbed tho largest item of expenditure under this heading, but the work has been delayed owing to difficulty in obtaining suitable marble. This difficulty has now been overcome, and as the marble will soun be in Wellington, it is hoped that tho work will then be carried on with more expedition than has hitherto been possible. The new Departmental Buildings at Gisborne were completed and occupied during the year. One substantial addition was made to the Government Printing Office, and another one in progress. | The proposed vote for the current year includes items for the Parliament Buildings and Printing Office additions. The epxenditure on buildings for Post and Telegraph purposes last year amounted to £72,861, being £60,838 for new buildings aid £12,023 for maintenance of existing ones. AGRICULTURE. On account of the conditions existing as a result of the war some works of importance, but not urgent, were held over. It has, however, teen decided to provide additional accommodation for learners at both the Moumahaki and Weraroa Experimental Farms, to install a water supply at Moumahaki, and to provide additional buildings at the Moumahaki and Tauranga Experimental Farms, also to continue tho land drainage operations at Ruakura Farm cf Inrstuction. SCHOOL BUILDINGS. Demand for school accommodation must necessarily be met without delay as they arise, and consequently there is^always a large outstanding liability |on this account which must be proi vided for in the estimates of the year. (The total amount of this liability | fluctuates according to the time occuI pied in the prosecution of the various works authorised, and to meet this liability it is proposed to vote £120,000 for the current year. WORKERS' DWELLINGS. The expenditure authorized last year, lor some two hundred dwellings, was £100,000, Of this amount £68,275 was paid during the year, and tbe balance of the expenditure appears in this year's accounts. In response to further applications the erection of an additional hundred dwellings has been decided upon, for which the estimated expenditure is £50,000. CONCLUSION. In conclusion, the ability lo give effect to the proposals set forth in the Statement will depend on the response of the public to th« loan proposals of tho Minister of Finance. The great importance of developing the resources of the Dominion by constructing roads, bridges, and railways will certainly not be lost night of, but it is necessary to* empnasize the fact that some reduction in the rate of expenditure on such works must be expected under the very trying conditions consequent on the war.