Bay of Plenty Times TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5th, 1915 THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 6505, 5 October 1915, Page 2

Bay of Plenty Times TUESDAY, OCTOBER sth, 1915 THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

BY the, courtesy of the Minister for Public Works we were again able on Saturday to place promptly before our readers the essential parts of the Public Works Statement presented to the House on Friday night The most notable feature of the Statement wag its brevity. It" was a simple statement of facts —of moneys expended during the past year and work accomplished, and works proposed to be undertaken during this year, if funds are provided, i.e., if the public subscribe to the loan oi. £2,000,000 with which it is proposed to prosecute these works and which, inferentially, is to be raised locally. There is also a hint that next year we may find expenditure much restricted, or in other words that the amounts now proposed will have to tide us over a period far beyond the end of the financial year. In connection with the allocations for roads and biidges the Minister clearly states that it is not intended that the ways and means provided shall be expended by March 31st next,' but are expected to suffice till December 31st, 1916, or even, if necessary, to 31st March, 1917. In former years the Minister had been good enough to furnish us in advance with a copy of the estimates, as well as of the statement, but this year, unfortunately, he could not do so. We were therefore unable to give details of the allocations for the various works throughout the Dominion but, through the courtesy of the Hon. Mr Herries, the member for the district, were able to give the amounts provided for railway construction and other woiks in this district. These on the whole must be considered liberal. Generally speaking the statement evidences an earnest desire on the part ot the Government to maintain as high a rate of progress in the matter of public worksas iscompatiblc with the severe strain on the Dominion's resources in financing its share in the war. As a matter of fact the amount available this year —on the assumption that the £2,000,000 loan will be raieed, which we feel confident it will—far exceeds that available at the beginning of the last financial year,| being £4,171,862 compared with £3,315,643. Of tbe amount available it is proposed to expend £2,500,500, being £183,66-1 in excess cf tee actual ex-

pendilure last year. This leaves an amount of £1,368,312, to be carried forward to next year, which will no doubt be made to go very far towirds meeting next year's demands. J n fact if the war continues to the er.cl of 1916 andint3l9l7it is bigUy i m . probable that any atUmpt will l e maae to float a loan for public works next year. Once more, therefore, e 0 we find emphasised tho great individual need for exercising the slrhttst

economy