PUBLIC WORKS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 309, 23 September 1908, Page 7

PUBLIC WORKS.

ANNUAL STATEMENT. NORTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK LINE. ROADS AND BRIDCES. TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS NEARLY £2,750,000. Tho Minister for Public Works (Hon. W. Hall-Jontjs) laid his annual Statement on the table of the House of Representatives ■ at 9.30 o'clock last night. 'Die Statement opens with a reference to the practical completion of tho North Island Main Trunk Railway, and tho running of the first through train • from Wellington to Auckland 011 August 7 and 8. Tho Statement proceeds"Considering that many miles of the line had only very recently been laid, that some of it was entirely unballasted, and that much of the formation was quito new. and unconsolidated, both runs may be regarded as fairly satisfactory, and indicate that there should be no difficulty in making the • through journey in nineteen hours as proposed in the suggested time-table.. The rail-heads having now been connected, every effort is being made to complete the ballasting and other works yet remaining to bo done, and. 1 hope to. be able to arrange for the running, of passengers over the whole lino very shortly." ' , CONGRATULATIONS. "The total cost of tho railway, including extensive road construction and improvement works undertaken to facilitate tho prongress of the line, has exceeded two millions and a half, and the average annual expenditure thereon ■ lias approximated £110,000. As an avorago annual rate, extending over so .long a period, this sum cannot be regarded as unsatisfactory, though doubtless the much larger expenditure that has taken place during the last few years has been amply justified. So much money, having bees expended on the work, it was highly desirable to make a special effort to complete tho line at the earliest practicable moment, and I feel that I can heartily congratulate the House and the country- on this having now been practically accomplished." WORK OF THE PAST YEAR. "I will now proceed to generally review the publio works operations during the past' year. 'The total expenditure on all the works and services borne upon the Publio Works Estimates amounted to £2,106,362, which is £99,243 less than the previous year's total. If, however, w© exclude special accounts having their own ways and means, and take only the actual charges against tlio Public Works Fund, the disbursements total to £1,851,564, or £138,755 less than during tho previous year."

TOTAL EXPENDITURE. Tho following table shows, as regards >eaoh class of work, tho gross total expenditure to March 31, 190S; and the expenditure for the ,'ato financial year:— Total to Year ended March 31, March 31, 1908. 1908. .■ £ £ Railways— New construction. 18,191,859 692,858 Additions to open lines ... ... 5;984,525 364,068 Utilisation •of waterpower , . 8,348 315 Roads ... ' 7,861,463 323,742 ■ Public buildings ... 3,804,597 220,035 Immigration 2,186,712 -i 9,131 Purchase; of Native lands • ... .. 2,035,748 2,190 Lighthouses,' harbour ■ works, and harbour defences ... ... 1,024,520 ' 6,863 Tourist and health >' resorts .- _ 158,568 45,048 Telegraph extension... 1,479,736 155,492 Development, of goldfields ■ ... ; 786,656 8,631 Defence .'"iviorks (general) 888,168 18,574 Departmental ... 568,385 18,219 Payment to Midland . Railw'y bondholders 150,000 | — Lands improvement 24,575 - 9,561 Minor works and services. , ... ... 312,580 837 Cost, and discount, .' raising loans, etc. 1,235,642 Cr. 8,487 Totals ... ... £46,702,087 £1,873,077. The last total in the above statement is less by £8487 than the total expenditure for tho year'previouslyimentioned. This is ac- • counted for by a recovery of that amount having been brought to book, as shown in the table, under the ; heading of "Cost and jliscount, raising loans." WAYS AND MEANS. At March 31, 1907, tho available balance of ways.' and means for public -..works purposes was £359,400, and further funds were received as under: —, £ Balance of £1,000,000 raised under the Loan Act of 1906 ... . ... 56,400 Amount raised under tho similar Act of 1907 ... ... ' ... , 808,200 Premiums received on sales and renewals of debentures 13,514 Transferred from revenue ... 800,QOO. Miscellaneous receipts ... ... 1,640 Making a.gross total of ...£2,039)154 The. ordinary expenditure of the year amounted to £1,881,564, and charges and expenses in connection with financing amounted to £5027, thus bringing the 1 total disbursements up to £1,886,591, leaving a credit balance at the end of tho year of £152,563. . For the current year it is proposed to provide additional funds as under:— ■ • £

Balance of 1907 loan 191,800 Noiv loau of 1908 ' ... 1,250,000 Transfer ifrom Consolidated Fund SOO,OOO This, with tho balance brought forward, will give a total of £2,394,363. In addition'to this there is an authority for £200,000 under the Post Office Savings Bank Fund Investment Act of last year for erection of post offices, etc., making a total available ways and means of £2,594,363. Tho .estimated expenditure for public works for tho current year (excluding separate accounts having their own ways and means) . amounts to £2,430,450, tlius leaving a balance of £157,913 to bo carried forward to next" year. RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. The total expenditure on railway works last year fell somewhat short of that of. the previous yew, but was still very substantial, and, with only two exceptions (1901-2 : and 1906-7), was the largest- in .any one year for more than a quarter of a century. The total amounted to £1,279,805, made up as under: — £ Construction of 1 new lines (Public Works Fund) ... ... •-... 692,858 Construction of new lines (Waikaka Branch Railway Account) ... 36,609 Additions to open lines 364,063 Hutt Railway and Road Improvement Account 46,221 Railways Improvements Authorisation Act Account 140.053 Total .;. ... 1,279,809 Tho Minister next . refers more in detail to the several lines that have been in hand, and the proposals of the Government with regard to each for tho current year. THE MAIN TRUNK LINE. V The Minister states that he hopes .to.be able to carry passengers, right through on the Main Trunk Line by about November 1. " Every credit is duo to tho departmental staff.for tho.excellent work that has. been dono on . this railway during tlio last two years, but especially, to itho officers who havo J6IW the. responsible positions of .engineers

in charge at the north and south ends of,tho line respectively. ; ■ ■ ' ' "The voto taken for the railway last year was £330,000, and the expenditure amounted to £330,224. To provide , for the work dono since. March 31 last, and for the completion of tho works .still, remaining, to be oxe.cuted, a further vote, of £225,000 will.,be. required. £900,000 for RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. A vote of £112,000 is proposed for perma-nent-way materials,"' £6000 for surveys of 'new lines,and' £1000 for land iclaims and other old liabilities and contingent- payments on Construction Account These ,itfems. bring tho total proposed authorisation for railway construction purposes up to .£1,000,000, on account of which a vote of £900,000 is proposed for 'tho•'requirements' of the current year, which is a material advance on last years voto. In addition to, this sum, the unoxpended balance to the credit of the.Waikaka Branch Railway Account, amounting-to £13,391, will- also bo available,, and - the £30,000 voted out of- the .State Coal-mines Account for the Point Elizabeth line. , ADDITIONS ,TO .OPEN LINES; 'Tim expenditure under the sheading .of •' Additionsto Opon, Lines '! was £364,008. Of this sum £261,749 was spent in the provision of rolling ' stock, . and ' the balance (£102,3.19) on additions to station accommodation, : workshops machinery,' and the inauguration of signalling, interlocking, ■ and appliances. Tito amount proposed to. bo voted for tho current year-is £35.0,000, of which £185,000 is for new rplling stock.. : THE HUTT LIMEi " " A considerable amount of . work has been carried out in connection with the duplication of tho Ilutt Railway and the road improvement' connbctod therewith. Much; of the work has boon; of a preliminary character' connected : with the formation between Ngahau■ranga arid Kaiwarra. The duplication of the line js practically completed from Lower Hiitt to Ngahauranga, and the station buildings and vaid improvements at the latter station are in hand, and the, line .to'this station will be opened very shortly. The work ■ is still being somewhat retarded by the difficulties, experienced in connection with the transport of. stone 'for tho sea-wall. The forming and'metalling of the Hutt Road will now bo pushed on speedily." \ The amounts expanded during the last financial year on this work and others, classed with : .t were as follow:— ' .. • £ »__■ ' Hutt!Railway and Road-Im- ', -'. pravement - .... 46.221 Auckland-Penroso duplication . 54;302 Addihgton-Rolleston duplication' 11,031 Du'ncdin-Mosgiel duplication 74,720 For-the current year provision has been mado on tho Estimates to tho extent of £235,000, namely— ■_ £ ' Auckland-Penrose'duplication 25,000 . Wellington-Hutt, duplication ... ' 70,000' Addington-Rolleston duplication 35,000 Dunodin-Mosgiel duplication ... 105,000 PUBLIC BUILDINGS. "The total expenditure on public buildings out of votes controlled by the Minister for Public Works amounted during last financial year to £47,476 under the Consolidated Fund, and ; £219 ; 148' under, tho Public Works Fund. This is slightly in excess, of the previous year's figures. For the current year votes totalling to £52,637 under the Consolidated Fund and £292,450 under the Public Works Fund-are proposed. .' '• fThe-' 'expenditure '• on ; buildings coming' under the general class is" steadily increas-; ing; and scemS likely-to continue so -to do,' for tho next two or threo -years in'consequence of the late firo at the Parliament Buildings, and. tho ; proposal'to locate ,' tlie'new Parliament House on the late Govern-ment-House site,: necessitating -the erection of new Parliament. Buildings, and also a new -residence for his Excellency the Governor. Last yoar's expenditure amounted to £20,379,' and for the current year a vote of £35j000 is proposed...

."The works provided for in the vote proposed for the current year are the completion of the' extensive additions' to the Departmental . Buildings at Auckland; some very necessary additions, to the Government Printing Office; new Departmental Buildings at Hamilton; Te Kuiti, New Plymouth, Masterton, Westport, Greymouth, Hokitika, and Invercargill; now fireproof offices . for the Stamps Department, and. also, offices for the Geological. and Health Departments in Wellington; -tlie' reclamation of the sites for the Post and Telegraph,: Marine, Public/Works, and Agricultural Departments' Stores, -in Wellington;, the provision of fire-alarms at tho principal Government Buildings in tho four_ chief centres of population ; ;.and for making a commencement with the new Dom-' inion Museum." .

POST AND TELECRAPH BUILDINCS. A large number of. post and . telegraph . buildings have been in hand during the year, the expenditure thereon having amounted to £37,723. ■Tho works mentioned in the State-' " montas provided.for this year include, among many ,others, new offices at Arainoho, X)hakiine; Utiku, Kimbolton, lApiti,. Ash- ■ hurst, Foxton, Weraroa, Feathorston, Upper - -Hutt, Wellington (Te Aro and •> Courtcnay • Place)) ICilbirnie; additions at.Lovin, Maria- . kau, Eketahuna, Wellington' (telephone exchange) ; improvements at Palmerston North ; and for making a commencement with the important: liew chief post officcs at Welling- ' ton and Auckland. MENTAL HOSPITALS. ; " The operations under this head were not very extcnsivp, the. expenditure having amounted to£7DB7 only. .. The exercise park at Auckland was completed,'and-some small detached buildings-erected; minor additions and alterations were made at Porirua, Christchurch, and-Seaclilf, and at the latter-insti-tution the fire-alarm service has been overhauled and improved, l'he proposed vote for the current year provides for laundry machinery and for a house for the medical superintendent at Auckland, also for the purchase . of land and erection of building for. the Wolffe Bequest Preoption Home; for a reception , home, and for a new dairy,' a boiler-house, j boiler ■ chimney shaft, and machinery at Christchurch; for completion of "dormitory annexe, and for various alterations and additions at SeaclifF; - for additions to tho auxiliary building at Waitati; for the purchase of land adjoining the mental'hospital at Nolson, now held under lease; and for asphalting airing-courts arid construction of septic tank at Porirua. Provision is also made for tho erection of rooms in connection with tho general, liospitals in order that patients may.be taken there to be examined instead of at police-cells." SCHOOLS. The' amount expended on school/buildings during the year was £181,265, of which £81,068 was charged to revenue, and £100,197 to the Public Works Fund. The greater portion of this money was paid to education boards and other controlling authorities as grants for the erection of buildings. For the current year, in addition to tho vote under the Consolidated Fund, an appropriation of £100,000 is asked for out of the Public Works Fund to provide for school buildings generally, and for buildings for universities, technical schools, colleges, .etc., as in previous years. . . . HOSPITALS. Under the heading of "Hospitals and Charitable Institutions'' there was an expenditure of £15,576 for new buildings and improvements. The vote of £18,000 for the current year is to a largo extent a revoto of ,tho. unexpended, balances on last year's appropriations, but provides also for. furthor additions at • Hokitika and Reefton,. and a ' further grant towards the new hospital being erected at Hamilton. It also provides for grants in aid-of .hospital, buildings at Northern Wairoa and Mcrciiry Bay, and for completing and equipping, the Cottage Hospital at Taumarunui,.and for the building of St. Helens Hospital, Wellington,'- and additions to the St. Helens Hospitals at Auckland, Christchurch, and Duncdin; also for accommodation for delirium tremens cases at the larger of the general hospitals. STATE FARMS. ' It is proposed to provide £3000 for the ' accommodation at the Ruakura Experimental Farm of cadets seeking instruction in methods of agriculture, etc.. Considerable additions to the buildings on the experimental farms at Ruakura, Waerenga, Tauranga,

Arataki, Moumahaki, and Weraroa are proposed in order to increase the usefulness of these institutions. A vote is also provided for the purchase of an additional area of land for the Tauranga Fruit-testing Station, also for the proposed dairy school, and for ad-' ditional buildings and land at the veterinary laboratory, Wallaceville; and several amounts arc provided for inspectors' icsidences • and office accommodation. ROADS, BRIDGES, ETC. The amount provided for the year 1907-8 for the construction of roads and their maintenance under all- votes and accounts was £578,575;, the amount authorised -for expenditure wa5'£619,727, and (he net expenditure was £363,997. The principal .cause for the small expenditure in proportion to the amount voted was - the very great scarcity of. labour of tho' kind required; the greater part of the men being otlie~wise occupied at what appeared to them to bo moro congenial employment. ' . r ACCESS WANTED. " The continued alicnition of Crown lands for settlement purposes renders it impossible, as yot, to eomo near. overtaking the demand for roads of access, and selectors continue to emphatically impress on tho Government the necessity for new roads and the improvement of others. It is, however, some satisfaction to note that by degrees their wants in this respect are being met, and that, -notwithstanding the undoubted hardships and deprivations which surround the Carly years of a settler's life in remote bush country, tho demand for land does not diminish. It is tho aim of the Government to meet the requirements of tlioso who have the energy and self-confidence to enter on tho arduous life inseparable from that of the pioneer settler, whose enterprise, to whatever motive it is due, is most praiseworthy and should bo fully recognised, and all available reasonable means for tho amelioration of their hardships should be extended to them as soon as possible. It was with tho object of expediting relief as above indicated that £250,000 for roads in the backblocks was referred to in tho Financial Statement as a sum to be specially set apart for that purpose. ' •

, APPROPRIATIONS FOR ROADS. " The appropriations proposed in the estimates now submitted are as under: — £ Roads, Departmental ... 23,200 Roads'generally- ... ... 253,606 . .Backblocks roads ... ... 250,000 . Tourist roads 28,194 Loans to Local Bodies Acct. 50,000 . - £605,000 ■ ".And this amount is, of course, in addition to the £25,000 voted for tlie maintenance of roads on the Consolidated Fund estimates." The'total proposed appropriations for road works may be summarised as under: — £ Roads Department, under the Public Works Estimates 605,000 Roads Department, under tho Con- \ solidated Fund > ... v ... . ... 25,000 Mines: Department .... ... ... 45,000 Total ... ... ... " ...£675,000 OTHER WORKS. The amount expended last financial year on works for the development of goldfields was £8632, and it' is proposed to take a voW of £35,000 for the current year. Under this heading will be included subsidies towards, assisting the deep level, developments at the Thames and Ross.The expenditure ,on tourist and health re-,. sorts last, year amounted to £45,027. ' Of that amount the new-bath buildings, Rotorua, absorbed £14,938, and the water supply works, drainage works, and electrical works at, the same placo £7981, £1233, and £1517 respectively. The installation of highpressure water service and efficient drainage works in Rotorua arc now practically complete, and . aro working very satisfactorily. The gross, authorisation asked for is £47,093 (as oompared with £66,744 last year), on account .of 'which'a vote of £35,000 is proposed. i ' On lighthouses, harbour works,' and har- : bour: defences, the'total expenditure amounted to £1417. A larger vote—namely, £5000 — is asked for this year, as it is intended to proceed with the'proposed now lighthouses at Capo Brett and Tuahine Point, and also to provide a new. light on the Jackson's Head beacon. Provision is also mado for connecting lighthouses with the telegraph system, and for completing the Godley Head fog-signalling apparatus. Last year's expenditure on harbour works amounted to £2867. The total expenditure likely to como to charge within tho year is estimated at £5000, for which amount a vote is provided. The expenditure under the "head of harbour defences was again small, having amounted to £2579 only. For the current year a considerably larger outlay .is anticipated, and a voto of £7500 is asked for. CROSS TOTAL® APPROPRIATIONS. lii addition to the. votes already referred to, the estimates include' provision for the under-noted services:— ;■- - £ Public Works, Departmental ... 23,800 ' Immigration _ 10,000 • Purchase of Native lands ... . 4,900 Rates on Nativo lands 850 Contingent defence , ... . ... 2.0,000 Lands; improvement ' ••• 21,950 thus bringing the total amount of the proposed appropriations, including special accounts, up to; £2,721,450, against £2,521,210 voted, and £2,106,362 actually expended last j'ear. • "I have how placed before honourable members the proposals for carrying on the public works requirements of the country for the year. W'ith tho expansion and development that is going on all around us, a fairly vigorous policy is called for, and I feel confident that tho programme which I havo submitted will commend itself to tho favourablo consideration of Parliament."