PUBLIC WORKS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 15, 12 October 1917, Page 4

PUBLIC WORKS

Th« there will be a, lot of leeway to make up in the way of public works when tho war ends is made abundantly clear by tho particulars sivcu in the Public.Works Statement for the past year laid before Parliament yesterday.. Apart from the war economics which have necessitated the postponement oi many undertakings of importance to tho Dominion there has been a scarcity of labour which has prevented the full expenditure of even the limited rates authorised. The total appro; priations for the year under all heads was £1,873,350, whereas- the expenditure amounted to £1,384,079. I'ho- principal items are given be'oW - — Appropv'm- Expedition. • ture. £ £ ~ . hvl . va 800,000 673,(U9 l'UullO UUIHUUkS ' 97*; 096 Koads and bridges 420,250 übfln Irrigation & water supply .10,000 16,747 It is in comparison with previous years that the falling off last year is most noticeable. We give below n tal)lo showing the expenditure on roads and bridges, public buildings and railways for the past live ye.'i rs: — ' KoaiWiuul Ili-iiI"CH Buildings, liailwaya. £ £ i> 1913 337,581 445,192 1,148,832 joij 353 835 369,600 1,104,897 ,915 484 36') 431,966 1.146,753 1916 . . 400,062 335.759 1,065,171 1917 I/. 203,716 L'sMil 620,947 Until last .year, it will be noted, public works expenditure was .well

maintained in spite of Ihe war, but the drop then is very marked. This of course, was unavoidable, but it is none the less regrettable that settlers in the backbloeks, where the roads have been particularly bad during the winter months owing to the exceptional rainfall and ilood.s, have not been afforded some, further measure of relief from the hardships they aro forced _ to endure owing to' the difficulties of transport. There was a credit of £521,525 in the Public' Works Fund at the close of the financial year, and it is proposed to provide additional funds from loan this year which will ■bring I:ho total amount available to £2,116,625. The estimated expenditure for the year is £1,881,715, but, as was the rase- last year, it is unlikely that this sum will be expended. Iu addition to the amount provided for public .works, £136,000 may be raised for water-power purposes, but there is no indication of any new works under this heading being embarked on iu the near future. The Department is still working on the surveys and preliminary work in connection with the development" of hydro-electric works in the North Island, but this great enterprise plainly is one. which is not likely to take practical shape until the war is well behind us.