PUBLIC WORKS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 257, 26 July 1930, Page 17

PUBLIC WORKS

Increase In Spending DEMANDS OF RAILWAYS Public works expenditure was treated fully in the Budget by the Minister of Finance, who said that owing to work undertaken to complete undertakings in hand spending was greater than for the previous year. The actual expenditure was classified as follows

"The expenditure on railways namely £3,315.612—wa5. as in previous years, the largest item in the total expenditure, Mr. Forbes said. “Asmiost honourable members are aware, the Public Works Department undertakes the construction of nil new lines, and when completed they are handed over to the Railway Department at cost. During last financial year no new sections of railway were handed over, but some twenty-seven miles north of Napier, and the Auckland-Westfield deviation, about ten miles in length, are both rapidly approaching completion, and will be transferred to the Railway Detotalling £128,083. was incurred on the Nortli Auckland Mam Trunk line, north of Okaihau, and i144,000 on the Dargaville-Kaihau Valley line. A total of £610.758 was spent on the Gisborne-Napier line. The Stratjord *2 Mnin Trunk section cost. £3 <2,4 <6. and preliminary work on the ParnassusWharanui section of the South Island Main Trunk. £74.857. "Of the total expenditure on railways, the sum of £393.072 was in respect of additions to open lines. Of this amount, £347 853 was expended on new rolling stock, and £44.494 on the motor-omnibus System at Wellington. In addition to construction works undertaken from the public works fund, capital expenditure in connection with the railways is also carried out ns a charge against the loan moneys allocated to railways improvement' account. The expenditure under this heading amounted to £1,285,086. including £310.927 in connection with the Tawa Flat deviation, and £62.380 in respect of the Auckland-Westfield deviation.” '

Railway construction, additions. and improvements ■ Main highways and roads .... . 2,288,217 , 581,975 du ppi.v .••••< Telegraphs and telephones ... . 657,291 Public buildings (includin; schools) ..••••••» , ? 817,970 Irrigation,, land and river im 283,872 provements , 136,881 £8,081,818