PUBLIC WORKS MONEYS EXPENDED AND TO BE SPENT

Evening Post, Volume xc, Issue 79, 1 October 1915, Page 8

PUBLIC WORKS MONEYS EXPENDED AND TO BE SPENT

PROVISION FOR THE FUTURE A GENERAL SLACKENING OFF. ANNUAL ESTIMATES. The Public Works Statement, which has been anxiously awaited in Parliament for some time past, was brought down this afternoon by the Hon. W. Fraser, Minister of Public Works. "When I delivered the Public Works Statement last year," said the Minister at the outset, "the general impression was that the war would not last much more than one year. At present who will venture to predict when the war will terminate? It is a somewhat extraordinary fact that, notwithstanding tii6 thousands of workers who have joined the Expeditionary Forces, some 5000 men still require to be engaged on public works to prevent the cry of unemployment being heard. This in some measure is explainable during the winter months, but not so during summer and a-utumn, when shearing, harvesting, and the other operations incidental to the primary industries will require a considerable amount of labour. These primary industries must be considered, or the country as a whole will suffer. That this labour may have to be provided for by slackening off work on railways, roads, and bridges during summer and autumn is very probable. There is no intention to exploit labour on behalf of those carrying on such industries, but employment on public works cannot be found for those to whom work at fair rates is offered elsewhere. It is generally recognised that it will npt be wise during the continuance of the war to expend more borrowed money than is absolutely necessary." EXPENDITURE AND ESTIMATES. The expenditure during the financial year ended 31st March, 1914—£2,949,992 — constitutes a record, but the similar expenditure for 1914-15 was actually 1arger— £2,953,368. On Ist April, 1914, the available funds for public works were £1,178,584. Further funds were received under different headings, making a gross total of £3,315,648. The ordinary expenditure for the year amounted to £2,557,295, charges, expenses in respect to raising loans £35,495, redemption of debentures £11,800, other expenditure £15,296, thus bringing the total disbursements up to £2,619,886, and leaving a credit balance at the end of the year of £695,762. For the current year it is proposed to provide additional funds as under :—: — ! Balance of authorised loan moneys, £1,476,100. Proposed new loan, £2,000,000. The estimated expenditure for the public works for the current year amounts to £2,803,550, leaving an estimated balance of £1,368,312 to be carried forward to next year. For the current year the provision made for roads and bridges has not been limited on account of the prevailing conditions. Authorisation of expenditure will depend upon the Government's ability to raise the necessary loan for public works purposes. The amount provided for works is expected to suffice until 31st December, or even 31st March.. ' AGRICULTURE. Dealing with Agriculture, the Estimates state that 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, been decided to provide additional accommodation .for learners at both the Moumahaka and Weraroa Experimental Farms, to instal a water supply at Moumahaki, and to provide additional buildings at the Moumahaka and Tauranga Experimental Farms, also to continue the land-drainage operations at Ruakura Farm of Instruction. 'SCHOOL BUILDINGS. The expenditure out of the Public Works Fund on school buldings during the year was £122,940, of which about £117,500 was paid in grants to Education Boards and other governing bodies for public schools, teachers' residences, training colleges, technical and secondary schools, and university colleges. The works represented by the balance over £5000, were for services directly under the control of the' Education Department, and comprised buildings and allied work at Native, industrial, and special schools. The extension of the buildings at Otekaike connected with the institution for feeble-vninded boys, involving expenditure of about £2245, is approaching completion, also a similar institutiontion at Richmond for feeble-minded girls. The Statement adds: — "Demands for school accommodation must necessarily be met without delay, as they arise, and consequently there js always a large outstanding liability on this account, which must be provided in the Estimates for the year. The total amount of the liability fluctuates according to the time occupied 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 authorised last year for some 200 workers! dwellings, says the Public Works Statement, was £100,000. Of this amount £68,275 was paid during the year, and the 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. TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS. The expenditure on Tourist and Health Resorts during the year amounted to £8232, compared with £14,989 for the previous year NEW BUILDINGS. The total expenditure on public buildings during the last financial year amounted to £596,562, of which new buildings absorbed £417,000. The new Parliament Buildings again absorbed the largest item of expenditure under this heading, but the work has been delayed owing to difficulty in obtaining suitable marble. This difficulty, says the Public Works Estimates, has now been overcome, and as the marble will soon be in Wellington, it is hoped that the 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 is in progress. The proposed vote for the current year includes items for the Parliament Buildings and Printing Office additions. TELEGRAPH EXTENSION. The expenditure on telephone and telegraph extensions during the year amounted to £288,395. Three hundred and ninety miles of pole line and 2136 miles of wire were added to the telegraph and

line and 34,325 miles of wire to the telephone exchange local systems. During the year 46 slot telephones were installed, , making a total of 139 machines open for use. The proposed vote for the current year amounts to £32,000, made up as follows :—: — £ Automatic installations 110,000 Submarine cables 1,000 New lines 30,000 New exchanges and connecting new subscribers 50,000 Material „„' ... 136,000 LIGHTHOUSES. The works undertaken during the year were : Completion of lighthouse on Channel Islet, Hauraki Gulf; the new Marine Department store at Pipitea Point; the continuation of the erection of the tower for the automatic light on Karori Rock, which is now almost finished ; and the. improvement , of the road to Godley Head lighthouse. The estimated amount reqnired for the carrying out and completion of the works already authorised is £2595, including an additional amount for the construction of an automatic light on Flat Rock, and the cost of a heavy crane for the Marine Department store. The concluding paragraph of the Statement says :—": — " Ability to give effect to the proposals set forth would depend upon the response of the public to the loan proposals of the Minister of Finance. The great importance of developing the resources of the Dominion by constructing roads, bridges, and railways, will certainly not be lost sight of, but it is necessary to emphasise 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."