PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 13064, 23 September 1908, Page 7

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

.The Minister (the Hon. W. Hall-Jones) toj4 ;hu Public Works Statement on the' tabte of the House last evening. We make iao following extracts:—

■ RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. raa^K a^‘Grah ?. instown ~ Work on bee " ® pro^ess « three L?nT“ ly; - from Kawikawa southward, Hukerenm northwards, and also from Whangarei to Grahamtown. But in view t tHe importance of closing up tho gap between the north and south ends of rim lire S/einents are being made to man the TTholo ot the intervening space, so that m future this will be treaLl as one recricn A largely-increased force of men is now eniployed, and the work is proceeding vigor°"sl3j lexers for the new deep-water Sri?v at T Cr * ahann . (> ' VU " iH invited to pqiqg k PS** expenditure amounted te £9193, but the vote proposed for the current year is £40.000. I nsvi | le Northwards. Considerable don f on this line since the Bublic Works Statement Was delivered ■tfio section between Tauhoa and Wavbv was completed ami handed over to 'the Railway Department for regular working in Jlay last. The next section, to Wellsford, is approaching completion, the rjila heim* now land over it and ballasting being in nand. The Tehana section is all in hand and the formation is fully half done; and the Kuwait a section lias been started. Uood progress has also been made with the extension of the survey northwards. The lino Ins now been located to a point about Hve miles north of Kaiwaka. and a trial lire has been run nearly as far as M'Carroll’s Dap. This lino passes somewhat to the oast of Maungaturnto Township, but in °r de f t 0 sec if it would he practicable to obtain an equally good line more to the Westward further explorations in that direction are now being made. The expenditure Soo sin , rai '' v:l - v ,k |st year amounted to £«J,410. but in view of the increased number of men already employed and the further increase which it is proposed to make shortly. 1 am asking for a vote of £BO.OOO for the current year.

_Auck.;iTid-Last Coast (Waihi-Tauranga). trial survey for a- railway between Warla and ianrauga, promised in last year’s Statement, lias since been put in hand, and a strong party is new engaged upon it. Tb© mvev has already been completed between VVaihi and Katikati, and exploration boa been carried on for several miles bevond. As The latter portion of the route is not of n very easy character, it will be some time before the survey is completed, and until the results are available it will, of course, ba impossible to make anv comparisons between this route and the suggested alternative „me via. Mamaku and Te Puke. The Ueremment are. however, strop niv impressed with the necessity = of constructing a railway to connect the a °( district with the AucHand railway system, and have dennrtely decided to ask for the authorisation of the line. It will be impossible to do so this vw, however, as the law requires that Authorising Acts shall define the route of the railway and the two termini thereof, and it Is manifestly impossible to do this nntil a decision is arrived at ns to the P ar^? u * ar ce 1n b® adopted. In audition jf * wo routes beady mentioned, a third'has been suggested—to leave the existing railway either at Mcrrinsville or Okoroire, or somewhere between these places. Each route will be carefully examined, and if flwssary fully surveyed," with a view to a definite decision being arrived at next session, when a Bill to authorise the construction of the line will be brought down Qisborne-Hotorna.—The section between Pnbat and the Willows Crossing, on the Waikplnr River, was completed and- opened for traffic in May last. The line cannot be extended to the permanent station at Waikofra; uni if the completion of the Waikohu bndge. The contract time for this structure expired on the 16th inst,, but it will evidently not be completed for some weeks. "Won as it is finished, however, the rails ■ffill 'O6 laid over it, and tlvo train running extended to Waikoku. The formation of the Waihuka section has been taken, in ' band, v .and good progress has been made with it. In view of the importance of extending the line through toLMotu as early as practicable, an increased force of workmen is how employed, and it is intended to make a further increase in the number shortly. Last year’s expenditure amounted to £9,248, hut far the present vear a vote of £150,000 is asked for. N«w Plymouth-Sentry Hill Deviation.— This, work has now . been finished, the new line having been brought into use in December last. The total expenditure on the deviation amounted, approximately, to 636,000. This includes £18,233 involved in connection with the purchase of the necessary land. The amount expended last year was £11,743. Stratford-Main Trunk.—Mention was made in last year’s Statement of the necessity of making further surveys to determine the point on the Main Trunk Railway that would best sew© for a junction station for this line, and also to define , exactly the route of the first few miles of the railway at that end which lias not been, definitely fixed at present. Considerable survey work has since been done, as a result of which I am advised that a better line, and one passing through better country, can be obtained to a point considerably to the north of Ongarue than would be the case if the line were to join at that township, as seems to have been contemplated when the railway was first authorised. Further surveys and engineering reports are necessary before this point can be definitely decided upon, though it is_ desirable to have .the question determined as soon as possible in order that construction work at the north-eastern end of the railway can be put in hand. Work has been carried on throughout the year at the Stratford end of the line, and the section between Douglas and Huiroa was completed and handed over to the Railway Department on April 1 Lost. The Tewera section is now in hand, and a large stall of workmen are engaged upon it. The completion of the line to the end of this section will bring it into contact with the main road to Whangamoraona, thus making the railway much more useful to the settlers in the backblocks, as well as ensuring a largely increased traffic. The expenditure last year amounted to £12,365, out in view of the proposal to commence work at the north-eastern end of the line a larger vote is necessary this year, and I am accordingly asking for an appropriation of £40,000. Mount Egmont Branch.—The first section of this railway up to any includin'’ - the crushing station at Mangamu was completed and handed over tb the Railway Department in April last, and broken stone and ballast are now being produced there. It is proposed to extend the rail, way to the sue of the permanent quarry on the slopes of Mount Egmont, about three miles further on,, and provision for taking this work in hand is made on the* current year’s Estimates, Last -year’s expenditure was £8,367. and for the present year ,we propose an appropriation of £15,000.

North Island Main Trunk.—Very satisfactory progress indeed was made on this railway during the year, but the only section actually handed oyer to the Hallway Department for traffic was that between Matarpa and Waiouru, which was previously worked for both goods and passengers by the Public Works Department for some time. This section was handed over at the end of June last. The Public Works Department’s trains have continued carrying passengers between Waiouru and Ohakune, and at the northern end between Taumarunui and Baurimu, and later to Waimarino, and ultimately to Makatote. The railheads were finally connected on the Manganui-Ote-ao viaduct

THE RAILWAYS EXPENDITURE,

UNFAIR ALLOCATION FOR OTAGO,

ONLY £30,000 FOR ROXBURGH LINE.

on the ord August ult., and before the date promised in my previous Statement tho first through passenger train (the fleet parliamentary special) was run on tho 7th and the Bth August, returning ten days later. A largo amount of work still remains to be done, however, and a considerable force of men are still employed upon it, and will be jjiaintained until its completion. I hopo to bo in a position to carry passengers right through by about the Ist November. Every credit is due to 1 the departmental staff for the excellent work done on this railway in the last two yearn, but especially to the officers who filled the responsible positions of en-gineers-in-charge at the north and south ends of the line respectively. The vote Inst year was ' £530,000, and the expenditure amounted to -w300,224. lo provide for the work done since the 31st .March last and for ! the completion of the works remaining to I be executed, a further vote of £225',000 will bo required. Blenheim-Waipara.—Steady progress has been made at the northern end of this railway, and the section to Blind River will be available for traffic shortly, and a turther section to Kaparu early in the new year. The formation works are in hand as far as Ward, and are progressing satisfactorily. As a considerable difference ot opinion existed as to the route to bo followed at tho southern end—namelv, from Domett northwards—it was coilsidered inadvisable to proceed with turther work until more complete surveys had been undertaken. This has been done, and it has been decided to adhere to tho route originally surveyed, and the construction of the work by this route will accordingly be resumed shortly. Plans and specifications are also being prepared for a combined road and railway bridge over the Waiau River, for which tenders wiU be invited in the course of a few weeks. Phe expenditure on the line last year amounted to £29,561, but in view eLn prop ? sal , to rMume w <>rk at the southern end a larger vote will be neces- ! S,oool s -”SoS‘' “ 1 , Midland. At the Nelson end of tin's rail-1 way the section between Tadmor and Kiwi I is nearly finished, and will probably be ready I to hand oyer to the Railway Department! next month. _ The section between Kiwi : and Manni is m hand, and formation work! is proceeding satisfactorily. a start has I been made with bush-felling on the section of the line between Mann and Hope June- ' frZ tu vv f, ect, ,°" completes the deviation ' from the Midland Railway Company’s original surveyed route up the Motupikp and; Llarko valleys, winch was authorised by ! Parliament in 1900. The present statutory authorisation. however, extends onlv to Manu, but the necessary Railways Author- I isation Ld! to provide for this completing 1 hnk will be introduced. At the Reeftou end of the line the section between Reeftou and U-onadon has been completed, and waa handed to the Railway Department last month. Beyond Cronadon further forma- : tion works are in hand, and also the bridges ' over Boatman's and Harry's Creeks. On tho Otira section the work'being carried out by the departments own workmen is nearly completed, and the tunnel contract -tvhi'-h wan let to Messrs John M'Lean and Sons in August. 1907. 19 making fair progress. The hrst shot m the actual tunnel was fired bv i the Right Hon. the Prime Minister on the bth May last, since which date the contractors have put down a boring plant and high, pressure water-power installation, which should enable gcod progress to be made. At the Broken River end of the line the Slovene Creek bridge contract, let to Mr G. i r ?' Ner * n % 1907, :s in prospers, and also- the tunnels and formation work between the Broken River and the Cass It is intended to push on with the line at the Canterbury end, so as to ensure its completion as far as the Arthur’s Pass tunnel by the time tho tunnel itself is finished. on the railway last year totalled £65,453, but a much larger vote will bo necessary this year, and an appropriation of £150,000 is therefore provided. \\ estport-Inangahua.—The formation on the first section of this railway between Westport and Kuha. five miles sixty chains in length is nearly finished, but still a good deal of bridging has to be erected. A considerable delay has unfortunately occurred in connection with this latter work. In the first place, the timber was a lon o, time in coming to hand ; then, owing to the illness of the contractor for the - erection of the bridges, a further delay took place. I uuuly, the contractor asked to be relieved of his contract, and arrangements have now been made to transfer the same to another compactor. The rails are already on tho ground, and as soon as the bridges are ready platelaying will bo started. The expenditure last year amounted to £8.505. and for tho current year a vote of £15,000 is proposed.

Ngabere-Blackball.—This railway is practically completed for a distance of two miles and a-half, and the work boyond that point is being vigorously proceeded with. I am in hopes that the whole line will be available for traffic early in 1909. Last year's expenditure amounted to £17.504, and for the current year an appropriation of £20,000 is asked for.

Greymouth-Point Elizabeth.—Tho survey of the proposed extension of this railway, which was in hand when last year’s Public Works Statement was delivered, lias since been completed, and formation work has been put in hand. No appropriations for this work will bo needed out of the Public Works Fund, as the vote of £30,000 out of the State Goal Clines Account appears on the Consolidated Fund Estimates. Hokitika-Rcss. Thu lino hys alreaclv been opened for traffic as far as Ruatapu, and the'rails have been laid from there to tlm Totara River. The contract for iho Image over the river is very much be|und time, but pressure is being brought to bear on the contractor to ensure an early completion of the work, Iho station buildings at Ross have already been erected, so that on the completion of the Totara Bridge tho rails can he laid right into Roes station, and the line opened for traffic with th© least possible delay. The expenditure on the railway last year was £13,546, and for the current year a vote of £15,000 is proposed. Culverdon-Hanmer. As mentioned in last year’s Statement, a good motor carservice has been established between Culverden and the Waiau, and it is proposed to extend it to Hanmer. To enable this to be done, however, bridges will have to bo erected over some of the rivers and improvejiients made in the road. As these improvements will ba of benefit to local settlement—and the work is really r.o part of the railway—it is proposed to regard this as road work, and provision for it will be made in the roads vote accordingly. Th© expenditure under this head "Vist veax amounted to £3,820.

Otago Central.—This railway was opened to Clyde in April, ISO 7, since which time minor completions of the works have been carried out. The total expenditure during the, year amounted to £7,763. As there weve still a few outstanding liabilities on March 31 last, a vote of £I,OOO is provided to cover thorn.

Lawrence-Roxburgh.—The formation of 1 the hnst section to Evan’s Flat' has been finished, and the erection of the bridges is being proceeded with. The next section to BowleFs Creek is also nearly formed, and rau-laymg on both sections will be started before long. The Big 81l tunnel has also been commenced. Beyond the tunnel the definite location of the line is' still undetermined, arid further survey work will be necessary before the question can be fintdly decided. A surveyor is to bo transferred from another district to undertake this work. Last year's expenditure was £12,213,1 and for the current year a votp of £30,000 i is asked for. j

Gore ’ Wolkaka. The formation works ® railway are hearing ■ completion. The bulk of too bridging has been done, and the tails have been laid lor over ten mjles. Good progress is being made with the work generally, and it is anticipated that the whole line will be available for traffic early iu the new year. The expenditure last year amounted to £13,609, the whole of which is charged to the special account established in connection with this railway. As the balance to the credit of tho special account will not bo sufficient to complete the work, a vote of £12,000 to supplement it is provided on the Estimates. The original estimate of the cost was made prior to the survey of the lino being undertaken, Gatlins.Waimahaka.—The section of this lino between Gatlins River and Houipapa is practically finished, and goods traffic is being carried over it. On the next section, between Houipapa and' Table Hill, the first mile and a-nulf are well in hand, and work has been started all along the Uno for another four miles. A large staff of workmen are engaged, and a further increase in their numbers will be made as soon as there are better weather conditions. In view of the large quantity of-timber available for milling and of the suitability of the land for farming, it is desirable that the line be completed to the Tahakopa Valley at an early date, and it is anticipated that considerable progress will be made with it during the coming summer. At the Waimahaka end of the line the work continues to progress, but as it is of a heavy character the apparent progress has not been great. The work now completed or in hand, however, is rather more than four miles out of a total length of eight miles. Tho expenditure on the railway last year was £19,311, but as more men aro to be employed now than formerly, and ns further works are to be taken m hand shortly, a much larger vote u i!I bo needed this year, and an appropriation of £BO,OOO is therefore proposed Riversdale-Syvitzers.—On the first' two miles of this line the rails have been laid, and on the next eiglit miles—namely, up to Wendonside Station— the formation is practically finished, and rail-laying will be started shortly. The formation of the saction between Wendonside and Waikaia is about to bo put in hand. Last vear’s expenditure amounted to £5,604, and for the current year a vote of £IB,OOO is proposed. Orepu'i’Waiau.—The formation of tho section <K this line between Waihoaka and le-wae-wae is finished, and tho rails are JflfW has yet been- clone, the ballast pit lies on the section between le-wae-wae and Waiau, tho formation of which as far as the pit has been actively in hand throughout the year, and is now approaching completion. The rails have been laid into the ballast pit, and a locomotive has been transferred from the North »and Mam Trunk Railway to enable the ha asting to bo commenced. The work nil be pushed on as rapidly as possible, nc I hope to have the line completed ready for traffic to To Tua bv about the end of the financial year, and to Tuatapere by the Christmas following. The expenditure last year amounted to £10,726, ve.fr a VOtC ° f £50 ’ 000 is asked for this

SURVEYS. The importance of ascertaining the best possible route for a railway with respect to economy «f construction and the prcduclui. of the best results from the revenue point of view cannot be too strongly cmptaeiseu. It is therefore highly desirable that each proposed railway be subject to careful exploration and survey 'so as to c-ii&Tiro the selection of the route which will give the best financial results to the .Dominion. The most important railway si.ivev works in hand at the present time are the Helensville-Northwards Railway (Mauugoturoto to Kaikohe), permanent survey; Pokeno to Paeora, permanent sur'fP ’ »»aihi to Tanranga, trial survey; North Island Main Trunk Railway branch line to Ractihi, and Stratford to U’angamomona, permanent survey; Coal Creek railway extension, permanent sur- \ e y 5 Gisborne te Motu, permanent survcy ; Domett to Kaikouxa, trial survey of alternate route. In addition to tho above, trial surveys will be made In reof the following lines as soon as officers aro available to undertake the work: Kawakawa. to Kaihu f o North Auckland railway system, Pukekohe to Waiuku, Kawliia to Main Trunk line lauranga to Opotiki, Rotorua line to Tepuke or Tanranga, Motu to Opotiki. Wangamomona to North Island Main Trunk Railway, Napier to Gisborno, Masterton to Waipukurau, Levin to Marten, Eeathercton to Martmborough, Little River to Akaroa, Waihao Downs to Waihaorunca, and Winton to Heddon Bush. FURTHER RAILWAY APPROPRIATIONS. In addition to the amounts already mentioned, a vote of £112.000 is proposed for permanent way materials, £6,000 for surveys of new lines, and £I,OOO for land claims and other old liabilities and contingent payments on construction account. Those items bring the 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 vear, which is a material advance on last year’s vote. In addition to this sum tho unexpended balance to the credit of the Waikaka branch railway account, amounting to £13,391, will alro be available, and the £30,000 voted out of the State coalmines account for the Point EU/.abeth line.

RAILWAY DUPLICATION WORKS.

The expenditure under th© heading of “Additions to Open Linos” was £364,068. Of this sum £261,749 was spent in the provision of rolling stock, and tho balance (£102,319) on additions to. station accommodation, workshops, machinery, and th© inauguration of signalling, interlocking, safety appliances. The amount proi'— d to be voted for the current year is £350,000, of which £185,000 is for new •rolling stock. A considerable amount of work has been carried out in connection with the duplication of the Huit Railway and the road improvement connected therewith. Much of the work hasi been of a preliminary character connected with the formation between Ngahauranga and Kaiwarra. The duplication of tiro lino is practically completed from Lower Hutt to Ngahauranga, and station buildings and yard improvements at the latter station are in hand, and the line to this station will be opened very shortly. Work is still being somewhat retarded “by the difficulties experienced in connection with tho transport of stone. Tho farming and metalling of th© Hutt road will now be pushed on speedily. A large amount of work has been done under the Railways’ Improvement Authorisation. Act, 1904, in connection with the Auckland-Penrose, Addington, Rolleston, and Dunedin-Mcsgicl duplications. The double lino between Newmarket and Penrcse is rapidly approaching completion, and the interlocking and block-working appliances are being installed. As soon as this installation is completed the lino between Newmarket and Penrose will be opened for traffic. That part of th© duplication which lies between. Auckland and the Parnell tunnel being dependent on th© completion of the superetruction of the Parnell bridge, will not be opened until a later date. Tho construction of this bridge is well in hand, however.

The formation of the Addington-Rolles-ton duplication has been completed. The Addington and Homby station yards aro now being remodelled, and the new station buildings required in connection with the duplication arc in course of construction. Plate-laying on the line is making satisfactory progress, and it is anticipated that the work will be completed and the lihe opened for traffic during the current year. In connection with the Dunedin-Mosgiel duplication, the foundations and abutments of 4 ho bridges between Dunedin and Caversham are ready for the superstructures, which are being made under contract. A large proportion of the earthworks between Dtmeddii and Cavereham has been completed. The new Cavereham tunoel has been driven about, eight chains at the north end, and arrangements are being made to commence driving at the south end. The formation between Cattle Yards and Abbotsford is also in hand, and arrangements are being made to commence the driving of new Chain Hills tunnel and the formation of the’ earthworks at the Wingatui end of the line. laa amounts expended during. the last

financial year on tho tvofke'above referred :to were aa followHutt railway and road improvement, £46,231 j Auckland-Penrcso duplication, £54)308; Addington-Rolles-ton duplication, £.11,031.p Dunedin-Moe-giel, £74,720. For the current year provision has lieen made on. the Estimates to the extent of Auck-land-Penrose duplication, £25,000; Wel-lington-Hutt, £70,000; , Addirigton-Bolles-ton, £56,000; Duhedin-Mofigiel,,£los,ooo.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The total expenditure on public buildings out of voles controlled by the Minister of Public Works amounted during the last financial year to £266,624—namely, £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 £42,637, under the- Consolidated Fund, and £292,450 under the Public Works Fund are proposed. SCHOOLS. The amount expended on school buildings during the year was £181,265,, ol which £81,063 was charged to revenue £100,197 to the Public Works Fund. The greater portion of this money was P a l 4. to Education Boards, and other controlling authorities as grants for the erection of school buildings and teachers’ residences, technical schools, training colleges, secondary schools, and university colleges. The principal works carried out directly under tho control of the Government were the native school buildings at Poroporo, Tematai, Tautoro, and Whangaruru, and a new residence at the last-named place. For the current year, in addition to the vote under the Consolidated Fund, an appropriation of £luu,ooo is asked for out of the Public Works Fluid to provide for school buildings generally and for buildings for universities, technical schools, colleges, etc., as in previous years. OTHER BUILDINGS. Hospitals.—Under the heading of “ Hospitals and Charitable Institutions,” there was an expenditure of £15,576 for new buildings and improvements. Tho new hospitals at Masterton and Westport were opened during the year. The vote of £IB,OOO for the current year is to a large extent a revote of the unexpended balances on last year’s appropriation, but provides also for further jidditions at Hokitika and Reeftou, and a further grant towards a new hospital being erected at Hamilton. It also provides grants in aid of hospital buildings at Northern Wairoa and Mercery Bay, and for completing and equippmg the cottage hospital at Taumarunui, for the building of a St. Helens Hospital at Wellington, and additions to the St. Helens at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dimedin, also for accommodation for delirium tremens cases at the larger of general hospitals. AGRICULTURE. There was little expenditure under this heading last year. A commencement was made with additions and alterations to tho departmental offices at Auckland and Pal--merston North, and residences were provided for -he inspectors in charge at Gisborne, Waipukurau, and Seddon. For the current year it is proposed to provide £3,000 for ihe accommodation at the Ruahura experimental farm of cadets seeking instruction m methods of agriculture, etc. considerable additions to the buildings on the experimental farms at Ruakura,. Waerenga, Tauranga, Arataki, Momohaki, and vVeraroa ere 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 additional buildings and land at the Veterinary Laboratory at Wallaceville, and several amounts are provided for inspectors’ residences and office accommodation. PUBLIC HEALTH. Tho principal works carried out during the year have been the commencement of the new wharf and approaches at Motuihi quarantine station, Auckland, and the erection of a wharf at Somes Island, Wellington. Payments were also made on account, of subsidies on contributions and the value of a site given for the Sanatorium for Consumptives at Christchurch, ihe vote lor the current year provides for completing the wharves at the quarantine stations above.-mentioned, for buildings and additions at the, similar stations at Quail Island (Lyttelton) and Bluff, and To Waikato Sanatorium, Cambridge.. A considerable vote is also proposed under the head of subsidies on the cost of erecting infectious diseases hospitals and sanatoria and annexes for consumptives. ROADS, BRIDGES, ETC.

The administration of the Department of Roads is now in the hands of the Minister of Mines. During my recent absence from the Dominion my colleague very kindly undertook the performance of the duties of Minister of Public Works, and on my return offered to further assist me bv continuing to carry out portion of tho duties. I very gladly accepted this generous offer, and the charge of the Roads Department has therefore remained in tho Hon. Mr M Gowans hands. The amount provided for tho year 1907 for the construction of roads and maintenance under all votes and accounts was £578,575. The amount authorised for expenditure was £619,727, and the net expenditure was £363,997. Ihe principal cause for tho small expenditure m proportion to the amount voted was the very great scarcity of labor of the kind required, the greater part of the men being otherwise occupied at what appeared to them to be more congenial employment. The bulk of the authorities for expenditure was issued somewhat earlier than usual, and an abundance of work was ready for the men, but they could not be got. There was a scarcity throughout the Dominion. However, tho work done was fairly considerable, being as follows; New dray road construction, 486 miles; dray roads metalled, 286 miles; dray roads converted from bridle roads, 107 miles; dray roads maintained, 2,962 miles; new bridle roads made, 345 miles; bridle roads maintained, 1,899 miles; engineering surveys made, 640 miles. Dray road bridges of 30ft in length and over to the number of 187, and of a total length of 16,075 ft, were built. The continued allocation of Crown lands for settlement purposes renders it impossible as yet to come near overtaking the demand lor roads of access, and selectors continue to emphatically impress on the Government the necessity lor 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 ear'y years of a settler’s life in the remote buslx country, the demand for land does not diminish. It is the aim of tho Government to meet the requirements ‘of those who have the energy and self-confidence to enter on the arduous life which is inseparable from that pioneer settler whose enterprise is most praiseworthy, and should be fully recognised. All available reasonable means for the amelioration, of their hardships should bo extended to them as soon as possible. It is with the obj§pt of expediting relief as above indicated that the vote of £250,000 for roads in the backbiocks was referred to in the Financial Statement as the sum to be specially set apart for that purpose. The appropriations proposed in the Estimates now submitted are as under:

Roads Department £25,300 Roads generally ... ... ... 253,606 Back-blocks roads 250,000 Tourist roads ... 28,194 Loans to local bodies account 50,000

Total ... ....... ..,£607,000 Tliis amount is, of course, in addition to the £250,000 voted for the maintenance of roads in the Consolidated Fund for estimated roads on the goldfields (Mines Department). The construction of roads and tracks is essential to the development of the mining industry. Without these, especially where the land is covered with heavy timber , or dense scrub, the miner cannot advantageously carry on his operations- The rugged, broken,' and. precipitous nature of the country where quartz mining operations are generally conducted renders roads and tracks necessary in every direction, for without them it is impossible to get machinery or supplies on the ground. In many instances these roads not only opon rip new, mines, but. they also give, facilities for taking up-small areas of land

on 'which settlers can make homes for themselves and for the disposal of their produce amongst the mining community.- Whilst thd available land mij ifOfebeof very good quality, any small flat op4enjaoe is eagerly soughp after by thefiffiiher&j who,- invaddl* tioa to their ordinary yayocatio'is, do a little cultivating in theS’ spdre time, and frequently become A3 ) 9sP44 ent New, collieries are .in, course of deyelqp;. m«nt 'on'"the Bullet i affSfoG i rey coalfields,' and ifc is proposed to Take’-eubstantial vot'ee fpr making roads tonthem. and thus- give facilities for their ocqnpiiqical worlang. The expenditure last yaw 1 under this head-, ing was £38,493, and ihpl amount proposed to be authorised for the cprrent year" is £966,399, on account‘of' which a vote of £45,000 is proposed; i

TOTAL APPROPRLATIQN FOE ROADS. The total proposed appropriations for roads may be summarised'as 1 under : Roads Department, under the Public Works Estimates f ... £605j000 Roads Department, finder I the- - Consolidated Fund ... 25,000 Minos Department ...; ai.t ... 45,000 Total ... £676,000 DEVELOPMENT OF'MINING.

Although there is a considerable variety of minerals in the Dominion, very little has so far been done Ho develop them, attention having been chiefly directed to gold, silver, and coal. Recently, however, the high price of copper caused consideration to be given to the- development of deposits of this metal, but the price, having since declined, loss, eagerness is shownfop developing some of the areas taken’up. Smelting has, howeyer, been started in connection with the copper mines at Aniseed Valley (Nelson), and work is going on at Whangaroa (North Auckland). The scheelite deposits in ; Otago are now being steadily developed, and satisfactory prices are being obtained in the European markets, but last year there were considerable fluctuations in the quotations for this valuable mineral. There is an abundance of manganese and antimony in the Dominion, but the low price at which'these minerals can be produced in other countries precludes competition- to any extent on our part. The deposits of hematite ore at Parapara, though still-unworked, have lately attracted the attention of capitalists, and the manufacture of iron may be added to our other industries in the course of a few years. Tho output of coal for the past year was tho highest yet attained, being 1,831,009 tons, which exceeded the output during 1906 by 101,473 tons. The amount expended during the last financial year on works for the development of goldfields was £8,632, and it is proposed to take-a vote of £35,000 for the current year. Under this' heading will bo, included subsidies towards assisting the deep level developments at the Thames ana Ross. These works, which are of great importance, not only to the - districts in which they aro being carried on, but to the Dominion as a whole, are in the hands of strong companies, and’ the results of their operations will- be watched with interest by the mining-community. TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS. The expenditure last year amounted to £45,027. Of that amount the new bath buildings at Rotorua absorbed. £14,038, and the water supply- works, drainage works, and electrical works at the same place £1,981, £1,235, and £1,517 respectively. The high-pressure water service and efficient drainage works in Rotorua are now practically complete, and are working very satisfactorily. The land on which the accommodation-house at Waitomo Caves stands was purchased during, the year, and as the present building is not large enough to cope with tho traffic it is proposed to erect a new accommodationhouse some little distance from the present site, at an estimated cost of £2,500. The accommodation-house and land at Te Puia Hot Springs, Gisborne, were purchased by the department during the year, but a new accommodation-house is required, and provision has been made for,, it on the Estimates. The new water supply for Hanmer was also, completed ■ during the year. The Estimates for the current year include £15,000: fup, new bath buildings and furniture at Rotorua, which will complete the same. Tho sum of £4,200 is asked for additions to.the ,electric lighting plant at Rotorua, <ukl;£s,ooo oij account °i the erection in-.stone ofvft new..accom-v modation-house at tho Mount--Cook Her-' mitage. Provision is also made for the purchase of a new steamer "for Lake Te Anau,- at .a-cost of £3,000, for a vote of £I,OOO on .account of a new steamer, estimated to cost £20,000, for Lake Wakatipu, and also for much-needed improvements at Te Aroha, Whakarewarewa, - Queenstown, and Te Anau. The gross authorisation asked for is £47,093, as compared with £66,744 last year, on account of which a vote of £35,000 is proposed.

GENERAL. A dwelling for the lightkeeper at Nugget Point has been erected, and considerable progress made with the fog-sighalling apparatus at Godley Head (Lyttelton". Tho total expenditure amounted to £1,417. A larger vote—namely, £5;000 —is asked for this year, as it is intended to proceed with the proposed new lighthouses at Capo Brett and Tuahine Point, and also to provide a now light on the Jackson’s Head beacon. Provision is also made for connecting lighthouses with the telegraph system and for completing the Godley Head fog-signalling apparatus. Last year's expenditure on harbor works amounted to £1,867. The total expenditure for the current year is estimated at £5,000, for which amount a vote is nrovided. The expenditure under the head of harbor defences was again small, having amounted to only £2,579. For the current year a considerably larger outlay is anticipated, and a vote of £7,500 is asked. For gross total appropriations, in addition to the votes already referred to, the Estimates include provision for the undernoted services Public Works Department, £23,800; immigration, £10,000; purchase of Native lands, £4,900; rates on Native lands, £850; contingent defence, £20,000; lands improvement, £21,950; thus bringing the total amount of the proposed appropriations, including special accounts, up to £2,721,450, as against £2,521,219 voted and £2,106,262 actually expended last year. CONCLUSION. I have now placed before honorable members the proposals for carrying on the Public Works requirements of the country for the year. With Ihe expansion and development that are going on all around us a fairly vigorous pohcy.'is called for, and I feel confident that the programme which I have submitted will commend itself to the favorable consideration of Parliament.