PUBLIC WORKS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4608, 11 October 1934, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS

THIS YEAR'S EXPENDITURE. A TOTAL OF £4,698,000. (Special to Chronicle). Wellington, yesterday. The Minister of Public Works, the Hon. J. Bitchener, made the following statement to the House to-day:— As was the case in the previous year, the activities of my Department during the year under review have been influenced by the continued need for opening up avenues of employment, and it has been possible to keep an average number of eleven thousand men employed on development work from which the State will obtain due return.

The extent to which local bodies on the one hand and Government loan funds on the other hand should benefit financially by reason of the Unemployment Board's contribution to the cost of many of the developmental works now in progress has been ; a matter for consideration. I have endeavoured as far as possible to so arrange the financing of these works that to the extent of the Unemployment Board's assistance both the amount of the Government's loanmoney contribution and the local bodies' contribution have been proportionately decreased. By this arrangement Government loan funds, have been conserved and the cost: to the country ratepayer of developmental work has been lightened.

The proposed expenditure for this year from votes of the Public Works Fund and related accounts is indicated under the following general headings: (1) Improvement to lines of communication (railways, roads and high: ways construction, harbour-works, etc): £1,250,000 from loan-moneys and £1,120,000 (on maintenance and improvement) from the Main Highways Revenue Fund.

(2) Development of electric power: £550,000 on further construction and £201,000 on working expenses. (3) Land development, including settlement of unemployed workers: £735,000. (4) Extension of" public buildings: £435,000. m It will thus be perceived that again this year the development, improvement, and maintenance of the country's lines of communication will represent the major part of the Department's programme. The total net expenditure under all votes proposed this year is £4,698,000 (which includes £1,120,000 from Main Highways Revenue Fund and £510,000 from Main Highways Construction Fund), as against an appropriation last year of £4,471,967, which included £1,000,000 from Main Highways Revenue Fund and £260,000 from Main Highways Construction Fund. ,