The Public Works Statement.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 17, Issue 17, 12 October 1894, Page 5

The Public Works Statement.

The Minister for Public Works (the Hon, 1 R. J. Seddon) laid on the table of the House > of Bepresentatives last evening the Public ' Works Statement. In dealing- with railway. ' under construction and projected lines tht ' following remarks of district interest were made : — CATLI S BIVEB BAILWAY. t The . works on this railway were at a standstill wben la.t Public Workß Statement was made. They were, however, resumed in November last, and have been pushed ahead steadily since thnt date. The wotk iv hand comprises formation of the Hue for a distance of about 4_f miles, which will complete the railway to Owaka. The expenditure during tha financial year amounts to L 1333 only, but liabilities existed at tbe close of the year to the amount of L9OO, and fuither liabilities to the amount of L 5131 have been incurred since. A vote of Ll o,ooo is asked for tbie year, which will provide the bulk of the funds required to complete the line to Owaka. SKAWAKD BUSH BAILWAY. The formation cf this railway h<-s been completed as far as Mataura Gorge. The rails and the ballasting are now in progress. Tbe line is expected to be ready for opening to tlie Gorge road in December next. Hor« ings have been made to test the foundation for the bridge over the Mataura river, and plana of a bridge are being piepared and tenders for itß erection will he invited shortly. Tbe expenditure on the line laat year (exclusive of permment way material supplied) was L 5012, while liabilities exist at the olose of tbe year to the amount of L 2735, ond further liabilities to tbu amonnt of 16815 have since been incurred. The amount proposed for the current year is L 15.000. BIVBRSDALE.SWIT_.EBS. A petition prtsented to Parliament this session by tbe member for Wakatipu prayed for the completion of tbis 1 railway. About two miles of line was completed several . years ago, and formation works executed on a further length of six miles, the total txpenditure On werk having amounted '. to about L 7500. The Government is not able to propose any eppropriation for this line this year, but during tbe recess tbe question of resuming ita construction will receive careful consideration. WAIPA.HI HKBIOT EXTEHSIOH. Two petitions have been presented praying for the extension of this railway to .Roxburgh. The Government has no information in its possession as to probable cost of tbe line, as no survey has yet been made. A ' survey will be undertaken during the recess, however, so that full information may be availabl-j by next meeting of Parliam ent. QOKE KELSO. The desirableness of constructing this railway has been strongly urged upon the Government recently. The . line was pro* jeeted several years ago and partly surveyed. It will be about 24 miles in length, and would probably coit L 50,000. Tbe country which it would inverse is of the very beßt quality, and wOuld undoubtedly build a considerable traffic so that tbe line would probably pay. The question of undertaking the construction of this railway will be oon* sidered during the reciss. KINGSTON FRANKTON. A petition was presented to Parliament last session urging construction of extension of the InvercargilNKingston railway to Frankton, and further rt presentations on the subject bave since been made to Government by the local authorities of the district. This extension would, however, be a very expensive one to construct, a 9 for many mileß it would traverse the eastern shore of Lake Wakatipu. The line would, moreover, have to compete with water carriage on the lake, and tbe country between Kingston and Queenstown being very mountainous would provide little or uo traffic. lam therefore unable to hold out any hopes of being r. ble to take construction of this work in hand at present.