THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1879.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5637, 10 December 1879, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1879.

Perhaps not even the Financial Statement is looked forward to with as much anxiety as the Statement of the Minister of Public Works, who each year has to tell the country how the funds which can be devoted to the con- j strnction of railways and in other public works is to be expended. This is the allimportant subject to each section of the colony, the inhabitants of which consider that its wants are the most clamant. Last niaht the Hon. Mr. Oliver delivered the Public Works Statement of the present Ministry, and we must acknowledge that on all the diferen; divisions of the subject, it is clear and decided. Writing, as we do. while the statement is still coming through the wires, we cannot pretend to make a fair or dual review. But we may say that we think it unsatisfactory as regards this province. Mr. Oliver telis us" that the liabilities from all sources hanging over the i'o.OOO.OOOloan. amount to £"3,600.500. a very large amount certainly, while we must not attempt another loan for three year?. Another small section of the Kawakawa railway is to be made, and one of one of the Kamo line : the junction sixe is to be prepared at Xewmarket : a bridge is to be made over the W.-ukato at Hamilton : and a section from Hamilton East towards the Waikato-Thames line. This is the sum total of railway construction wi;hin the provincial district of Auckland. The V>~aikato to Taranaki line is hung up. and only a small vole is to be taken iu <xise an opportunity should arise for a survey being made. Apparently, however, the Government intend to expend some considerable sum on roads iu the Xor'.h Island, but the details are not given. Respecting the railway from Te Awaniiitu. nothing could be done at present, but we think the Government ought to 1 have undertaken the line to Cambridge. Nothing is to be done towards construction of a railway through the NVnh. the Ministry intending the roads as the substitute.