PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1342, 18 August 1877, Page 6

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Wellington, August 10th. The hon. Minister for Public Works (J. D. Ormond) reminded the House that he took office in January last, and he acknowledged the cordial assistance by way of information which he bad received from his predecessor the Hon. E. Richardson. Considerable progress had been made during the year in

, RAILWAY WORKS. The votes had not been fully expended, but those who were inclined to complain on that ground should remember that it was not until February that monetary arrangements were concluded, which enabled authorised works to be vigorously proceeded with. The Kawakawa line was now completed to the shipping place, and but little additional work on it was proposed at present. The Auckland-Kaipar» line was being extended from Helensville to a new and more convenient station on the Kaipara river, and from Auckland towards Riverheid, a section of ten miles was in progress. The course from that section to Riverhead had to be rented (?), and alternative plans were being prepared. The Auckland- Waikato line was expected to be opened in August to Newcastle, 76 miles in aIL Newcastle to Ohaupo was proposed to be completed during the financial year, thus adding 26 miles of work ; towards f c Aw<*mutu the line was being also pushed on. The railway wharf at Onehunga was in progress. During the year it was intended to improve the station and workshops at Auckland, and connect the present station with the Queen street Wharf. The Napier Manawatu line would be extended five or six miles by October next, when it would be completed to Kopua, and about 65 miles would be in work. During the year a few miles more would be finished, and as this would bring the Seventy mile Bush settlements into more direct communication with Napier, and the traffic would be considerably increased. On the WellingtonMasteiton line, it had been found that all tunnels must be lined. This was necessarily a slow work, and the country was altogether difficult, but it waa hoped that by December the line would be open to Kaitoki, 27 miles from Wellington, and every exertion would be made to complete the line to Featherston before June next. Formation works towards Masterton would be proceeded with, as would also those required for connecting the Wellington station with the wharf. The Waitara Patea line would soon be completed to luglewood, A section south of Inglewood was in progress, and it was proposed to continue the work a few miles farther this year. A short section to carry the southern section of the Patea-Mana-watu.line from the Wanganui River into Wanganui was under contract, and the whole line from Wanganui to Foxton was expected to be completed during the year. The Nelson-Fox-hill railway would be connected with the City by June next, and it was intended to erect a workshop in Nelson. The Westport-Ngakawau line, and the works for loading coal, would shortly be finished. The Picton-Blenheim railway was to be extended to Blenheim at once, and work southwards would be begun so soon as the survey had been completed. The Grey-mouth-Brunneifton line was working setisfactorily, and river protection would be proceeded with steadily. The station accommodation would be improved, and a workshop erected during the year. The line from Amberley to Waitaki was completed some months ago. The WORKS PROPOSED TO BE CARRD3D OUT DURING

THE PRESENT YEAR

were an extension of the main trunk northwards from Ainberley about fifteen miles ; completion of the Eyreton railway, now under contract; improvement of the line at the Waimakariri River; completion of the Opawa rail way; construstion of the broad gauge from Amberley to Lyttelton to narrow gauge ; rearrangement and improvement of the railway stations at Christchurch and Lyttelton ; additions to station accommodation, and a large increase of rolling stock.

BETWEEN MOEBAKT AND DUNEDIN, the whole line was under contract except the Waikouaiti section, the formation of which had been done by piece work. Every exertion would be used to get the works completed by January next, which was the latest contract date for any of them. Tenders had been invited for

THE BALCLOTHA-CLINTON SECTION of the Dunedin-Invercargill line, and the whole was to be completed by June next. Within the year, the

INVERCARGILL-KINGSTON LINE would be completed, and the Government hoped that by that time the trunk line from Amberley to Kingston, 527 miles in all, would be open for traffic.

ADDITIONAL STATIONS AND ROLLING STOCK for the Marewhenua, Waiareka, and Green Island Railways were provided for. The Outram line was nearly completed, but required rolling stock. There was much yet to be done to complete the Otago Western railways. The section from Y/allacetown to the junction with the Otautau line was now contracted for, and the completion of the formation of that section to Riverton, and of

the Otautau line, would be proceeded with, so as to be ready for plate laying as soon 'as the Wallacetown line was available for conveying the rails. There was no rolling stock for these lines, but what was requisite for their working had been ordered. THE VALUATION OF THE OANTEEBDBT AND OTAGO RAILWAYS in compliance with the Financial Arrangements Act, 1876, gave these results :—Canterbury, L731J59 ; Otago, L 372.522. .The total LENGTH OP RAILWAYS TET AUTHORISED. - was 3 227 miles, of which 412 were in the North ' and 815 miles in the South Island, and there were

OPEN FOR TRAFFIC

212£ miles in the former, and 647 i miles in the lattei, making a total of 860 miles.

AN ADDITIONAL LENGTH

of 274 miles weuld be completed during the financial year, about 132 being in the' NoTth, and 142 in the South Island, this would leave nearly 93 miles of authorised lines to be completed subsequent to the current financial year something more than 67 miles being in the North, and 25 miles in the South Island. ■ , THE AMOUNT APPROPRIATED by the Immigration and Public Works Appropriation Act of last year for railways was L 1,300,600, the expenditure against 1 which had been L 967.425 13s 2d, including the distribution to the several railways concerned of L 29,881 15s 6d, being the balance of the advancea made in previous years to the general railways account.

THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE

up to 30th [June, 1877, was L 6,122,920 lls sd, and the outstanding liabilities L 530,333 4s 4d. < This amount included the liabilities of all existing contracts, some of which extend into the year 1878, and for plant and materials ordered from home. It was intended to push on thej

EXPLORATION SURVEY

during the present year, and main trunk lines in both Islands, together with definite proposals for their completion. The House would be asked to give further aid in the direction of the special provisions made last session for ROADS in certain districts in the North Island, and for similar purposes in Westland and the Nelson south-west goldfields, on the grounds that these districts had urgent wants which could not be provided for by the local bodies, ,and that they had special claims to consideration from being so situated as not to derive the same immediate and direct advantages from the Public Works policy as other parts of the 1 Colony. Including re-votes of balances from '■ list year, the total asked for these road works would be L 79.172, thus described : — Roads'" north of Auckland, L 25.206, including ;L15,206 balance for last year, to "which amount'there were liabilities; roads in Native districts, L 12,00 0; roads in Westland, L 19.164, including L 9614 of balance ; roads in Nelson southwest goldfields, L 17.802, including L 7802 of balance ; Hokitika and Christchurch road, LSOOO. Information had not been obtained as yet to enable an accurate statement to be made - respecting the *• condition and' cost of Provincial roads and works in construction when the Abolition Act came into force. , Votes would be submitted as aoon as the necessary informa-, tion had been received. The Government recognise, said the hon. gentleman/that the " DISTRIBUTION OF THE EXPENDITURE . on these Provincial works has been unequal in the different parts of the Colony. We are also" aware that there are some works in sparsely?, settled out-districts, such as BRD3GES "' * I over difficult rivers, which are urgently re quired to connect important division^ of the country, and that in some cases these : wprks are beyond the present means of the County Councils. We do not wish it /to be inferred that we think the Colony can provide for "all the works of this kind that are desirable, but we propose, at the same time that we submit votes to cover the liabilities on the Provincial" works in progress, to ask provision for the more im» ' portant and pressing of the 1 works,' l have' just described, and in so doing we shall take into consideration the claims of those districts which have not shared equally in the Public Works expenditure already incurred. A Bill would be introduced to enable the Government^) make ■ j • ADVANCES FOR OPENING THE BLOCKS OF LAND

FOR SETTLEMENT. The Government recognised that a sum might be expended most advantageously in this way but only L 50,000 would be proposed to be so spent this year. The Bill would provide that any such expenditure should be recouped out of the proceeds of land sold in blocks thus opened up. As to

WATER RACES,

the expenditure had been almost wholly con- 1 fined to a few races on which large sum 3 had previously been spent. The Government ha& intended to hand the races over to the respective County Councils, but the Counties' communicated wita had not been willing to undertake the charge, and considering the very large cost of the works,- the Government had not felt justified in handing them over until assured that proper provision was secured for their care and maintenance. The PECUNIARY RESULTS of completed races on the West Coast had not. been very satisfactory. It was intended to ask for votes for L 86,367 to complete the more important races in progress. That amount would be thus divided : — Thames £6,505 Waimea ... 25,828 .Nelson Creek 24 384 Four Mile "" 15)000 Mikouni 15,650 , The amount named for the Mikonui was the j unexpended balance of last year's vote, but as. [ the eotisi&ted cost of that race was LBI,OOO, the Government would not propose to commence the work unless satisfied the whole scheme wa3 completed by a private company.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS, L 43.309 had been expended during the year and the estimate was, that L 215.000 would be needed for the current year. This was largely owing to the charge and maintenance of alipubne buildings in the Colony having to be provided for, many of which were formerly Provincial charges, &c. ; it was found that many of these buildings were in a bad state of repair, and afforded insufficient accommodation. For schools alone, it was estimated that LSO 000 was requisite. The provisions needed for lunatic asylums, lighthouses, gaols, police, and court houses was very considerable. Withrespect to *

COAL EXPLORATION, the results of the year had included the completion of the survey on the Buller field, which had been proved to contain over 100,000 000 tons of good coal, advantageously workable. Only one mine, that of the Wellington Company had yet been opened. At Greymouth the Brunner Company had in three years extended their workings from 22 acres to 38 acres, and their total out put' during that time had been 49,833 tons. The ,cdal pit of the Heath I Company had coal in the market, and the

Greymouth Company had reached coal in their new shaft, and expected to be at work shortly. In the Waikato Basin', it was believed to be probable that more coal existed than had yet been stated^ in the most sanguine ■ estimate; Two new mines were sending coal to market^ '*■ and one of them-; — the Bridgewater — had] a seam 55ft. thick, only 18ft._being.at present worked. Coming next to the question ,of •' RAILWAY MANAGEMENT, MrOrmond explained that when, the Government took over the Otagd and Canterbury railwayu; they found that the tariffs charged' on'" them differed frcm each other, and that the tariff on the General ' Government lines differed from both. Thence the necessity for theTßailway_ Commission, which,' after very careful:? consideration, had been put into force. -As to ' their effect, he said " the Government believed i that the ' >' ■ ' • . . ■•.:•■>•> v .TARIFF SHOULD BE AS NEARLY UNDJORK ' ;- ~1~ 1 as possible, but experience has already shown that there are cases in which uniformity might v j be abandoned, or the traffic of the railways''" suffer, and the Government' will not hesitate in t such cases to depart from the 1 general principle of uniform rate.' ' In the meantime^, 1 nave 'jiU. 1 structed the managers of "railways 'to' ' report on the working of the tariff, and gene" ' rally as to the operation of the new regulations'^ ', with the hope that,' aided by the ' information, they can afford, .and assisted by the repfeselata^ tions that are freely made 'by' the 1 settlers, such A alterations . can be effected aa' will", meet"tibe." public requirements. ' . The principal recomoeki- ' dations of .the ' ■-^••■M,tp AUCKLAND, RAILWAYS COMMISSION ' W '\ were that charges should be reduced and more i power given to.the local managers.- The Gov-: , * eminent concurred in the desirableness of 1 the n railway managers being allowed more discre-.S tion than hitherto, and effect was being given . to this 'yiew. The- recommendation ,08.- to ' charges involved the whole question of, the ( tariff. After very carefully considering, the* » subject, the 1 Government purposed, .taking >' power this session to . , ..„■•,' . ( ,, . { ' -LEASE THE'AUCKLAND-WADXATO BAILWiy/s-VC with the view of practically testing the aidvan- 1 .' 5 tages of that mode of management. On! the "' '"'' CANTERBURY RAILWAYS, The great increase of traffic caused inconveni- "" ence during the grain season. , THE TRAFFIC RETURNS ' - i •'i , for Marcli last showed a total of 51,000 tons -as ' against 37400 in the corresponding 'month' of 1876 • and •in April the return shows : 49"000 / tons as against 33,800. Such ari increase could '" have been foreseen. and provided for by the" Provincial authorities. To guard a»inst"like difficulties in "future, the. Government we¥e ~ ; procuring a large ' addition tb'the narrow gauge' } rolling stock, and the AmberleyVLytteltbn's'ec- * tion was being altere'dto the 1 N.Z.' standard gauge. When the Financial Statemeht r wW c made, some of the * ' ••..•■» DEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTS' , '.' : of the southern lines had not been finally -ad- 1 justed; therefore the amounts given- in, thaibtatemeut as the earnings and profits of the " railways were not quite accurate. They ward ' now found to ,■ be :^-Total receipts during" '12- . months on lines under Public Worta Depart.^ ment management, and .during six months on- r the Canterbury and .Otago .lines, , L3U igr t h 7s lid; expenditure, L 224.800 17s ( 9dXvS a balance of L 86,386 10s 2d. As to ,- i ' , ' THE FUTURE, „'<■. ••*. t "\'r the hon.- gentleman said : .The traffic returns^ for the present./year. willy without doubMbev largely in excess of last year's. Not .oniythave " i we to. expect an increase on the" linea how opeif but it must be rememberedj that, .during-thV?£ .present year,.it. is, proposed to f completeitheK works now in progress in Otago, which.will^v uJ CONNECT THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN- DI3-!- : >■ TBICTS'WITH DUNEDINj! ■"' ,M.i\t andrnake one continuous -line- rromAjtnberiey'"' to Kingston 4 of 527" miles; ■ exclusive r of 222imiles of branch lines" in the aame 4 districts; » Then, the-railways from Auckland to Waikato- • Wellington- to. Wairarapa; and- Wan-gahuTto * Foxton,, are also to be completed within -the* - period; each hne opening large important dia. tacts, aiid although all' these lines will not' be completed in ticie to get returns- from them ' within the present year, the additional mileage ■ that will be opened at an early "date-will-materially add to the traffic receipts. the principal classes of works, .. • , :rt I . THE EXPENDITURE I N EACH ISLAND' '<' } Up to June, 3olih has been as follows,:— NORTH'ISLAND^ '■" „,"''.'• Railways .... £2,199,465 \ /„"- !£*s*■■ ' 471,160...,: Water races 66*321- j Total £2,736,947;/ V SOUTH ISLAND. ■ ■ ' ''■• i- .- ', Railways .... £3,930,455 ,'.:' v £?a da 198,41 L . -i • Water races ' ... i ..., , 288 741 •* Total 1 £4,417,607 .Vw Aggregatefor both Islands r £7,154,554 - " ! THE EXPENDITURE PROPOSED FOB, THE CURRENT^ 1 1 L TEAR FOR RAILWAYS- '[ ' J • Was Ll,370,100; but that, amount included liabilities which, on the 30th June last, aggregated L 530,333.' ' , ' In the following statement of railways and ' proposed appropriations, the liabilities were included in each c&se : — Kawakawa , ... £g 'jj^-' Kaipara-Punui 142*830 ■ Waitara-Patea "" 50)oOO\f Rahea-Manawatu ... 14^955"" Napier-Manawatu .... ... , ... ' 75J633 1 Wellington-Masterton 162*677-Nelson-Foxhill, ... 11,088 - Picton-Blenheim 29,235/ Greymouth-Brunnerton ... „•. 35,006 "j Westport-Ngakawau ... 38,234? \ Amberley-Waitaki, and Northwards ' 182,754- •-; Waitaki-Bluff, and branches 365^468 ' Wiuton-Kipgston ... ; ~ 39 f 296 Western Railways 37,58f ■ ' Surveys 10,000.',* Land • ,42,208. L . The' Government, said the hon. gentleman ' J IN CONCLUSION, Would have preferred to propose a smaller ex- • i . penditure for the year ; but taking into co'ri-' • aideration that in the case of some of the most important railways the works are far advanced, , ' and represent, in their unfinished state, a large ' - unproductive expenditure, we consider it ne- ' cessary to provide for their completion' at'as J early a date as possible. We also think 'it requisite to push on the completion of the main ' line from Dunedin to Invercargill, and through -' to Kingston, and to advance the works on the' - different sections of the main trunk' lines' in ' both islands, arid to provide the rolling stock, and station accommodation which are necessary to secure the efficient working of the railways throughout the colony. With the exception that we undertake the completion of those ■

BRANCH RAILWAYS IN THE SOOTH ISLAND which were in ceuise of construction by the Provincial Governments, our, proposals are'eonfined to works on the main trunk lines. .We consider the colony is'not'in a' position al' pre- " sent -to , undertake the responsibility ol ! cotf. " Btructing branch^ lines,; but must "cbpfine itself '

to steadily proceeding with the main trunks. Wo folly- recognise, however, that many important districts in the colony may be immensely assisted in the development of their resources by the construction of branch or district railways. To provide for this, a

DISTBICT BAILWAT BILL hat been prepared, which we believe will enable any district that is in a position to support a railway to secure it. I purpose submitting this Bmtathe House very shortly. If Parliament sanctions the works I have proposed, a T«ry considerable increase will ba added during the year to the mileage of working railways, and, looking at the results of the past year, we may confidently expect a largely increased traffic, and such returns as will amply justify in providing for the further extension of our railway system. After a few remarks by Mr Joyce, Mr Barff , and Mr Macandrew, the House adjourned at &50.