PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1465, 13 December 1879, Page 9

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Wellington, December 9th. In the House of Representatives to-night The Hon; Richard Oliver said : My predecessor, Mr Macandrew, made a Public Works Statement to this Honse, in which he shortly summarised the work of the department for the last financial year, but avowedly confined himself to sucb facts as were in his opinion needed to accompany the application for the loan then authorised. I shall now, by the permission of the House, give a brief account of the progress of our public works up to a more recent date, aud then indicate the opinion of the Government of the' coarse which it is our duty to parsaa.

RAILWAYS— NORTH ISLAND.

Taking the railways in their geographical order, we begin with the Kawakawa, that being the most northern. The first section of this line has been commenced, and is being used in Gonveying coal from the mine to the wharf, where the coal is put into barges and conveyed to ships lying at the deep-water anchorage ei^ht miles below. The first contract on the, Whangarei-Kamo line is within a few weeks of completion, and the work of platelaying will be begun as noon as possible. The survey I of the proposed Helensville-Whangarei railway has now been begun, and during the summer the whole of that country will be thoroughly examined. Ih is expected that the wharf at Helena ville will be completed in about a month, I which will provide a very necessary accommodation between Riverside and Newmarket. Work is in progress along the whole 22 miles, and should be finished in about ten months. If in the same tinse the Newmarket Junction station could be finished, railway communication between Auckland and the Kaipara waters would be completed. A large reclamation contract is being carried out, to ob'ain increased station accommodation in Auckland, and a site for railway workshops h»s been bought at Newmarket. The branch lino to Hamilton has been opened for traffic, and in a very short time the southern portion of the Kaipara-Ptinui line will be finished to within two or three miles of the confiscated boundary. Some works sre being carried on at Grahainstown and Sbortland, and Natives ara employed at piecework on another section, about two milea long, farther up the Tnames valley. The works on the Napier-Manawatu railway are being pushed on south of Kopua, aud 64 milea are now open for traffic. Railway workshops are being built at Napier. Ninetyfour miles of the Patea-Manawatu railway are now open for traffic, fromiFoxton toKai-Iwi, vino mile?) north of Wanganui, and a further j section of the 13 miles is being constructed. ' In a few weeks the Stratford contract, on the Waitara Patea line, will be finished, and the journey from New Plymouth to Wanganui will then be an affair of one day only. Surveys are being carefully made north of Carlyle, and this lice is desirable for strategic and other | reasons. The line between Waitara and New Plymouth on the north, and Carlyle, the | port of Patea. Ob the south, may ba fished at no distant date. The works on the Wellington - Woodville railway, inthe Wairarapa district, are being {.u^hed on vigorously. The c>n tract having been abandoned, its completion is being carried out by the Pablic Works engineers. These works, and the formation at Grey town, are so well advanced that the line may be opened for traffic as far as the latter place early in February. The Railway Wharf at Wellington and the workshops at Petone are drawing near completion. Machinery for the latter has arrived, and will shortly be placed in position, giving facilities for repairs, aa well as for the economical manufacture of many articles at present bought at a high rate. Surveys of the Foxton line are being proceeded with, and some work has been done near Wellington by day labour, over a length of nearly five miles. 1 ' MIDDLE ISLAND.' The original Public Works scheme for the Middle Island was finished in the last financial year, communication by railway being estab- ' Halted between Christchnrch and Invercurgill. Tha Western railway in Southland, however, the construction of which was taken over from the Provincial Government^ and some small extensions of the General Government lines, are not yet complete, with the exception of ■ the Riverton, Orepuki branch. Those will be finished during the financial year. A connection is being made on the Nelson and Foxhill line with the port at xCelson, and inland an extension of three miles from Foxhill ia in progress. The Picton -Blenheim lino is being carried into the town of Blenheim. The harbour works at Greymouth, which may be regarded as an adjunct to the railway system, seem, as far as they have been completed, to answer the purpoaefor wluich they were intended. From the Engineer's report it would seem that the management of a dredge has materially facilitated the work, and reduced the cost of these improvements. The works in t>rogres3 during the year on the Amberley- Bluff railway consisted cbiefly of extension of stations aud workshops »t the large towns, and increased wharfage at ! Port Chalmers. A large expenditure, has been proposed in laying the main lines wiih heavier raile, but upon consideration it seems inadvisa- | ble to do this, as before the present rails could be lifted, most of them will be so much worn 1 that it would not be worth while to' put them on auother Una. Short extensions are made | or are in progress on the Malvera-Awamuko ! and Green Island branch lines. The Waipahij Tapanui railway contract was undertaken on I terms of payment d ; ffcring from the usual onf s, inasmuch as no progress payments were to be required aa the work went on, all payments being deferred until the line wes completed. It was thought the adoption of this method would enable us to definitely extend ! our system, ard so obtain such an increase of j price for Crown lands in the neighbourhood of new lines made under similar conditions as would pay the cost of construction. I grieve to cay that these expectations have not been fulfilled. The works were pushed on with great vigour for some time, but are now almost entirely suspended, and the contractors bave stated their inability to finish their contract without progress payments being made to them. RAILWAYS AUTHORISED. Last year contracts were let almost to the full extent of the votes on nearly all the lines authorised last year, and in several cases the I votes were largely exceeded. Sections were let by piecework and day labour at Weka Pass and Albury in Canterbury, on the Living. I stone branch and Otago Central railway in Otago, and at Kaiwarra, near Wellington. On all these thera are about 2200 men engaged, : at wages somewhat less than current rates. It is certain that the number will rapidly become smaller as the summer advances. ROADS. Certain main lines of road in the North Island are being maintained, such aft the Great Northroad,Auckhtnd,theTauranga-Tauporoad, the Taupo-Napier road, and some other short lengths of road in Native districts. The Gorer/jm«cf. expenditure on roads and bridges in the Middlelsland last year was comparatively small, having been almost confined to West land and the northern end of the Island. WATER -RACES. Detailed reports up to the 30th June of Government expenditure in aiding miniog enterprise have already been laid before you. From these reports, and accounts of Receipts to the end of the financial year, I find that the Oniony has spent in these undertakings L 387.169, exclusive of L 29.234 2a lid by way of subsidies. Of the former sum, L 70.626 5s 3d has been handed over to the Thames County Council as a grant, with an addition of LIO,OOO from the vote of the current year. It has also been arranged to hand over the debt of LII.OOO due to the Government from the Carrick Water - race Company to the County of Vincent. The total receipts f r»m all water-races amount to L 15.427 7s lOd, exclusive of L 2945 0s 2d, refund of subsidies and interest thereon — being equivalent to an average of about one per cent; per annum on the

outlay from the date it first became produc tive — a very unsatisfactory result. Still the collateral advantages are considerable. The Nelson Creek and Waimea races, worked by the Government, were the means, last year, of obtaining 25,800 ounces of gold, and employing about 700 men.

COAL EXPLORATION.

The most important work of this class which has been undertaken during the past year is the examination of the coal beds of the Mokau district by Dr Hector, who reports that the coal formation there is of considerable extent, the ou'cropß having a width, of over two miles, and stretching from Ivatvhia Harbour towards the upper part of the Wanganui River. Coal seams crop out on the banks of the Mokau Kiver varying from two feet to six feet in thickness, and the quality is excellent for steam purposes ; 1J ton of Mokau coal having been provtd by Dr Hector's trials to do as much as two tons of the best Waikato coal. In connection with a district ia which coal and limestone abound, an extensive deposit of brown hematite has been discovered by the principal surveyors at Mount Peel, in the Province of Nelson. It is 50 fe f; wide, and has baea traced for a dirtanci of over three miles. The coal measures of the Tokomairiro district have also been examined as regards their relation to auriferous cements between the Woolshtd Creek and Tuapeka, but no new mines have been opaned in this field. A new mine has been up^ned at Jfernhill, Green Island. The Kawakawa coal-mine, at; the Bay of Islands, ia undergoing'developmeot, and the coal is rapidly acquiring an established position in the market as a valuable steam coaL A shaft recently sunk has disclosed the existence of two seams, four and nine feet thick, of superior quality, and at a greater depth than any previously worked. In the Waikato coalfield the company whic^i were working the Kupakupamine have opaned another miue on the opposite side of the Waikato Biver, and the indications show aa improvement of the quality of tha coal with increasing depth. The heavy works undertaken by the Wejtport Colliery Company for developing the rich coalfield of the Mount Rochforfc district.) are making rapid progress, and in a few moptis it is expected that the market will reo-ivtf supplies from this Bource: The further development of the principal coal-mines of the Colony by increasing facilities for ship, merit, deserves most careful consideration aa a noear s of fosteriog an industry that will profitably employ a large sum of money which is at the present time sent out of the Colony for the purchase of foreign coal. ' *

WORKING BAIIiWAXS. During the first few'days of July heavy floods occurred hi Canterbury and Otago, doing serious damage to the line, partially Buspen'dmg i traffic, :»nd causing heavy outlay, in > repairs and' renewals. The permanent way is reported to be in good working order, except on some of the branch lines, which, owing to ■the lightness of the rails and'sleepera used in their construction, are becoming seriously 1 impaired. A very large number, of Bleepera have required renewal during the last four months, aud it ia worthy of npte that they were chiefly American timbt-r. These sleepers were only imported as an experiment, and aba time when*' the pressure waa great and the. local! supply 1 wholly inadequate. Tiie traffic returns for July, August, and September show a considerable falltog off compared with- the corresponding period last year.' No doubt this is owing to the financial depression, but much may be expected from the grain" traf-' fie of the . approaching seasoa, which bids fair to be a_ prosperous one. ,A good, harvest and the revival of trade, symptoms of 'which are apparent, would speedily produce happier sesuks. lam glad to cay that we are extending the u-e of. New Zealand coal on our rail, ways; and after the expiry, of the existing, contracts for the supply of Australian coal our arrangements will enablu ua to dispense to a large extent, if not altogether, with imported fuel, attii.aave several 'thousand p:mndd a year, la llie Public Works Statement • which was Utely made by my predecessor,* full particulars were given of the length of the railways gopen^. for traffic, the cost of their coustruc'.ion, the gross 'receipts the working excuses, and the ci.ss of maintenance. Comideric-g the headlong and rapid raba at which our railways have been constructed, the uncultivated lands through which abrge protioaof nearly all of them pass, and the smalmess of our population, it' ia no doubt a matter for congratulation that the contribution t wards interest on the eo3fc of construction is so large. It msy, howover, be as well to ascpriain how ths account really stands. I fiud that fche cost of railways open for traffic «t the ecd of the last finatici;»l y»ar is L 3 090,407 Os 4d, including LG33,22S Os 4<i f-«r int.t-rfe->r to date of opening. Trie yross traffic returns amount t0L1,729.955 3s 7d, from which mint ba dtduct-d L 1,250,797 5s 7U for woiking vxpeusea ami maintenance, leaving L 479,057 18s for payment of interest on loan oat; of wLich these railwaj^ were made. Table' No. 11, wblsh will be appended r to this Statement when r.rinte(?, shows tb-it for the past year the receipts have Keen L 758 096 8s 2d, and working r-xppnpfs L 545.478 15«, leaving a surplus of L 212,617 13s 2d. This amount represents) 2 154 per cent, on the average cost" of construction, leaving 2"946 per cent. 't^ be supplied from other sources. Sir, I believa that New Zealand is a country of such great resources that in the course of years even thode railways which aie now the furthest from paying will become remunerative. In the meantime, however, the ithabitants of districts which have no railways are taxed to pay for them, 'as well as those who inhabit more favoured places. How burdensome this charge has become was lately shown by my hon. colleague tho hon. Treasurer, and the duty is placed on us of considering how to make Our railways pay a laiger contribution towards their cost by skilful and economical management, and by submitting alt future proposals for nesv railways to the same rigid scrutiny as private investors would make, and firmly rejecting them unle. : s a strong probability can ba sbowu that they will prove remunerative. It must not, however, be forgotten that the demands of thy public have forced on, thp Go- j ver/imerit the adoption of a more expensive mode of constructing' railways, and greater i speed in transit, than was at first intended, thus necessarily interfering with the paying character of these undertakings. No doubt great collateral advantages are gaiued by tho construction' of railways, but after all, the practical test of their useful-, ness really is their being or not being used. If, therefore, it is found that on < any railway .traffic is so small that preat loss results from its working, it may, I think, be assumed that either it is badly managed, or tbat, being useful only to a few, it ought not to bave beeu constructed. To quote from the > Statement umde by my predecessor in 1878, "the difficulty commenced from the moment when the Legislature repealed that cardinal condition of the Public Works policy that in the event of the proceeds of any railway failing to meet interest and sinking fund on the cost of its construction, property in the district should be rated to make up its deficiency." The proposal of the Government, ks honourable members know, is to devote the proceeds of

saleiu of land to local and Colonial public works; but if this fund is to bo supplemented to any great extent by additional borrowing to complete the several schemes of railway, there is no doubt in my mind that either those that are already corstructed must be made to approach more nearly to a paying condition, or else a system of rating districts beneficially affected must eventually be resorted to. Sir, we don't think that the proposals for the various lines of railway which are now in course of construction have been subjected before their adoption to so close a scrutiny as their importance demanded. It has, moreover, become apparent that the funds which will be at our disposal for the prosecution of these" works will prove inadequate to complete them. We think that the time has come when our whole future policy with regard to public works must bs considered, and it is therefore our intention to ask Parliament for authority to appoint a Royal Commission to make a more full and complete investigation into the cost and economical value of the several werka commenced and proposed than it would b«i [ possible for the Government unaided to Complete before next session of Parliament. Thei Government bope, by meatm of the report of these Commissioners, to he placed in a position, to make proposals to Parliament for the preseI cution of public worka upon a plan carefully adapted to the circumstances of the Colony. i Our efforts must now, therefore, be earnestly directed to the economical management of railways, and amongst other means, I think thekeeping the accounts of the various sectionsseparate and distinct, so that it may be seen, what each is earning and spending, will have the good effect of arousing emulation among the officers, as well as of showing on which of i th« linna » different system of working should be adopted. PROPOSALS FOR THE FUTURE. Sir, my predecessor has hud the gratification of proposing and iaitiatiug many new works of great magnitude. Tome hasfall«Dthe unwelcome task of showing that our resources are inadequate to bear the continued; strain of ao rapidly constructing theje expensive works. Believing that to be the case,, we . do not intend to ask for authority to begun many new worka. The funds, at our disposal for the next few years will be only sufficient to meet the necessary requirements for mia* celladebus public works already, authorised , at a fate proportionate to our resources, and to* the point at which they will ba of real use to the community. Our position is briefly this. - In respect of the L5,QQQ,600. loan aud thebalance of L 517.120, iucluding credits, with which we began r the year, the positive.engagements on contracts entered into, and liabilities* . Iwh?cb|must be met, together with the expenditure . ( already marift during the current year, will ab- „ sorb L 3.800.865, including' H,210,802 for land , purchases, and L 154.700 payable to., 7 counties in , the Provincial Districts of Canterbury, and Otago, in respect of stoppages from the surplus, land revenue of the districts. If finished, in .' the stipulated time the«e works will r.'quira L 2.559.082 of this amount to be paid before . ,. the 20th Jane next, and -the remainder of the» , liabilities, excepting a portion of t those for land purchases, within the. following year. iT% balance, tUer afore, which is available 6 tit of tjaa- '■ ,new loan is L 1.872,046, and 'the only method, of adding to this for public worts, in addition, toj receipts from land sales,, is by diverting to ; tKfa -'purpose a sum from one of the other ob-, jects for' which the loan was authorised. I have < sfcatejgenerallyourintentisns, andthepiinciplei- - which we believe m.si; guide our , Whatever may be the opinion of the House as to « the expediency of the course which we propose, that course must to a large ' extent be> w guided by circumstances which we cannot control. It is mv duty to inform the House that ■ -. the understanding , on which the loan agents ■.- are likely to obtain the L 5,000,000 loan is such as will preclude our going upon the English money market for further loans for a period of.' three yeare. It, is imperative, therefore, in the' interest, of settlement that the expenditure of this loan uliould be spread over that" period. Our proposals for expenditure will be placed in detail before you. Irtgret to state that although an earnest endeavour has ' been made to keep the Estimates within o, reasonable compae s, they reach a very much larger sum than honourable members w^lexp«!s. It will be seen, however, that no leas a sum tban L 2,356,729 7a in our Estimates is for liabiiitits which ire found in existence upon our assumption of office, and a large portion of the remainder is' for works which are necessary to make available tho3e sectionsalready in course of construction. However ' mcch we have desired to contract the large expenditure to which' the Colony ia committed, we have felt bound to ask for appropriations, which we are advised will be required for the above .purpose. But should Parliament agreeto our proposals, it will be our anxious enaea-, your to limit; the actual r-xpendifcure daring the> .cut rent year considerably witbiu the amount of the vote. I will proceed, sir, to briefly indicate the principal works intended to be car* ried out during the current year. RAILWAYS. Kawakawa, — Another section is nearly ready for tendering, and it is proposed to go on immediately with the work, its prosecution beingr an obligation imposed on the Government under an agreement between the Saperinintendent of Auckland and the proprietors of the Kawakawa coal-mine, ratified by an Act of the General Assembly, the proprietors, under agreement, being bound to pay six per cent, on the cost. Irrespective of this agree- ' menfc, however, this work would be a very desirable one, developing as it will one of the* moHt important coalfields in the Colony. Whangarei to Kamo. — Plans have baen prepared for the second section, extending into deep water, and tenders will soon be called for Kaipara to Punui. The whole of this work is now under contract with the exception of the station as Newmarket junction. Tenders have been received for this work, and their acceptance is only awaiting the passing of the Estimates. Tenders have likewise been received for levelling and draining the site at Newmarket, at which it i 3 proposed to erect the district workshops as noon as authority) has been obtained from Parliament. , , Waikato to the Thames. — It U intended toconstruct a bridge over the Waikato, and a. section from Hamilton East. • Orders for the* bridge imterial will be sent to London by an* - . early mail. r N apicsr co Woodville. — Tenders have baen re- - ceived for the platelaying on the section south of the present terminus at Kopua, acceptanceof which is awaiting the parsing of the Bsti- ; • mates. A further section will be put in hand with a view to contract. , WeUii gton to Woodville.— ls will probably • not J c po^ible t:> do more, this year than com- - plete the line to Masterton,. but arrangements "will be made for laying the permanent way on the Greytown branoh. and tenders ■ will be called for the erection of the necessary stations so aa to open the line and branch as nearly together as the state of the work will allow The surveys of the extension of the line beyond Masterton will be proceeded with. Bunnythorpe to Woodville.— -A proposal has been < received from the Emigrant and 1 • Colonists' Aid Corporation to construct ' a portion of the main, line connecting

the East and West Coast railways, with a view ; to opan up the valuable timbered landß through which is passes. The portion suggested is from Bunnythorpe to the Manawatu Gorge, and yoa will be asked to give the necessary power to enable the Government and the Corporation to •enter into arrangements somewhat on the •terms indicated in the proposal now laid on the table, Wellington .to Foxfcon. — The necessary exteasion of the wharf and station at Foxton will 'be undertaken, and the work on the Crof ton •section, near Wellington, will be proceeded "with by day labour. The surveys now going on 'from Foxton will be continued to completion. A line from Palmerston, to join the Wellington and Foxton line, is also being surveyed. Foxton to Oarlyle. — The section from KaiIwi to Waitotara is under contract, and the •acceptance of a tender for the next s action, to Waverley, is awaiting the passing of the Estimates. The gap of about nine miles thence to Oarlyle will be surveyed, and plans made ready for tendering as soon as possible. The formation of the branch line from Greafcford to Bulls, and the extension of the Taroni siding through about a mile and a-half of timbered land, is under consideration. Carlyle to Waitara. — It is proposed to complete without delay tha remaining sections be* tw.een the port of Carlyle and Hawera, and from thence to Stratford. A portion of this line is being executed by piecework, it having become expedient to do so owing to the temporary unsettlement of the ordinary avocations of some of the residents. Waikato to Taranaki. — While it is not at present 'practicable to survey or do any work on this line. You will be asked to grant a small vote to enabla the Government to take advantage of any opportunity that may arise in that direction. Nelson to Greymouth. — It is intended to call for tenders for a section at each end of this liHe, and to cwry on the Greymouth Harbour works' more vigorously than circumstances have rendered it possible during the past year. Greymouth to Hokitika.— The continuation of thin line will be kept steadily in view. Westport to Ngakawau. — The Buller protective works will "be completed so as to ensure the whole district, as well at the railway, against *the encroachments of the river. - There is every reason to hope that very shortly the coalmines in this district will be In fall working order, .ana the expenditure incurred on this line turned to profitable account. Picton to ' Hurunui.— ln addition to completing , 'the line to Blenheim, a sectionito the south, towards Awatere will be surveyed and advertised for contract.. , , Hurunuito Waitaki — The main line through the We-ka'Pass to Hurunui Plains will be completed, and the.statione at the large centres improved. The .branch lines to the Upper Ashbur tori, Little River, and Opawa will also 3>9 Proceeded with. ° . Canterbury Interior. — Three sections will be , good' on with — tie., one at 'each end, and one southwards, from the White Cliffs branch. Waitaki to Bluff. — Further station accom moSation will be provided at the principal centres, and increased wharfage at Port Chalmers. The branch lines from Oamaru to Livingstone, Palmeraton to Waihemo, Clutha to Catlin's .River, and Edendale to Toi-Tois "will all be proceeded with. Waipahi'to Heriotburn. — In order to facilitate -the opening of the line 'to Tapanui, and thereby place the district in easy communication with a market, it is proposed to assist the •contractor in the completion of his contract. will be asked to empower the ■Government to make arrangements with the contractor to ensure the completion, of thia •w »rk. Ocago Central. — Tenders will be advertised for a further contract in continuation of the Wingatui and Hindon sections, Thig will finish the heaviest works in the Taieri Gorge, and bring the line into the open country of the Sutton district. Western Kailways. — The works on the linea from Otautau to Nightcaps, Lumaden to Mararoa, and Riverton to OrepuM will be steadily carried on. East and West Coasts.— This line will not be lost sight of, and while no Bpecial portion can for the present be begun, the surveys will be continued during the summer. Hitherto only preliminary surveys have been made, and even these have not been completad on the routes which seem to present the greatest advantages. In the absence of the fullest in. formation it would evidently be impossible to give a trustworthy estimate of the cost of this I have abstained from burdening the above proposals with details of the, mileage and cost of the various works to be undertaken, but very full information will be found in the table No. 1 attached to the printed statement. Thia table is intended to form one of the schedules to the Immigration and Public Works Appropriation Bill, incompliance with the provisions in section 9 of the proposed Public Works Act, 1879 ; and thi3 bill, if adopted, will practically provide the guarantees sought to be obtained by Parliament in the Railway Construction Act of last year. DISTBICT RAILWAYS. Honourable members will regret to learn .that nearly all the railway companies formed ■under the provisions of the District Railways Act have been compelled to suspend their operations, owing to the general financial depression and the defects which have been found in working tho3e Acts. Applications have been received from most of tnese companies for assistance, on the ground that unless the Government assume their responsibility, the expenditure already made will be lost, and come of these branches would form useful portions of our railway system ; and with regard to these the Government propose to take power to treat with snch companies as have begun works and are unable to complete their lines, and in the event of satisfactory arrangements being made, to purchase them for the Colony. As residents in the districts interested have shown their faith m the remunerative character of these lines by laying themselves under an obligation to submit to the rating of their properties if the railways do not clear working expenses and interest on the cost of construction, it may, I think, be assumed that there is every prospect of the lines proving commercially successful. As the rating' power is inteaded to be retained by Government, the risk will be reduced to a minimum, the Government being already liable to pay interest at two per cent, par WATEBBACEB. The vote proposed to be taken for waterraces is L 39.88& This sum will be expended, as indicated in the Estimates, on works which, while they promise to be beneficial, cannot be ■expected to be directly remunerative; BOADB. I now come to our proposals with regard to toads. We lay great stress upon these, both as promoting a solution of the Native' difficulty in the North Island, and as fostering the permanent settlement of the country in conneotion with the administration of a liberal land law. Unless we steadily pursue a policy of progress by opening tip the country with roads leading to our main lines of railway, as well as in parts of the country where we are not likely to ba able to establish railway conununica-

tion, we can have little hope of a revival ,of the prosperity of past years This will only bo obtained by enlarging the area of our cultivation, and affording every facility for the occupation of our lands by a far larger population than ia now settled upon ttiem. To the revival of immigration and the _ en. couragemenl of an influx of small capitalists, coupled with the active administration of our land law?, we must look, under existing circumstauces, for a re-establishment of confidence, and a healthy pursuit of our industries, more, perhaps, than to tha extension of works of a costly character, for which tha funds may not be immediately available. Tne Estimates will show in detail our proposed appropriations under this head. In conclusion, Sir, I have only to add that I should have made this Statement much earlier in the session if there had been any certainty a3 to the funds which would be at our disposal. Even now I should have liked to defer making it for a few days until the result of our application for the five million loan had become known to us, but the advanced period of the Hession and of the year forbad© any further delay. Sir, I have to thank you and the House for the patient attention which you have given me.