THE PUBLIC WORKS ESTIMATES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 10

THE PUBLIC WORKS ESTIMATES.

VOTES FOR OTAGO. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON. October 1. The fo'lowmg Otago items are on the Public Works Estimates : PUBLIC BUILDINGS. Public Works store and yards (Dunedin), £2000; magazine at Dunedin, £2500; Balclutha courthouse, £1300; heating Dunedin courthouse, £4OO ; additions and alterations to Lawrence courthouse, £IOO ; Wyndham courthouse, £100; Invercargill gaol (on account) and warder’s cottage, £3BOO. Police stations : Clyde, £650; additions at Dunedin, £1000; Police Superintendent’s residence (Dunedin), £1700; Cavcrsham station, £1000; Mornington, £1500; North-East Valley, £1500; Roslyn, £1500; St. Clair, £1500; St. Kilda, £1500; Woodhaugh, £1500; Invercargill (Gladstone), £850; Invercargill North, £700; Kaitangata, £270; Middlemarch, £1000; Oaraaru, £2000; Port Chalmers, £2000; Portobello, £750; police residence at Queenstown, £500; Ross lock-up, £120; Waitati police station, £750. POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH. Building (Alexandra), £1600; Bluff (additions), £700; Cromwell, £175; Anderson Bay, £1200; Dunedin Chief Post Office, new building (including automatic telephone exchange accommodation), £40,000; Roslyn telephone exchange, £1700; St. Clair, £800; South Dunedin, £200; South Dunedin telephone exchange, £1700; Dunedin telephone exchange (addition). £1000; Edondale, £700; Glcnorchy, £450 ; Invercargill (raising tower), £400; Mataura, £1000; Nightcaps, £1000; Oamaru automate exchange, £7oo_; Ross, £700; Clyde shock inspector’s residence, £900; Dunedin, fumigator building, £150; Middlomarch residence, £300; Ranfurly stock inspector’s residence, £700; Tapanui stock inspector’s residence, £IOOO. MENTAL PIG-SPITALS. Scacliff, £15,000; Waitati, £SOOO. HARBOUR WORKS, Etc. Waikouaiti River, £100; /Taieri Mouth, £130; improving channel between Lake Waihola and Taieri River, £300; boat landing, Pahia, £IOO. TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS. Gravc-Talbot track hut, £SO; improvement Queenstown reserves, £100; Te Ariau, £100; Te Anau-Wakatipu huts, etc., £250; Wanaka, improvements to domain, £IOO. ROADS, BRIDGES, Etc. Dunedin Road District; Devil Bridge road, £100; Duntroon to Livingstone, £200; Eastern road, £100; Home Creek road, £100; Homestead road, £100; Jardine road, £SO; Kakanui River bridge, £400; Kurow to Omarama, £200; Marcwhcnua Stream bridge, £200; Nioholls road, £150; Omarama to Lindis Pass, £700; Otekaike River bridge, £150; Papakaio, £100; Parson’s Creek road, £soo’; Peebles to Waitaki bridge, £200; Reef Gully road, £SO; Waianakarua River bridge, £400; Alexandra road, £100; All Day Bay to Waianakarua, £100; Bushey Hill, £150; Dunback to Macraes, £300; Dunback to Pigroot, £150; Dunedin to Oamaru, via Kartigi Beach, £150; Evansdalo to Waikouaiti bridge. £l5O ; Goodwood Settlement, £175; Hughes’s road, £75; Macraes to Hyde, £150; Mount Watkins, £2OO ; Port Moeraki road, £SO; Quarry road, £SO; Stoneburn, £100; Waikouaiti (Main road). £250; Waikouaiti River footbridge, £100; Alexandra bridge repairs, £475; Alexandra to Earnsclough, £SO ; Alexandra to Galloway, £200; Alexandra to Tuapeka County boundary, £100; Beaumont to Horseshoe Bond, £200; Cambrian Settlement, £SO; Centre road (Strath Taieri), £200; Chalmers Hill road, £SO; Edievale to Dunrobin, £SO; Edievale to Horiot, £100: Edievale to Moa Flat School, £600; E'ttrick to Roxburgh (Main road), £200; Flat Stream crossing (deviation and bridge, £1000; Glenkenich survey district sections 4-18, block V, £100; Harris road, £100; Hawke’s road, £SO; Hay road, £100; Henley to Berwick, £100; Highfiald to Ranfurly £100; Ida Valley Station to Maniototo County boundary, £100; Kelso to Maitland, £100; Lauder Railway Station to Lauder runs, £75; Lauder survey district, block 111, 49, 50, and 52, £75; Lee Flat, £75; Linnburn to Gimmerburn bridge, £100; Linnburn Ford road to Paerau, £150; Loganburn Ford road, £SO; Maniototo County boundary to Poolburn School, £300; Matakanui to Disputed Spur, £SO; Matarae to Sutton, £200; Manngatua Hill, £100; MTntyre road, £100; Middle road, £SO; Naseby to Palmerston Main road, £100; Omakau to Matakanui Settlement, £75; Omakau to Matakanui township, £100; Ophir to Moa Creek, £150; Palmerston to Clyde Main road, £200; Pigroot to Kyeburn, £75; Pukerangi to Matarae, £800; Robertson road (Kelso), £100; Roxburgh to Lake Onslow, £100; Rock and Pillar (Switchback), £200; Seddon road, £SO; Shag River bridge, £200; Swinburn bridge, £200; Strath Taieri to Maniototo Plain, £100; Taieri River bridge (Linnburn Ford), £100; Albortown to Mangawera, £100; Arrow Zigzag to Crown Range Saddle, £100; Arthur’s Point bridge, £200; Black bridge (Garston), £500; Cardrona to Pembroke, £300; Clutha River bridge, £200; Clutha River bridge (Queensberry), £100; Clyde bridge approach. £150; Clyde bridge (repairs), £250; Clyde to Pembroke, £325; Cromwell Borough toads, £200; Cromwell to Lindis River (lower crossing), £150; Crown Range Saddle to Cardrona, £400; Frankton to Queenstown, £l5O ; Glcnorchy to Paradise, £150; Glenorchy to Routobiirn, via Mount Alfred, £100: Hamilton Hill, £100; Hawea bridge (repairs), £100; Hawea Doer Forest tracks, £100; Hawea River bridge, £100; Hawea. and Wanaka Lake tracks, £100; Hawea to Gladstone, £SO; Kawarau bridge (repairs), £250; Kawarau Falls bridge, £100; Kinloch to Big Bay, and Elfin Bay to Lake Howden, £150; Lake Hayes to Arrow’ bridge, £SO; Lindis River bridge, £150; Lindis River to Tarras, £300; Luggate to Hawea, £200; Makarora Valley roads, £150; Mill Crook to head of Hawea Lake, £100; Nokomai Saddle to Garston. £100; Parawa to Nokomai, £100; Paradise to Routeburn, via Sylvan Lake, £SO; Pembroke to Mount Aspiring, £SO; Queen road (Fairlight), £75; Queenstown to Arrowtown, via Arthur’s Point, £350; Queenstown to Cromwell, via Speargrass Flat, £75,; Queenstown to Glonorchy, £SO; Queenstown to Roaring Meg, £550; Shotovor bridge nnd approaches, £375; Skippers Main road, £100; Speargrass Flat to Arrow Main road, £SO ; Speargrass Flat to Lower Shotover bridge, £150; Tarras to Lindis, £150; Boat Harbour Creek bridge (Brighton), £300; Gordon road bridge

(Mosgiel), £250; Green Island to Taieri Mouth, £200; Hooper’s Inlet Hill, £200; Lower Kaik Beach road, £100; Main South road, £100; Murdering Beach road, £SO; Otakou School road, £ioo ; Bipikarotu, £152; Silver-stream bridge (iliccarton road), £250; Taieri bridge to Pukekura, £300; Taieri Laird Drain ige, £200; Waitati to Wakari, £275; West Harbour road, £300; Wharc Flat road, £SO; Wicklilfc Bay to Cape Saunders, £SO; Dunedin University wall, £300; St. Mary’s esplanade extension Ocean Beach), £1500; Balclutha to Greenfield, £350 ; Balclutha traffic bridge, £I7OO ; Beaumont Creek bridge, £500; Benhar to Stirling, £SO; Benny road, £100; Blaekio road, £125; Burkes Ford to Tu ape lea Mouth, £250; Cairn road, £SO; Clark Flat road, £200; Clutha County boundary to Blackclougll bridge, £SO, Clutha Kiver protective works (Stirling), £SO; Coast road, £100; Coast road to Akatore Creek, £100; Craigie road, £100; Creamery to liillend, £75; Crescent-Riverside road, £SO; Crookhurn bridge to Tuapeka Mouth, £SO; Crooked bridge to Coombe Hay, £SO; Graham road, £100; Hadfiold road, £SO; Hull Township road, £SO; Kaitangata to Centre road (Inchclutha), £75”; Kahangata protect vc works, £100; Lakeside to Berwick, £100; Lakeside to Stirling, £100; Leo Stream bridge. £100; Leslie Hill, £100; Lovell’s Flat to liillend, £75; Lovell’s Flat to Kaitangata, £SO; Milburn to Lower Crookburn to Clairs, £75 ; Lucas road, £100; Manuka to Mount Stuart, £3O: Milburn to Circle Hill, -o -o; Mi!bur a to Fort Hill, £SO Mill Hill road, £100; Milton to Akatore coast (Grange Hill), £100; Morgan bridge, £150; Mount Stuart road, £SO; Mulrine’s road, £150; Murray road, £75; Pillen road, £SO; Prentice road, £75; Pukcawa to Shands, £150; Reserve road, £200; Riverbank road, £75; River road to Blackburn, £200; Rongahere to Tuapeka Mouth, £SO; Saddleback road, £SO; Sally Gully road, £100; Shagroe Creek bridge. £300; Smaill road, £SO; Stirling to Main road, £200; Stirling to Telegraph road, £150; Taieri Mouth to Akatore Creek (Morgan road), £100; Toko bridge, £600; Tokomairiro River bridge (Mount Stuart), £300; Tuapeka bridge to punt, £SO; Tuapeka Mouth to- Clydcvalo road, £200; Tuapeka West, £1C0; Tuapeka West to Tuapeka Mouth, £100; Upper Bridge road, £SO; Waihola to Ouseburn Valley, £100; Waipori to Lawrence, £100; Waitahuna bridge to Greenfield punt, £75; Waitahuna to Greenfield, via river, £100; Waitahuna railway station to Lockart’s, £200; Wangaloa to Coombe Hay, £300; Waronui to Coombe Hay, £100; Whavotoa to Upper bridge, £100; Young road (Clarendon), £SO; Ahuriri Flat road, £75; Balclutha protective works, £600; Balclutha to Port Molyncux (on account of £1500), £750 ; Barry road, £SO; Bryant road, £SO; Cameron road, £SO; Campbell’s to Purakauiti Dairy Factory, £200; Catherwood road, £200; Gatlins survey district (access to section 16, block II) £IOO, block VI, access to sections 7 and 17 (tramway), Carlins Valley extension, £800; Catlins Valley to Table Hill, £300; Chcebwood road, £100; Clinton to Clydcvalo, £100; Clinton to Wairuna, £SO; Clinton to Wyndham, £300; Conical Hills road, £100; Dalvcy Settlement to Tapanui Main road, £100; Dan’s Peak road, £SO; Dutton bridge to Tahora railway station, £75; Friend road, £200; Glcnomaru, block X, sections 31 and 23, £SO; Glcnomaru survey district, access to sections 55, 67, 68, and 69, block VIII, £100; Hanning road, £150; Hay road, £SO; Hewson road, sections 4*o, 62, and 64, block XIV, Catlins survey district, £100; Horan road, £200; Hunt road, £200; Joe Saddle road, £SO; Kahuika to Houipapa railway station, £4OO, Kahuika School road, £200; Kalor Saddle road, £100; Koi to Gore main road, £100; Lakeside, £200; Logan road, £100; Long Point road, £100; Loughton road, £200; Maclennan River foot-bridge, £SO; Maclennan railway station to school, £200; Martin road, £SO; Main South road, £150; M'Kcnzie road, £225; M‘Lennan River bridge, £250; Millar road, £SO; Morris Saddle, £200; Mouat Saddle, £SO; Newcastle, £150; Nugget Burn, £1C0; Owaka to Catlins bridge (township to railway crossing), £100; Owaka Main road to Cannibal Bay, £SO; Owaka to Purekircki, £1250; Papatowai to Long Beach Creek, £700; Pomahaka River bridge, Bark’s Ford (on account of £900), £100; Pomahaka River bridge (Pomahaka Siding), £100; Pomahaka River bridge (Twccdie’s Ford), £200; Port Molynenx road, £75; Pullar, £SO; Puaho, £550; Puerua Valley, £250; Randall road, £SO; Rankleburn, 1)50; Ratanui to Papatowai, £200; Regan road, £250; Rimu survey district, block XIV (access), £1800; Riverside, £SO; Robertson road (Waiwera), £SO; Sandford road, £100; School road, £100; Stuart road (Tautuku), £SO; Stuart road, £100; Tahakopa to Papatowai, £100; Tahakopa River bridge, £500; Tapanui,to Dalvey Bush, £100; Taumata, £SO; Tautuku River bridge, £500; Tautuku to Waikawa, £200; Waikoata, £100; Waikoikoi Cemetery, £100; Waipahi Station, £SO; Waipahi to Pukerau, £300; Waipahi to Tapanui, £300; Waropa survey district, £SO; Warnock road, £150; Woodland survey district, £SO; Woodrow road. £SO; Wright road, £100; Young road, £SO; survey, acquisition, and legalisation of roads, drains, gravel pits, tramways, horse paddocks, etc., £100; supervision, £350; miscellaneous works and services, £2OO; —total for Dunedin Road District, £55,975. BACK-BLOCKS ROADS.

Dunedin District. —Dasher Run, £100; Gardner road, £100; Mount Stalker, £200; Taieri Peak, £250; Blackstone Hill, £250; Glade House, to Lake Wakatipu, £2075; Fairlight to head of Mataura River, £150; Glendhu Peninsula to Mount Aspiring, £loo;,Plaast Pass, £100; head of Lake Wakatipu to Milford Sound, via Clcddau Saddle, £4OO ; Martin Bay to Kinloch, £100; Routeburn Valley roads and tracks, £400; Leo Flat, £400; Lee Flat, £100; supervision, £SO; miscellaneous services, £IOO. ROADS ON GOLDFIELDS.

Cromwell to Lake County boundary, £100; Cromwell to Wanaka, £200; East Waikaka River road, £100; Garston to Nevis, £100; Glonorchy to mines, £100; Macetown to Reefs, £74; Mount MTntosh track, £250; Nevis Valley roads, £200; Queenstown to Gentle Annie, £SO; Shotovor Valley road, £200; Skippers Main road, Skippers to Stony Creek, £lO-0; Waikaka Main road to coal reserve (£1 for £1), £100; Waikaka to Edge’s coal pit, £100; Waikaka Valley Main road, £300; Winding Crock road, Tokomairiro bridge (Dunn’s), £300; Hogburn Channel protection, £150; Lauder to coalfield, £200: Roxburgh to Coal Crock, £100; Upper Taieri Goldfields road, £100; Arrowtown Borough roads, £500: Arrowtown to Macetown, £150; Bannockburn coal pit road, £150; Blue Slip, Skippers, £200; Cardrona coalpit road, £100; Garrick to Star Mine road, £SO; Cromwell to Nevis, £150; Cromwell to Clyde, £IOO.

ROADS TO OPEN UP LANDS TOR SETTLEMENT. Galloway Runs, block ICO, Maniototo, No. 2 block. £300; Benmore Runs block, £500; R 1 mu block, £250; blocks not specially provided for, £IOO. The following is a summary of the services chargeable to the Public Works Fund:

Total ... £2,803,550 £3,402,194 £2,557,205 The following is a similar statement with reference to other accounts:

Among the largest estimated arc the following;—£10,000 for the development of mining, £IIO,OOO for automatic telephone installations, £54,000 for the. Lake Coleridge electrical scheme, £BO,OOO for the new Parliamentary Buildings and alterations to grounds, £15,000 for the Christchurch Chief Post Office, £40,000 for the Dunedin Chief Post Office, £32,000 as passage money for reduced fares of nominated immigrants. DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. WELLINGTON. October 1. After the Railway Statement had been laid on the table of the House of Representatives to-night the Hon. Mr Fraser moved that the House go into Committee of Supply to consider the Public Works Estimates. ,• Mr Forbes discussed a number of local roads and railways. He advocated the nationalising of the main roads as a relief to local bodies. Mr Hornsby complained of the delay in proceeding with the construction of the Martinborough railway, the first sod of which had been turned with such a flourish of trumpets just before the last election. Mr Anderson censured the dilatory manner in which public works were carried out with consequent waste, while other works were being carried on which in a year of stress ought to bo stopped. He instanced the Parliament Buildings, the Otira tunnel, and the Lawrence-Roxburgh railway as cases in point. Ho advocated the passing of a local Government Bill under which a new system of spending grants would be substituted. Dr Newman pointed out the unfair proportion of money voted for Auckland as against Wellington. The former had msny railways being built, while .Wellington had only the Ohakunc-Ractihi line. The Auckland railway votes amounted to £300,000, and those for Wellington only £20,000 —a most unfair The Auckland list of roads was many times larger than that of Wellington, and about half the total expenditure on roads in the -whole dominion was allocated to Auckland; in fact, the Auckland expenditure was enormous.

Mr Thomson complimented the Minister on tho conciseness of the Statement, and the apparent economy by which the expenditure had been governed. It was tho bounden duty of all in the dominion to assist the Minister in keeping down expenditure upon all but absolutely necessary works. Ho recognised that the success of the public works policy depended, as tho Minister stated, on the response of the public to the loan proposals of the Minister of Finance. Of that he had no doubt. The money was in the country, _ and he had every confidence in the patriotism of tho people to supply the funds. Tiro debate was continued by Messrs Veitch, Pearce, and Ell, local questions being chiefly discussed by the speakers.

Mr Field (Otaki) expressed regret that the Government had not raised its £2,000,000 earlier. The cables that day showed that tho Imperial authorities had raised a loan in America, for which they had to nay at the rate of 5g per cent. Under those circumstances, ho was afraid we would have a difficulty in raising money at 4-i per cent. So far as public works generally were concerned, ho recognised that the Government had a difficult row to hoe, and he considered that members should not criticise the Estimates too harshly. After midnight the debate was continued by Messrs Webb, Colvin. Jennings, and Coates, advocating the claims of their respective electorates.

At 1 a.m. the Hon. Mr FRASER rose to reply to the speeches made in the debate on the Public Works Estimates. Much of the criticism launched against the Statement had, he said, been of an electioneering character. Still, the reception given to the Statement was on the whole complimentary. The Minister proceeded to answer the local complaints advanced by the various speakers. At 1.10 the motion to go into Committee of Supply was carried, and the House proceeded to consider the Estimates.

The discussion was continued till 2.20, when the total amount (£2,803,550) wan passed without alteration. The House adjourned till 2.30 p.m. on Monday.

II 1914-15. IS if Public Works Depth £112,000 Amount voiO( £100,025 Railway construction and addition to open lines 1,200,000 1,4(10,000 1,146,753 Public buildings 427,050 561,175 417,000 lighthouses, harbour works, and harbour defences 20,000 29,258 17,131 Tourist and health resorts 7,500 22,246 8,232 Immigration 30,000 36,000 33,219 Construction, maintenance, and supervision of roads, bridges, and other public works 500,000 812,000 514,430 Development of mining 10,000 40,000 2,384 Telegraph extension 327.000 410,000 288,395 Contingent defence ... 50.000 50,000 15,222 Rands improvements Plant, material, and stores 20,000 23,390 13,810 100,000 Services nob provided for 94 - -

Railwar-s improvement account £70 £10,000 £0,023 Railways improvemcnt authorisation account 250,000 Aid to water power works account 55,000 100,000 74,291 Irrigation and water supply account ... 40,000 40,000 32,089 Land tor settlements account 130,000 173,300 92,975 National endowment account ! 40,000 40,000 9,151