PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14048, 19 July 1916, Page 8

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

EXPENDITURE KEPT WITHIN CLOSE LIMITS. SMALL VOTES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER, WORKS. (Official Message). • ! WELLINGTON, tliis day. The Public Works Statement Avas delivered m the House last night by the Hon. W. Fraser, Minister of Public Works, who said : When the Pub-ie Works .Statement, of 1915-16 was being discussed by the House I made it quite clear that I had no intention of expending during the financial year the whole of the moneys I was asking Parliament! to entrust to mo. On tlie contrary, I expressed my deterniinat : on to endeayor to ■ distribute the expenditure olf these moneys over a period of two years instead of over one year. That I have succeeded m this endea,vor is proved by the fact that after expending (inclusive of. the cost of raising loan) £2,344,944 : out .of the public,. worlds fund, I had still, to the credit of that fund on 31st March, 1916, the sum dr £1,838,201, viz., cash £1,293,101, and a balance of authorised Joan money still to be raised, £545,100. I feel confident that I am expressing the opinion of the whole community that this sum should suffice, ibr the needs of the current year as far as public yorlcs are; concerned, and. the estimates are framed on that basis. To ensure this result the estimates for roads and bridges for 1916-17 will consist only of the unexpended votes on. the; estimates Ifor 1915---16. .To prevent misapprehension, let me here state that the public works loan of £1,000,000 authorised under the Financial .Bill now before the House is not iitttended to provide any further money for roads, bridges, railways, eto., during thfe current; y'ejar, but some portion of it .will be available, if ne&essary, to continue expenditure on vs(is_ works from 31? I.i March,. 1917^ until Parliament meets fbginn, by^ wlviph \ timeVwfe all hope and ttfrat.that peace will ha^bfeei! proclaimedilThe pTOrisibii- 1 am j^ating for roads aj«(3i bridges, is 'only £4500 less than what I exp^d^7last 'y.edri r Jbut the provision f or ' fail-svay • expi^a^nrer"! Fes hail to be xMujpid by' '£206.50%5^g ts. 7jthe foregoing reasons KMy^? _ j|_i unaftle to make any ; provislpiV^f^ 'M%£ P& cstin)ate;s ifor applications for^ew^Mhts for-' roads and bridge^., I p^pqsp, ©weVeji 7to' partially 7'over ripm© thia difiStMlty iti 7;t<he folloAving . •manner 'i -, I. N am i lasting po^^ m the Appropriation Act^> trk|isfer^'the sums now aUocated ori|lrnis y_y ? s' e^inlat^s- for. su<6h r^ad^. aii^^VioSes wKioli a local bodjr niay d^niidf. minor importance to other more' I t*ge^itly needed "works which do not appear* on • tlie' said estimates', but aie situated in^the same county, thus m reality' 'providiiiji money lor new work. ;Thia i will,- T>-.fe_ confident, help to meet tlie views of many local bodies. i: . ' .'7 ; TOTAL EXPENDITUREI Thef expenditure for the nnancialyear ended 31st March last was as follows: Railways, new cofistruciioh ' iJ662j919, additions to open lines .£402,252 ; r . roads, £424,494 ; public bihldinfes; £335,774 ;" immigration, £10,000; purchase . of Native . lands, lighthouses, harbor works, and harbor 'defences ;;,£13;673.; tourist and health resorts, £5i67: telegraph, <vs;tension, ; £249,554 ; deveibpriieht of m,imng £6602 ; defence works (general) " £37,619 ; departmental £111,489 ; development of water - 'power;, ii_i : gation and water' supply, '" paymentTto^'Midland Railway bondholders, lands improvement, £5936;; minor works and. services, plant,-''rnater-ial,.3«_ stores, £74;4,18; cost, and disr ooun,t raising loans, -etc., 7C5J&57 ; total out of public wprks fund £2,344,944. Expenditure out of separate funds ;7— . Wellingicnv-Hutt i_ilway and road im-provements-railway Toad account, £'142; Railways improvement account cr/ £4; Railways Improvement Authorisation Act-, 1914, account, £139,754. Loans to local bodies account : — Roads to open -up Crown lands— [figures missing]. Lands for settlement account,- ; roads to open up Crown lands: -Lands for settlement account, ■:. roads to open up Crown. lands £47,974; national endowment account: Roads to open up eriaVvwmeht' lands; '£13,344 ; aid to water poyrer Avorks afecount,' £55,410. ; irrigilition and water supply 'account, £29,874; Waihou and Ohinemuri rivers improvement account, £9225. Total . expenditure all accounts, £2.---640,663. \ A WAYS AND MEANS. Oh the Ist April, 191S, the available ways and means for 'public Avbrks. purposes Avere £695,762, and further funds were received as under ; — Under the aid to public works and land settlement account, 1914, £929;900 ; under the Finance Act of 1915, £2,000,---000; under the Finance Act, to cover expenses of raising, £5030 ; other receipts and recoveries, £7353; making a jrross total of £3,638,045. • • T^he ordinary,.jwppendjture, ,of the- year amounted to £2,339,907, plus" the expenses of raising loans, . £5037, thus bringing the total disbursements Tip £6£2,344,944. This leaves a balance '-'to* the credit of the ways and means account at ""the" end ol! the year of £1,---293,103. -;■ For'fhe'clirrint year it is proposed to provide additional funds as under:. Balance of authorised loan money still to be-rtttSed; £545,100, making _ c total W w_ 4,nd . raeails for 1916-17 £1,838,201. The estimated expenditure for public workap-_*--the current year (excluding separate accounts having their owh ways and means) amounts to £1,838,000, leaving aife-esfimated balance of £201' to be carried'; tyrw^rd to next yeao* (1917-18). In addition to the amounts described above^Xehave authority to i-Siae outside the public works fi^d the following sums : JTnder the Aid to Water Power A< *> 19J9; £191,000.; upder the Waihou' ah'd o__«muri Rivers ImprbVeftieht' Act i9i0,.-gSQ,ooo.v- '". y- ■)*?". ■■<.-• ■ RA^WAY CONSTRUCTION. Two^JengJdhs of railway wen© opened Ifor regular traffic, during the financial year namely ,, .^untly^to Awaroai and Ward to Wharanui. The t to_l expenditure on* -raolway oonsjbructlbn _q_ improvement^ work durittg the yeat' was ?l_?i'i 9 o 21 ' th f details being: New li neß , T^'olV Idltlo . n& *° •open lines. £_59 im way im P r °v«mentiaccounts, During the.year construction work AVas completed on the Huntiy-Awaroa line. Work was suspended on the Kaihu rail-

way cxtens'on.. at Kaikolic, Kirikonuni, ! i Motu, oil the Westporl-Inangahua-Wai-mate extension, and the Waiau-Orawia sections. Woiks are still m progress at siixteeu points. Important bridge work on several lines arc delayed owing , to the impossibility of obtaining steel material from Eliigland. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The expenditure during the past financial year was £335,774. lhe appropriation proposed for the curoant year is £3j54,000. Tho principal items of expenditure were on the new Parliamentary Buildings, police lieadquai'ters, and Governmisait printing office, Wellington. DEVELOPMENT OF WATER POWER. Th© Lake Coleridge power scheme now in^iperation has attained results beyond anticipation. Three units of generating power, capable of an output of 6000 uorse-power, were originally installed. The demand for current warrants the installation of -two further units, which will bring' the output to 10,000 horsepower. Arrangements are m train Ifor utilising tho current for tramway traction, the operation'of machinery m meat works, fldur mills, jtamieries, dairy factories, and other established industries jn and. around Christchurch. The total J expenditure to 31st March was £329,719. i Survey and investigation for a comprehensive scheme to -serve the North Island have been m progress. Tliere are several schemes showing promise. Irrigation works to serve the Ida Valley, .Central .Otago, have been advanced • considerably, and will be continued. Two Contracts for a main race from Manuherikia river towards Alexandra are m progress. Dredging work for the improvement of Waihou and Ohinemiuri rivers is being effectively carried out by tlie Government dredge. Two new contracts for stop-bank construction have been let, and much more of this class olf work remains to be done before the improvement scheme is carried to completion. IMPERATIVE NECESSITY OF ASSISTING EMPIRE. •In conclusion, the Minister expresses his great regret at the necessity that exists during the cohtinuaaice of the 'war to curtail expenditure on roads, bridges, and railways. Much has been done m , the past m regard to roading, but much i more, still requires to be done m order / to enable, the. produce, of the land to be 7 brought to market, especially, as settlement is progressing so rapidLy. .New :•'•' Zealand is incurring enormous ' responsibilities m connection jwith. the. war, and .'the [way m wliich the consequent .'.burden., of taxation can be borne will be by increasing tlie quantity of our products from the- land, and the facilities ;• for transport of same to ports ,of shipment. This will- have to be the chief . consideration a^ter' peace .has been pro- , claimed. Meantime everything must '. give way to the imperative necessity of i assisting the. Empire to.emerge victorious • from tho present gigantic struggle 1 to mainUu_.,x>ur> freedom untrammelled by ; German ddminatibnTHE ESTIMATES. Expended New last year. Vote. s y • -..-.;-• % -■ £ £ 7 Departmental "... 111,422 114,000 Railway, construction 1,165,171 800,000 , Public buildings ... 335,774 364,000 Lighthouses, harbor works . and harbor, defences 13,673 14,000 Tourist and Health Re■r -aorta- y. -i 6,167 , 5,000 Immigration ... .... 10,010 15,000 Roads and bridges :.. 424,494 420,000 Development mining 6602 6,000 Telegraph extension 249,554 300,000 Contingent defence/.. 37,619 30,000 Lands improvement 5,936 10,000 Irrigation and water supply '....'■ ... Nil 40,000 Plant, material, and ' stores .;. ... .74,418 20,000 Total' votes for current' year £1,838,000 •Other proposed votes out of separate accounts are: — < £ Railways improvement ... ... 200,000 Aid to water-power AV^rk ... 55,000 Irrigation and water supply ... 4,745 • Waihou and Oliinemuri rivers improvement 20,000 Lands for settlement roads ... 100,000 National endowment roads ... 30,000 Details of vote for railway, constructiori <for the current year are : — K aihu rai Iway extension ... 1,000 Kawakawa-Hokianga ... ... 10,000 North Auckland Alain : Trunk, . Kirikopuni southwards ... 1,000 Raiwaka northwards ' 30,000.-Whaihggffei-North Auckland Main Trunk 50,000 Waipu branch ... 1,000 Waiuiku branch ... 15,000 Hjintly-Awaroa 2,000 East Coast Main Trunk— Waihi, to Tauranga ... ... 10,000 Tauranga to Maunga ... ... 10, 000 Maunganui to Taneatua. . . . , 25,000 Gisborne to Motu 6,000 Napier to Gisborne — Gisborne to Wairoa ... ... 20,000 Wairoa to Gisborne ... ... 10,000 Wairoa to Napier 1,0/30 •Napier to Wairoa 20,000 Mount Egmont branch ... ... 100 ; Opunake. branch ... 25,000 Stratford Main Trunk, east end 50,000 Stratford Main west end 20,000 Raetihi Main Trunk 15,000 Stone quarry line, Rangitikei River ... ... 100 Featkerston-Martinborough ... 100 South Island Main Trunk ... 10,000 Midland, Nelson end 8,000 Midland, Reef ton end 100 Otira-Baaly ... 60,000 Broken River to Bealy 1,000 Westport v to Inangahua- 200 Greymouth-Point Elizabeth ... 100 .Culverden-Waiau ... ... 20,000 Waimat© branch extension ... 2,000 Lawrence-Roixburgh ... ... 500 Otago Central / ... ... ... 15,000 Balclutha^Tuapeka Mouttb ... 200 Catlins-Waimahaka ... ... 200 • 'Winton-HeddOh Bush ... ... ,6,000 Orepuki-Waiau extension ... 6,000 Land claims, damages, on losses on goods m transit, and other . 0 liabilities .1 „„,....•/,,. ... 1,000 Surveys new lines of railways . . . 2,000 Permanent*^ay ! That_ci_s "... 70,000