PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16212, 24 August 1923, Page 6

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

(Official Message.) WELLINGTON, this day

The operations of the Public Works Department during the past year have resulted in> very material progress in the works of railway construction, hydroelectric development, irrigation, road construction anil improvement, as well as in other works individually* smaller, but none the le.->s of importanance, declared the iioil'. J. G. Coates, Minister of Public Works, in the course of the annual Public Works Statement, submitted to,the House last night. The cost of construction, materials and plant have receded to some extent to tins, and the application of mechanical apparatus, wherever possible, is duo the fact that, compared with last, year, a much greater extent of work has been obtained for an equivalent expenditure of money. Assuming' an efficient works organisation, progress in the shape of completed works is mainly a matter of money available for expenditure. Given unlimited futids, more might have been done, although tho works to which our loan moneys ape devoted are developmental, and open tho way to increased productivity, and consequently increase tho country’s capacity to bear the burden of interest and sinking, fund charges on capital expenditure. One must on no account lose sight of the fact that loan indebtedness must be kept well within the country’s capacity to honor its obligations.-f To this end tho earning ,capacity of works created out of loan money must be carefully considered and weighed, and progress of ox]>ehdituro on development, works; regulated to our ways and fneans. It is news-' sary for us to demonstrate to our own satisfaction* as well'as to*, those from whom we borrow, that the progressive expenditure oni our development is careful I}' 1 }' considered and fully justified by the increased productivity induced by such works. ■ Jtl would bd unwise and indeed impossible for this country to.raise and spend the monev necessary to build in tho minimum of time all the works necessary for the full development of areas which at present, owing to lack of means of transport, are in a partially developed, state.. As in all young countries whose financial .resources are limited', the settler must be thq pioneer, not the railwav * or the high* mss road. These canl 'follow' only as the country’s financial position, and the return from partial development! of land by ? the settler make the expenditure justifiable. This must be regarded as the position at - anv rate for the present. I have no doubt that within reasonable tiime, the more intensive development of natural resources and secondary industries within the areas already served by adequate moans of transport, will .result in the creation of a balance of national assets over liabilities, sufficient to enable us to confidently undertake the construction of first-class roads, or even toil wavs to follow developmental settlement much more closely than at present. For tho time being, however, it is our policy tin push railway construction projects to their natural conclusion, only after most careful considertoion by both the department responsible for construction, .-pad the departim nt. which on completion of the work wiil» he responsible for making the line pay its way as a part of the New Zealand railway system. , - EXPENDITURE. The total net expenditure under all votes and accounts appearing on the Public Works estimates for the financial ■ year ended March 31. was £4,939,520. Of this sum £3,912,447 was expended out of the Public Works fund and the balance. out of accounts whfch have them own ways and means and are quite separate from-the Public . Works fund. The following is a brief summary of this expenditure vx. • > /. ’ D Railways, new construction 1,358,931 "Additions to open lines ... 750,923 Roads 648,006 Public buildings ... .... 256,694 Immigration 50,611 Purchase native lands .... ’ Lighthouses, harbor works 7 and harbor defences ... 9,784 Tourist and health resorts ... 5,435 Telegraph extension ... ... 512,657 "Development of mining (ex'.) . 98 Defence works, general ... 1,702 Departmental 111,367 Irrigation and -water supply .58,131 Land Approvement; ■ ... ... 26,204 Plant, material and stores (tr.) 19-708 Timber supply and sawmills for Public Works Dept. 14,720 Motor transport service ••• * 22,679 (lost, and discount raising loans,, etc! ... ... 62,399 Railway Improvement Authorisation Act, 1914, account 57,763 Kind for settlements account, 1 roads to open up Crown lands ... 78,350 Aid to water-power works and electric supply account ... 472,874 Waihou and Ohinemuri. rivers improvement account ... Education! loans account t ... 351,378 Total ■... *... ... £4,939,520 WAYS AND MEANS, On April • 1-, -1922, the available ways and means for public works purposes were £429,682, Additional .funds were received as follows; —Under the Aid-to Public Works' and Land Settlement Act, 1921, £2,902,420; by transfer from railways improvement authorisation 'account in terms of section. 5, sub'WfCtion (1) Finance Act, 1922, £1,000,000; recoveries on account of expenditure of previous years, £9045; unauthorised, £11,032; Ellesmere and Forsyth reclamation and Akaro.'i railway trust account receipts, £1742; miscellaneous receipts, £469; thus making available- for expend it uio a gross total of £4,364,440. The net expenditure on all, works and services chargeable against the Public Works fund for the year was Under appropriation, £3,850,048; under Ellesmere Land Drainage Act, 1905, £439; under N.Z. Loans .Act, .(stamp duty), £5123; charges and px- ' penscs of raising loans, £57,276, making a total of £3,912,886. This left a credit balance of ways-and means at March 31st, 1923, of £441,654, Legisla-tiv-e authority exists fot* raising a further additional £4,000,920. It is proposed to transfer from accumulated suepluses to capital purposes to the extent of £1,COO,COO; also to ask for further legislative authority to borrow when required a further £4,Ooo,CC{),.thus making available for Public Works purposes ii total of £9,442,474. _ The estimated expenditure on Pubiio Works for tho current financial year (exclusive of those accounts which have their own. ways and means) is £4,806,211, which will leave an estimated credit balance in the fund at March 31, 1924, of £4,636,462. . Quito separate from the beforementioned . fund there (iff) * certain public undertakings of considerable importance which have their own ways and means. Tho most important of these are;— <* % ■ (a) Electric Supply Account.-~Tne available balance under this head at March 31 was £1,952,919, and in addition there is ,an unexhausted authority for raising an additional £6,606,990. . (b) Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers Improvement Account. —The balance at March x3l was £15,143, while legislative authority exists for .raising further loans amounting-.to £124,000. . (c) Rnilwaxta.improvcment AutWhation Act 1914. AcPowt.—Balance.. £850,M, unexhausted authority tar raising additional funds, £1,450,310, (d) Main Highways Accounts,-rßeveriuc fund, £121,413. A total of £11,020,305. ' , 1 From those figures it will be observed that nt the end of tho last financial year tho unexpended balance of tho Public . Works fund plus existing and proposed . authorities for raising further moneys < amounted to £9,442,474, while the bnl- ’ amce at same date in respect to some of i tn© more important public works which s form no portion of the Pubiio Works fund proper plus legislative authority to .* raise additional loans amounted to £ll,- <■ 029,305. or a total of £20,471,779, It i is gratifying to me to know that the I administration of the Public Works Do- r partment' still retains the confidence of t the legislature, os evidenced by the a establishment of these credits and the '

placing of them at my disposal for the development of tho Dominion under a progressive policy of railway, road, hydro-electric and irrigation construction.

RAILWAYS IMPROVEMENT AUTHORISATION ACT, 1914.

Tho expenditure under the Railways Improvement Authorisation Act, 1914, amounted to £53,636 for grade easements, duplication of lines Horotiu. to Franlcton Junction, a new station and station yards, goods sheds and terminal facilities at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Lyttelton, and signal interlocking and safety appliances. ADDITIONS TO OPEN LINES.

The expenditure out of the Public Works fund under this head amounted to £751,928 in the provision! of additional rolling stock, etc. PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

Tho work on public buildings, prisons, and police stations, post! and telegraph offices, mental hospitals, hospital and charitable aid institutions, is detailed. LIGHTHOUSES.

The transfer of the lighthouse station from East Island to tho mainland has been completed and the light is giving satisfaction. Improvements- elsewhere are referred to. The questipn of a light on the Three Kings Island was again gone into very carefully. The marine engineer, accompanied by a, survey party, visited the islands, spent some time there, and surveyed a tram route two miles in length from the only practicable landing on tho main island to the .site which was elected as most favorable for a lighthouse on the western corner, and this was also surveyed. The Western King, which was suggested for. the proper site for the light, was also closely, examined, and as a lisuit of this survey and examination a’tantative estimates were prepared either for a fully equipped watched light station with a radio beacon on the main island or alternatively for a duplicative autoirntic unwatehed light on tho Western King. Later on the Department with the assistance of the P. and T. Department carried out a number of - xp« riments with a radio beacon apparatus on the Great King to ascertain whether there would be any undue interference with the wireless waves by reason ol the shape or constitution of the ground. The Jesuits were quite satisfactory. For the current year provision is being made for an automatic ■ light on, Matakaoa Point (Hicks Pay), and for the erection of a wireless outfit at Puysegur Point light-' house, also for a light and any other aids" to navigation) that may be necessary on the Three Kings.

TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS. After referring to general harbor works, the Minister continued: The , installation of a Diesel engine stand-by plant and - the erection of a new powerhouse in connection with the Rotorua electric installation are in progress. Excavations for the foundations for the machinery have been completed, and the concrete work is in an advanced stage. A commencement has been made with tho erection of the powerhouse*. engine and generator are icady for installation as. soon as the bililding is sufficiently advanced. An order has been placed for the supply aiid delivery of cast iron water pipe to replace , ibo existing wooden watci mains at Helensville. A new swimming bath has been completed and addi tions and improvements made at Morere hot springs and Tongariro Nations. Park. TELEGRAPH EXTENSION. The bulk of expenditure last yeai was incurred in developing the tele phone exchange system, which was extended during the year by the opening of twenty new manual exchanges and the connecting with these and other exchanges throughout tho Dominion of 10,200 subscribers, the greatest number vet connected in any financial year. The addition of new subscribers necessitated ft hoproviding of additional switchboard aceommoda >■ tigV. at twenty-five exchanges and the cables at a number of places where the pole lines were so hoavily laden as to make extension impracticable and maintenance a costly item. Tho automatic telephone exchange system was extended during the year by the opening of a satellite exchange at Khandailah (Wellington), and the conversion of the Palmerston North exchange from manual to automatic working. In addition the automatic exchange systems in the Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington metropolitan -areas and at Blenheim find Hamilton were extended by the installation of equipment for 2310 lines. The installation of automatic exchanges is still proceeding at Auckland and several suburban exchanges in that area, and also in Wanganui. The telegraph and telephone toll systems wei(e extended during the year by the creation of 19C miles of new polo line, x carrying 1197 miles of wire. Among new works com pleted during the year were the metallic circuits between Auckland-Paeroa (two), Auckland-Otaliuhu, AucklandTnkapuna, Balclutha-Glenomaru, Ha-wera-New Plymouth, Isla Bank-Fair-fax, Lower Hutt-Taita, Lumsden-Bal-four, Manutuke-Muriwai, MurchisonArikl, New Plymouth-Opunake, Pi-hama-Opunake,. Rotorija-Hamurana, Ro-lorua-Whakatane, Beddon-Jordan Stratford -WJ ian gam om o na, Wairon-Waikaro-moana, Westport-Inangalnui Junction, Whakatane-Teteko. and the opening of a comparatively largo number of new telephone offices, chiefly in the backbiocks. Notwithstanding the progress made during the year, tho programme of new works in hand and irv view show no sign of diminishing. The multiplex system, , which considerably increases the carrying capacity of telegraph circuits, has been installed between Wellington and Auckland, and has’ permitted a number of circuits previously required for telegraph purposes to become, available "for long distance telephone communication. Sc much success has attended the intro, dnetion of this system that it is in tended in the near future to further extend it by connecting Napier with Wellington and Auckland and Christchurch with Dunedin, When these installations are completed illo long-dis tnnee telephone facilities between "these; places will be considerably improved and extended without the erection oi any additional circuits.

IRRIGATION AND SUPPLY Where irrigation was carried on lasf I year it has been continued this year wilfi marked success to the farmer and increagiijg revenue to the Government. Tfw construction of beacjworka and main diverting channels through w difficult _ country has preserffpd tpany engineering difficulties and been rpspon sible for fairly heavy expenditure. It js pleasing, however, to record that this Jj£avy pioneering work has nov been suecess&ijly overcome, and th> comparatively easy of constructing supply races in order to deliver water for irrigation purposes right on to the consumers’ land lias in many ease) been completed and in others is ir hand. With the work carried out dnr ing the year just closed, aa yyell as that Included in this year’s programme, it is anticipated tlie area commanded by constructed races will be increased from 7000 acres to approximately 40,000 acres and a marked Increase in produc tion may be looked for from Central Otago in a very few vears, ■ > RIVER 'PROTECTION. On the Taiori plain heavy floods grqatly damaged the existing flood protection works, nnd generally caused such damage nnd loss of crops and slock,, as to force the conclusion that a comprehensive sclicipp of good protoo(ion works, embracing adequate pro teqJqn R<r some.3o,Coo acres of most valuable land, must be undertaken. The losses of crops and stock which have occurred from time fo time are of iSnch magnitude that the pesitjpn must {>o yemeaied, and to this end the Coverntfl«(o|t has agreed to share the cost of the work with the ratepayers of the district. 'lilts is intended to cast any reflection t>n the very excellent work which was done by tho pioneer settlers, and which coped with the smaller floods. The Rods have now become so valuablo and the interestr at stake so extensive that works to deal with any floods which piny reasonably be expeced bavo become an absolute necessity. Tho Waihou and Ohine muri drainage scheme work is still being carried forward, but In order to accelerate progress and hasten tho day when immunity from flood) wi 1 le

obtained, it has been irranged tc construct another suction dredge of considerably greater capacity tbun tie one already in use. The material for this is already on order and immediately it comes ’to hand tho constru-’-tion of the machine will be pus tec. ahead. In addition to this -loating dredge two ex’tra drag line ex cava ors of largest size vet used in this couutry have been procured and set to work. ; MECHANICAL APPAR vTUS

In order to keep cony ru• >n works adequately supplied with necessary mechanical apparatus, a.nd p <nt the equipment has been or is being increased by t’liroo locomotives,, two drag line excavators, a suction dre>ig°. two road rollers, and four port, file oildriven air compressors. CONCLUSION. In conclusion, the Government condeives its di»'.y to be not meiely 'to concentrate on present day requirements, but to visualise future necessities with the object o-f placing our Dominion in a position to receive and settle a greatly increased population Apart from meeting existing reasonable requirements we must it the same time comprehend and provide as far as possible for the stimulation of sff'.tlement and development of natural resources as yet almost untouched. It is only by judicious balancing of present necessities, and anticipation of future requirements as well that a proper perspective can- bo obtained- and tho Government effeetivly carry out ‘the trust reposed in it by the people.