RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19442, 29 September 1937, Page 8

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

£1,158,500 TO SPEND NAPIER-GISBORNE LINE £504,000 FOR THIS YEAR (Parliamentary Roporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Railway construction is estimated to require a total outlay of £1,158,000 for the year covered by the figures placed before the House of Representatives last night by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple. From this sum, £504,200 will be allocated to the East Coast Main Trunk route between Gisborne and Napier, the major portion of the expenditure being between Gisborne and Waikokopu, where heavy tunnelling jobs will be proceeding throughout, the year.

Details of the Public Work's Minister's plans for construction, as indicated in the major votes under the heading of railways, are as under: — Automatic signalling installation.— New vote, £95,500. Construction, Gisborne-Waikokopu. —Voted last year. £130,800; expended. £240,850; new vote. £300,000. Construction, Waikokopu-Wairoa.— Voted last year. £22,500; expended, £3138; new vote, £26,000. Construction, Wairoa-Putorino. — Voted last year, £100,500; expended, £61.014; new vote, £82,700.

Construction, Putorino-Napier, earthquake and flood damage restoration. — Voted last year, £48,000; expended, £35,4.24; no new vote.

Total vote for Gisborne-Napier section.—Voted last year, £301,800; expended, £341,032; new vote, £504,200. Wcstport-lnangahua Line Construction, Te Kuha-luangahau section.—Voted last year, £100,000; expended, £77,590; new vote, £150,000. South Island Main Trunk Construction, Picton-Waipara and Wharenui-Parnassus section.—Voted last year, £190,000: expended, £203,758; new vote, £332,000. Total vote for railway construction.—Voted last year. £654,550: expended, £628,629; new vote, £l,108,000.

in general result in a lowering of costs, and thus facilitate the attainment of a higher living standard. "It seems that the improvements in speed and reliability of transport are bringing home to more and more people the fact that there may be economic as well as aesthetic advantages in having one's home in the country, although one is employed in the city. Encouragement of this movement may result in much improvement in health and in other advantages to the community.

"A programme of loading for backblock areas has been prepared, and, with the assistance of the county councils, it. is proposed to commence extensive work immediately up to the limit of available competent labour. £4,678,000 for Highways

"From the roads vote last year £914.000 was expended, and £1,030,000 has been allotted' for the current year. From the main highways account the expenditure last year under annual and permanent appropriations was £3,325,000, of which a substantial part was devoted to ordinary maintenance and to payment of interest and subsidies. The comparable total for highways expenditure for the current year is £4,078,000, which includes a full year's expenditure on maintenance and construction work on some 4000 miles of State highway, towards which local authorities previously contributed, and also some £600.003 for the current year's heavy programme of level crossing elimination. "The Government's programme for the development, improvement, and settlement of the land comprises various divisions such as swamp drainage, irrigation, flood-protection works, works in aid of the flax and kauri gum industries, the settlement of unemployed workers under the small-farms scheme, the establishment of the Maori as reasonably efficient farmers on their own land, and the opening up and settlement of Crown lands generally. Sinall-farm Scheme "The principal activity during the year in connection with the smallfarms scheme was the development of the blocks already in hand, only a comparatively small area being added during the year. The results have been somewhat impressive from the point of view of increase in production. Many of the blocks have reached the stage where they have been subdivided into sections, and the occupiers provided with herds of cows to milk on the basis of a share in the cream cheques. "The individual farms already settled are proving very satisfactory. Generally speaking, the majority of the settlers are making good incomes, which will increase from year to year until their farms reach their maximum capacities. The settlers on the whole are contented with their prospects, and are appreciative of the opportunity which has been afforded them of permanently establishing themselves on Hie land. "The total area under development is now 59,560 acres, the average number of men employed during the year being 1007. It is anticipated that a further 20,000 acres will be developed during the current year, which will provide employment for an additional 400 men. llVilro-Electric Development

"It is unfortunate that in the earlier years a large portion of the funds for hydro-electric development were raised at high rates of interest, which has resulted in the Government accounts showing an accumulation o 1 losses and substantial arrears of sinking fund. These deficiencies are now being rapidly wiped out. With the taking-over of the Southland Power Board's supply area during last year, there was naturally an increase in the total revenue and in the expenses of the electric supply acvo nl The estimated revenue lor this financial year is shown as 1-135;-) 000. 'The constructional expenditure for the current year for extensions in both islands is expected to amount to a total ol £1,087,000, which with £3511,000 for working expenses necessitates a total provision or £1,445,000. . "Alter charging depreciation, the actual pro.it which accrued to the <-'{'■!te as a resul' of last years opera-t'-rns was ;< 136,000, which will be utilised in reduction of the accumulated losses already referred to."