RAILWAY BUILDING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19693, 27 July 1938, Page 7

RAILWAY BUILDING

£562,120 FOR EAST COAST

GISBORNE END £445,000

PUBLIC WORKS VOTES

SMALLER THAN LAST !TBAR

(Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this da

In the public works votes, presented in the House of Representatives today, a total of £562,120 lias been authorised l'o- construction works on the line this year. This is £70,380 less than the amount voted last year but £29,180 more than the total actually spent during 1937-38. The greatest portion of the amount voted tor expenditure on the Gis-borne-Napier line this yea r is for the Gisborne-Waikokopu end, for which £445,000 has been authorised, compared with £415,000 voted and £417,307 spent last year.

This year's votes comprise a Utile less than half of the estimated amount to complete the construction works. the estimate for the entire length being £1,290,070, of which amount £1,077,450 is the estimate for finishing the Gisbonie-Waikokopu section. Sectional Estimates The estimates for the different sections of the line, together with last year's estimates and expenditure, are given below:--1938-3!) 1937-38 Voted Voted Exp. £ £ £ Automatic Signalling 10,000 95,000 GisborneWaikokopu 445,000 415.000 417,307 WaikokopuWairoa 25,420 27.000 21,730 WairoaPutorino 91,700 95,000 93,837 Totals 502,120 032.500 532,934 The whole line between Gisborne and Napier was estimated to cost £3,390,437 and £3.408,877 had been expended to Maxell 31 last. An expenditure of £1,290,070 is given as the cost of completing the work. Estimates And Amount Spent The estimated cost of the different sections, together with the amounts spent to date and estimates for completing the work are given in the following table:— Total Spent to Cost to cost 31/3/38 complete £ £ £ Signalling 95,500 95,500 Gis.-Waik. 1,488,375 1,345,189" 1,077,450 Waik.-Wai. 574,959 050,077 25,420 Wai.-Put. 1.238,003 1,473,011 91,700

Totals 3,390,437 3,408,877 1,290,070 •Includes Frasertown section, £20,082, and Ngatapa southwards, £119,077.

Construction in Dominion

A total of £1,440,000 has been authorised for railway construction throughout the Dominion, compared with £1,293,025 voted last year and £1,120,218 actually spent in 1987-38. The estimated cost of the works in hand is given as £8,274,228, and the total expended to March 31 last, was £0,010,901, while the estimated cost to complete the works is given as £4,003,019.

An amount of £145,000 is on the estimates for the Paeroa-Pokeno seclion, compared with £75,000 voted and £6llO spent last year. ' Other construction votes on the estimates are:—Dargaville branch, £GO,500; Westport-Inangahua, £150,000; South Island Main Trunk, iPictonWaipara, £017,000; land claims, £5000; grant to provide caravan for Church Army sister, £SO; .surveys for new lines, .£SOOO.

Improvements and Additions

For railway improvements and additions £2,844,000 has been voted, compared with £2,203,457 voted last year and £1,298.700 actually spent last year With credits totalling £203,500 in hand, the total amount for expenditure on improvements is £3,047.500. .

With construction and improvement works added together, £4,538,000 is available for expenditure on railways throughout the Dominion this year.

Under the heading of improvements, £239,000 is set aside for motor vehicles for the road motor services. A new railway station is authorised for Christchurch at £103,000. Rolling stock will absorb £841.000, and workshop buildings and plant £370,000.