PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XL, Issue 11387, 2 October 1915, Page 7

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

The Hon. William Fraser, Minister of Public Works, last night delivered the Public Works Statement. He stated that the expenditure during the financial year ended 31st March, 1914—£2,949,992-constituted a record, but the similar expenditure for 1914-15 was actually larger —viz, £3,953,368—made up of £3,835,692 under the Public Works Fund and allied special accounts, and £117,676 under the Consolidated Fund. The expenditure for the year had been £3,835,692 and the total amount to date £65,520,531. WAYS AND MEANS.

On the Ist April, 1914, the available ways and means for public works purposes were £1,178,584. Further funds were received as under; —Under the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Act, 1913, £317.778. Under the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Act, 1914, £1,525,000, Under the New Zealand Loans Act, 1908, £36,114. Premium on sale of 4 per cent debentures £8750. Transfer from revnu£Bso,ooo. Other receipts £9423, making a gross total of £3,315,648. The ordinary expenditure of the year amounted to £3,557,395, charges and expenses in respect of raising loans £35,495, redemption of debentures £II,BOO, and other expenditure £15,296, thus bringing the total disbursements up to £3,619,886, and leaving a credit balance at the end of the year of £695,763. For the current year it is proposed to provide additional funds as underßaalnce of authorised loan moneys £1,476,000, proposed new loan £3.000,000. The above, with the balance brought forward, gives a gross total of £4,171,862. The estimated expenditure for public works for the current year (excluding separate accounts having their own ways and means) amounts to £3,808,550, leaving an estimated balance of £1,368,312 to be carried forward to next j T ear (1916-17). In addition to the above we have authority to raise, outside the Public Works Fund, the undermentioned sums: —Under the Aid to Water-power Works Act. 1910, £245,000. Under the Irrigation and Water-supply Act, 1913, £29,900. Under the Waihou and Ohinexnuri Rivers Improvement Act, 1910, £50,009. RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. The following sections of railway were completed and opened for traffic during the last financial yeax-j —Otiria to Kaikoiie, 16 miles 25 chains, May, 1914. Kaihu to Tarawhati, 2 miles 35 chains, June, 1914. Cronadun to Inangahna, 13 miles, June, 1914. Cass to Arthur’s Pass ]4 miles 65 chains, July, 1914. Pohokura to Whangamomona 6 miles 13 chains, July, 1914. Kaiwaka to Otamatea 3 miles 45 chains, Augxxst, 1914, Otoko to Matawai, 12 miles 50 chains, November, 1914. Big Hill to Beaumont 5 miles 36 chains, December, 1914. Honipapa to Tahakopa 17 miles 56 chains, February, 1915, Total 91 miles 5 chains. The following lengths are practically completed, but have not yet been handed over to the Railway authorities for traffic;—Otamatea to Maungatnroto 4 miles 10 chains, Maunganui to Te Puke 13 miles 4 chains, Mount Bgmont branch 3 mlies 77 chains, Whangamomona to Kohnratahi 4 miles 54 chains, Ward to Mills 7 miles 76 chains.

The total expenditure on railway construction and improvement work during last financial year amounted to £1,155,776, as under:—Construction of new lines £646,878, additions to open lines £499,875, Railways Improvement Account £9038. Particulars were given of progress on a number of railways showing that construction was proceeding apace.

OH A KUNE -R AETIHI BRA 7 *CH. Formation work is completed fox* seven miles, and is in hand over the remaining 1 mile 50 chains. All the culverts are in place and piers for most of the bridges built. Steelwork for bridge superstructure is slow in coming to hand. Platelaying is in progress, and ballasting will follow ,in a month or two. RANGITIKEI RIYER BRANCH. In the Railways Authorisation Act of last year was included a new branch line from Greatt’ox’d to a point in the Rangitikei River beds from which a supply of metal could be obtained for use by the Government and by local bodies in south Taranaki. Since the passing of the Act negotiations have been in progress between the Government and the Rangitikei County Council, who have a somewhat similar scheme in contempation, as to the manner in which the metal deposit could be worked to the greatest advantage. Pending a definite arrangement of terms and conditions of supply no coustx-uction work has been done on the line. For the current year the provision made for roads and bridges has not been limited on account of prevailing conditions, but it must of course be understood that the authorization of expenditure will be dependent upon the Government’s ability to raise the necessary loan for public works purposes. Moreover, it is not intended that the ways and means provided shall be expended by 31st March, 1915, but they are expected to suffice till 31st December, 1916, or even if necessary, to 31st March, 1917. TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR ROADWORKS. The appropriations last year were as nnder: — , ~, , Roads, etc., £55,700; backblock roads, etc., £201,000; goldfields roads, etc., £53,300; improved farm settlement roads, £10,000; opening up Crown Lands fox' settlement account.£l73,3oo; National Endownment Account. £40,000; maintenance of roads (Consolidated Fund), £45,000; total, £1,080,300. The provision for the current year is as under; — Roads, etc., £BOO,OOO backblocks roads, etc., £160,000 roads on goldfields, £40,000 ;improved farm settlements, £5,610; land for Settlements Account, 130,000; National Endowment Account, £40,000; new Hutt road £350; maintenance of roads (Consolidated Fund), £50,000; total, £725,860.

DEVELOPMENT OP MINING. The value of the mineral output for the year amounted to £2,752,730, being a decrease as compared with the outut of the previous year. This was only to be expected, however, in view of the ox the export of certain minerals during the term of the war. , . , The output of coal was the highest yet recorded, being 2,375,593

tons, an increase of 387,588 tons over the output of the previoxxs year. Splendid marble xs being produced from the Nelson District, and to aid in the development of this industry assistance is being granted by way of loan to enable the stone to be economically transported to the port of shipment. The expenditux-e under the heading of mining development during last year was £3,384, and a vote of £IO,OOO is proposed to be taken this year. ST” PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The total expenditure on public buildings during the last financial year amounted to £596,563. For the current year the following appropriations are proposed:— New buildings, Public Works Fund, £437,050; mantenance works, Consoldated Fund, £70,350; maintenance works, schools, Consoldated Fund, £103,150; total, £599,550. GENERAL, The new Parliament Buldings agan absorbed the lax-gest item of expenditure under this heading, but the work has been delayed owing to difficulty in obtaining suitable nxarble. Ths difficulty has now been overcome, and as the marble will soon be in Wellington, it is hoped that the work will then be carried on with more expedtion than has hitherto been possible. The new Department Buildings at Gisbexme were completed and occupied during the year. One substantial addition was made to the Government Printing Office, and another one is in prorgess. The proposed vote for the current year includes items for the Parliament Buildings and Printing Office additions, POST AND TELEGRAPH. The expenditure on buildings for Post and Telegraph purposes last year amounted to £73,861, being ‘£60,838 for new buildings and £13,033 for maintenance of existing ones. AGRICULTURE. On account of the conditions existing as a result of the war some works of importance, but not urgent, were held over. It has, however, been decided to provide additional accommodation for learners at both the Moumahaki and Weraroa Experimental Farms, to install a water supply at Moxxmahaki, and to provide additional buildings at the Moumahaki and Taurauga Experimental Farms, also to continue the land drainage operations at Ranknra Farm of Instruction. SCHOOL BUILDINGS. The expenditure out of the Public Works Fund on school buildings during the ’ year was £133,940, of which about £117,500 was paid in grants to Education Boards and other governing bodies for public schools, teachers’ residences, training colleges, technical and secondary schools, and university colleges. The works represented by the balance, over £5,000, were for services directly under the contx-ol of the Education Department and comprised buildings and allied work at Native, industrial, and special schools. Demands for school accommodation must necessarily be met without delay as they arise, and consequently there is always a large outstanding liability on this account which must be provided for in the estimates of the year. The total amount of this liability fluctuates according to the time occupied in the prosecution of the various works authorised, and to meet this liability it is proposed to vote £130,000 for the current year. WORKERS’ DWELLINGS.

The expenditure authorised last year, for some two hundred dwellings, was £IOO,OOO. Of this amount £68,375 was paid durng the year, and the balance of the expenditure appears in this year’s accounts. In response to further applications the erection of an additional hundred dwellings has been decided upon, for which the estimated expenditure is £50,000. TELEGRAPH EXTENSION. The expenditure on telegraph and telephone extension during the year amounted to £388,395. Among the larger works undertaken may be mentioned the construction • of the following land li nes —viz,. Opotiki-Cape Runaway, Cambridge-Rotorua, TaumarunuiOhxxra metallic circuit, PabiatuaPalmerston North metallic circuit, Palmerston Nortlx-Waipawa telephone line, Waitara-Stratford, Waitara-New Plymouth, New Plymouth telephone service, Welling-ton-Masterton metallic circuit, Wai-kaia-Waiau, and Sockburn-Christ-chxxrch underground. No less than twelve new exchanges were opened, and the number of exchange connections increased by 4,846. B Three hundred and ninety miles of pole line and 3,136 miles of wire were • added to the telegraph and inter-urban telephone system, and 515 miles of pole line and 34,325 miles of wire to the telephone exchange local systems. One thousand six hundred and thirty-seven miles of telegraph and

inter-urban telephone lines were overhauled and reconstructed.

During the year forty-six coin-in-slot telephones were installed, making a total or 139 slot telephones open for public use. Motor lorries, suitably fitted up, were obtained and are now bei.ig used for general construction work. The necessary apparatus and material for the re-erection of the wireless station at Samoa were sent forward with the first Expeditionary Force. This stationh as been reconstructed, and is now being operated by officers of the Department who accompanied the Forces. The proposed vote for the current year amounts to £327,000, made up as under— Automatic installations, £110,000; submarine cables, £1,000; new lines, £30,000; new exchanges and connecting new subscribers, £50,000; material, £136,000; total, £337,000. CONCLUSION., In conclusion, the ability to give effect to the proposals set fox-th in the Statement will depend on the response of the - public to the loan proposals of the Minister of Finance. The great importance of developing the x-esources of the Dominion by constructing roads, (bridges, and railways will certainly not he lost sight of, but it is necessary to emplxasi.se the fact that some reduction in the rate of expenditure on such works must be expected nnder the very trying cond xtions consequent on the war.