THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

Southland Times, Issue 17789, 19 July 1916, Page 2

THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

CURTAILED EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES INCLUDE ONLY UNEXPENDED VOTES. RAILWAY EXPENDITURE REDUCED. (By Telegraph.) WELLINGTON, July IS. , The Public Works Statement was delivered in the House this evening by the Minister, the Hon. W. Eraser. The Minister said: — When the Public Works Statement of 1915-16 was being discussed by the House, X 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 me. On the contrary I expressed my determination to endeavour to distribute the expenditure of these moneys over a period of two years, instead of over one year. That 1 have succeeded in this endeavour is proved by the fact that, after expending (inclusive of the cost of raising loans) £2,344,944 out of the Public Works Fund, I hail still to th'c credit of that fund on 31st March, 1916, the sum of £1,838,201. I feel confident that I am expressing the opinion of the whole community that this sum should suffice for the needs of the current year as far as public works 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 for 19X5-1916. To prevent misapprehension, let me here state that the Public Works loan of £1,000,000, authorised under the Finance Bill now before the House, is not intended to provide any further money for roads, bridges, railways, etc., during the current year; but some portion of if will be available, If necessary, to continue expenditure on such works from 31st March, 1917, until Parliament meets again, by which time we all hope and trust that peace will have been proclaimed. The provision 1 am making for roads and bridges is only about £4500 leas than what I expended last year, but the provision for railwaj' expenditure has had in consequence to be reduced by £200,000. Owing to the foregoing reasons I have been unable to make any provision on the Estimates for applications for new grants for roads and bridges. I propose, however, to partially overcome this difficulty in the following manner;—l am taking power in the Appropriation Act to transfer the sums now allocated on this year’s Estimates for sucli roads and bridges which a local body may deem of minor importance to other more urgently needed works which do not appear on the said Estimates, but are situated in the same county, thus in reality providing money for new works. This will, I feel confident, help to meet the views of many local bodies. The expenditure of the financial year ended 31st March last was £2,640,663. WAYS AND MEANS. On the Ist April, 1915, the available ways'and means for public works purposes were £695,762, and further funds were received as under: — £ Under the Aid to Public Works and Land. Settlement Act, 1914 929,900 Under the Finance Act of 1915 2,000,000 Under the Finance Act to cover expenses of raising loans 5,030 Other receipts and recoveries 7,353 Making a gross total of .. £3,638,045 The ordinary expenditure of the year amounted to £2,339,907, plus the expenses of raising loans, £5037, thus bringing the total disbursements up to £2,344,944. This leaves a balance to the. credit of the mays and means account at the end of the year of £1,293,101. For the current year, it is proposed to provide additional funds as under: — £ Balance of authorised loan money still to be raised .. 545,100 Making the total ways and means for 1916-17 .. .. 1,838,201 The estimated expenditure for public works for the current year (excluding separate accounts having their own ways and means) amounts to £1,838,000, leaving an estimated balance of £2Ol to be carried forward to next year (1917-18). In addition to the amounts described above we have authority to raise outside the Public Works Fund the following sums: — £ Water Power Act, 1910 .. .. 191,000 Under, the Walhou and Ohinercuri Rivers Improvement Act, 1910 50,000 RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. Two lengths of railway were opened for regular traffic during the financial year, namely Huntly to Awaroa, and Ward to Wharanui. The total expenditure on railway construction and improvement work during the year was £1,204,921, new lines absorbing £662,919, and additions to open lines £401,252. Important bridge works on several lines are delayed owing to the impossibility of obtaining steel and material from England. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The expenditure during the past financial year was £335,774, and the appropriation proposed for the current year is £364,000. DEVELOPMENT OF WATER POWER. The Lake Coleridge river scheme now in operation has attained results beyond anticipations. 'Die demand for current warrants the installation of two further units, which will bring the output to 10,000 horse power. The total expenditure to Maxell 31st was £329,(19, Survey and investigation for a comprehensive scheme to serve the North Island have been in progress. There 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 the Mannlierikia river towards Alexandra are in progress. IN CONCLUSION.

The ’Minister expresses his great regret at the necessity that exists during the continuance of the war to curtail expenditure on roads, bridges, and railways. Much has been done in the past in regard to reading, but much more still requires to be done in order to enable the produce of the land to be brought to market, especially as settlement is progressing so rapidly. Now Zealand is incurring an enormous responsibility in connection with the war. and the. only way in which the consequent burden of taxation can be borne will be by increasing the quantity of our products from the land and the facilities for the transport of the same to the ports of shipment. This will have to be the chief consideration after peace ha-s been proclaimed. Meantime everything must give way to the. Imperative necessity of assisting the Empire to emerge tictorious from the present gigantic struggle to maintain our freedom untrammelled by German domination.