PUBLIC WORKS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 93, 24 August 1923, Page 2

PUBLIC WORKS

STATEMENT BROUGHT DOWN.

(Special to “Stratford Post.”) Wellington, August 24. The Public Works Statement was presented to the House by the Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister of Pub'ic Works, last evening. The Minister said:— Mr Speaker,— The operations of the Public Works Department during the past >. year have resulted in very material ! progress In the works of rail way construction, hydro-electric development, irrigation, road construction « and improvement, as well as in other works individually smaller hut none the less of importance. The cost of construction, materials and plant have receded to some extent. To this, and the application of mechanical apparatus wherever possible, is due 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 mon«f available for expenditure. Given unlimited funds more might have been done. Although the works to which our loan-moneys are devoted are developmental and open the way to increased productivity, and consequently increase the country’s capacity to boar the burden of interest and sinking-fund charges on capital expenditure, we must on no account lose sight of the fact that loan indebtedness must be kept well within the country’s capacity to honour Its obligations. To this end the earning-capacity of works created out of % loan-money must he carefully considered and weighed, and progress of expenditure on development-works regulated to our ways and means. It is necessary for us to demonstrate to our own satisfaction, as well as to those from whom we borrow’, that the progressive expenditure on our development is carefully considered and fully justified by the Increased productivity induced by such works. It would be unwise, and indeed impossible, for this country to raise and spend the money necessary to build, in the 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 tbe pioneer, not' the railway or ,tlie high-class road. These "can follow only as thh 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 any rate, for the present. I have no doubt that within reasonable time the more intensive development of na—turai resouces and secondary industries within the areas already served by adequate means of transport 1 will result in the creation of a balance of national assets over liabili- . ties sufficient to enable us to con- [ fidently undertake, the construction [of first-class roads, or even railways, to follow developmental settlement much more closely than a,t present. For the time being, however, it is our policy to push rail-way-construction projects to their natural conclusion only after most careful consideration by both the Department responsible* fox construction and the Department which, on completion of the work, wdll be responsible for making the line pay its way as a part of the New Zealand railway system.

RAILWAYS. During the financial year a 7 miles 65 chains, section of the Waiuku Branch Railway was completed and handed over to. the Railway Department.

The two outstanding achievements have been the completion of the gap between railheads on the line running north from Auckland and south from Bay of Islands and Whangarei, thus linking to the North Island Main Trunk system 200 miles of railway system north of Auckland; while in, the South Island the east and west coast railway systems have been connected; and general railway jtraffic established in both these cases.

The attached table shows 4 miles 54 chains of railway as being actually handed over to the Working Kailways Department since the 31st March. In addition, rails were ac- ' tually laid over G 6 miles 35 chains of the 287 miles 4G chains now in course of construction. General

traffic is being run by the Public Works Department over 103 miles 60 chains of line, and in addition goods traffic only is being run over 25 miles C 8 chains of line. 14 miles 29 chains are now under inspection with a view to handing over to the Working Railways Department, and within six months a further 18£ miles will be ready for handing over.

The general advancement of work on other sections is such that it is expected that within one year a further 82 miles will be ready for handing over to the Working Railways Department, and within two years a further 149 J miles. On the Stratford-Main Trunk connection at Okahukura traffic is being run as far as Matiere, and from the Stratford end as far as Tahora. Lying between these points is a section of heavy construction and tunnel country, it is intended to push ahead steadily With the construction from the Matiere end to-, wards Heao Valley, and next year to renew operations at the Tahora end. By this programme work at the two ends should simultaneously encounter the difficult section referred to. I estimate that there will then be money available to enable this section to be dealt with under concentration methods'. The detail surveys are not yet complete, but given adequate ■ votes three years should see the completion of work up to the heavy section. It is anticipated that the Opunake Branch line will be completed and out of hand within the next two years. ROAD-CONST RV CTLON.

The expenditure for the year ending 31st March, 1923, on road construction and maintenance has surpassed all previous records. The amount of constiructiort-work carried out was large and diversified in character. It has been necessary to employ large numbers of unskilled men an relief works, and the object has been, so far as practicable, to employ such men on work of general utility to the Dominion. Consequently, several of the leading highways that came under this category were selected, and have, by means of this labour, been greatly improved by regrading, realingment, and surfacing with metal. The style of construction has, as far as possible, been standardised, special attention being given to the matter of curvature, as that feature is of great importance to motorists .in regard to safety, economy, and comfort.

In bridge and culvert work the durability, strength, and adaptability of concrete, whether plain or reinforced, are being inc.easingly recognised and made use of, ( In addition to the allocation of available funds between diceernt districts, based on the usual factor oil population, length of road, cost of completing present roads and forming new ones, present loan indebtedness, etc., special allowances are being made for relief works and lor certain roads that will act as temporary substitutes for railways, as well a s for roads on which there are gaps that are at present in such a state a s to interfere with through traffic.

The works for which special allowances have been made, as well as the large bridge-construction works, have been carried out under the direct supervision of the Department, but other works have, as heretofore, been entrusted to local authorities in accordance with plans and specifications approved by the Department. As always has been the case, the applications for assistance were more than could be fully met, consequently it was only possible to provide for what seemed to be the most urgent apd deserving cases, though every request has received careful and impartial consideration. The Main Highways Act, though passed during the session of 19*22, does not come into active operation till the Ist April, 1934. Meantime, however, much information is being and will still have to be collected, and many problems considered by the Board constituted in terms of the Act.

HYDRO-ELECTRIC DEVELOP-

MENT,

Substantial progress is being made with the development of the hydroelectric power of the Dominion, The total outlay on all schemes during the year has been £450,247, and the total outlay at the end of the year was £2,170,1002 Two schemes, Lake Coleridge and Horahora, are in full operation and are being extended. The construction power plant for Waikaremoaha bail been installed, and is being used pending construction of tho 'main plant to supply the local demand, and two of the larger schemes areunder construction, viz., Mangahao and Arapuni.

EXPENDITURE. The total net expenditure under all votes and accounts appearing on the public-works estimates for the financial year ended 31st March, 1923, was £4,1139,520. Of this sum £3,912,417 was expended out of the Public Works Fund, and the balance, £1.027,073, out of accounts which have their own ways and means and are quite separate from the Public Works Fund. WAYS AND MEANS. On the Ist Apdil, 1923, the avail able ways and moans for publicworks purposes were £439,682. Additional funds were received as :—(«,) Unfor tfe &id W Pub-

lie Works and Land Settlement Act, j 1921, .02,902,-120. (b) By transfer I f.om Rad.rays Improvement Antho--1 risation Ac omit in terms of Section !5, Sub-sectfon (1), Finance Act, 1922, £1,000,000. CONCLUSION. In conclusion, the Government conceives its duty to be not merely to concent ate on present-day requirements, but to visualise future necessities with the object of placing our Dominion in a position to receive and settle a greatly increased population. Apart fom meeting existing reasonable requirements, we must at the same time comprehend and provide as far as possible for the stimulation of settlement and development of natural resources as yet almost untouched. It i-s only by judicious balancing of p-esent necessities artel ant’cipaton of future requirements as well that a proper po spective can bo obtained and the Government effectively carry out the trust reposed in it by the people.