PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144854, 4 December 1915, Page 4

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THE DEPARTMENT’S ATTITUDE. RE EXPENDITURE OF GOVERNMENT GRANTS. At the monthly meeting of the Clifton County Council on Friday, Mr. Ay. F. Short, assistant Undersecretary, wrote by direction of the Minister of Public Works that as the loan just raised would probably have to suffice to provide for public works while the war lasts, and as war conditions had now necessitated a considerable reduction in the rate of expendi- | time on certain public works, a number of officers and men hitherto engaged on such works would not be required, and ns other employment must be found for them, the Government proposed to employ them on road works as far as may be necessary and the funds were available. Under these circumstances the Minister regretted that ho would be unable to avail himseil of the assistance of local bodies in carrying out loan works to the same extent as hitherto. This being so. the Minister did not pro- . pose in oiler voles for roads and bridges , to local bodies fur expenditure this year j to the same extent as has been done in the past, and I nun I bodies v. ere therefore requested not to puita.-d with the preparation of plans, etc., iu anticipation that they world receive authority to expend such.moneys as it was only in cases where the money bad boon definitely offered to them and the plans baa been approved that the work was to be done by such local bodies. Where money bad been provided on a subsidy basis of, say, for £, it was proposed, except in the case of large bridges, that the' work should still bo done by the local authorities as hitherto, and where definite promises had been given for assistance tu tho matter of metalling roads, such work would, so far as possible, be entrusted to the local authority, but the greater proportion of the road work in the. country would he constructed by the department. This decision would not affect moneys already granted to local bodies where plans and specifications of the work bad been approved by the department and the grants had actually been made, and, moreover, in any special case where there might be some substantial reason why the work should he done by the local authority and not by the department, the Minister would, in any such case, be prepared to consider an application by a local authority that such work should be entrusted to it, but in every such case full and definite reasons must be adduced by any such local authority in making application to the Minister to be allowed to expend the vote.

The council’s engineer wrote: — With reference to the Public AVovks circular letter, the council’s disappointment is in proportion to their expectations, and as there were no great hopes of large contributions during a period allowed by all-to bo abnormal, the deferred hopes are only a limited quantity and represent the Tangitu deviation, and the Otaraoa and Piko roads, as 1 am informed that the Mimi-Mokau road beyond Uruti is so bad and of sufficient importance as to warrant a grant, even this season. Works for which plans have been approved and consequently- secured by- tho council are tho burnt papa contract, Uruti road contract, Pukearubo metalling (doubtful), Aloki road slips. Junction road slips, Matau-Kiore road and bridge, and the Mangaopa road. These latter are met.in the £ISOO contributed for flood damage. The works approved by the council, and which without further delav should be proceeded with, are the following, but it was not reasonably anticipated that they -ftould in any way be subsidised. They consist of: — Repairs to five bridges Okau road; ferro-concrete flood opening, MimiMokau, opposite Sutton’s; mother pipe culvert, Mimi-Mokau: AA’aite’s cutting: demolition of three flood openings and refilling with en rth; impairs to various bridges on the Okoke and Piko roads; various improvements in the Urenm township; Turangi and Nikorina metalling contracts; improvements Inland North road (Matthew’s); repairs to Onaero bridge; repairs to Tarata and Purangi bridges; erection of AVebb’s culvert in ferro-concrete; driving tunnel to replace Mangamairo bridge; repairs to Matau township; South Matan and Junction road bridges. In addition, the expenditure of thirds,: the grading of several roads, and the general maintenance over the whole county.