Public Works Statement.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXIX, Issue 9156, 28 September 1898, Page 2

Public Works Statement.

The Hon. W. Hall Jones, Minister . ' Public Works, laid his annual state* ent beoire the House last eveniDg, id thanks to the energy of the local aff of telegraphists, a copy came to ind as early as possible. IV follow-.. ig are the chief extracts of Thames iterest: — The Minister states: "Before the ose of the financial year I hope to and ,oyer. for working to the Railways •irjartm'ent the under-mentioned jctions of railwayiThames-Paerba; Lohukbhu-Ranfurly section of Otago 'entral ;;the extension of the Seaward lush and the Forest Hill railways. GrahamstownTeAroha line: -The • onstruction works have proceeded -- , atiefactonly on this line throughout i he year.' The now compete right through, jaying .; ixtends to within about 2 miles of Irahamstown; -"Ballasting ist>roce"od« ■ .1. ng as" espeditionslyaspOßsiole, and, ?:. thVetetibnbuild»;[ '{ ing has'b'eiin-authorisad.t/l.am in! b.cpeß that the whole line will be < ivailable ; .-.fpr paeß6ngor V)i traffic by Ohrietmas, or early in 'the new year, ; th^g^itiepTob^letiw^Vio^dertttte; ;. tb/lje^done ? .': after that "date, The expenditure on ,•. the ..line.. last year amounted to £lfiO, vote >prppoßedVfor? the*' oun^^aris^2sJQop^wh ! ; quiredtto; meet liabilities v and to com- ' plete the line to Graharastowii, inclnds ;. ■' t ßpada on goidfields.(Mines!i)epait> ':■']■ ment): The construction of roads arid } trackß ( by means of grants and '] subsidies, as intimated in the last I Statement, will be. continued,;. Tho i; votes for these purposes last year : amounted to je98,052, the .expenditure i being : £49,560, and'the^iiabilities'at ! the end of the year £43 586, The '■! amount proposed to be authorised "for : the cunent yearns £99,561ji0h acconnt 1 of which' a vote: of ,£.6p,000. ( is asked \ fqr^hp.deyelopmenVof ' the' goldfieldsi;! It is*satisfactory to be able to stale I aie« ,: now stable .characterp,than they were this ';•' jtime of the extehsive development w'orke previously leferred to completed, with the. re« suit of gold is on the inorease, 1 ' Thisj it is anticipated, will continue' as other. development ■works which have been entered upon areTcompletjedq The improvements in the construction and the methods of obtaining gold from auriferous- drifte;and beds, rivers'; |reekey and b'eaoh'es 'in the Middle M'nd, to : *' which attention haeiibesn spjeoially rv, (directed in the stateraVnt :|f ,'nly ,col : league (the Hon. 'Ministel , of;Mines): • and inieporte of the Departmenjt, wft y s , if is anticipated, add inaterially v^f ' the iurther &ojd production of Jthe" cylony. It 'may } te'Vf 1 * interest to hon. shat Information in .respect to'dredgirig in the is frequently applied for bypere'ons Mnteirested in the question in America and the Australian colonies, tidnhae been received , from the Go* Hrhment'of British New Guinea for full infornjjßjion qnthesubject., ;i Among otnei' foaldsiwhicnlit is,proposedtopusH forward^-the ;fpllowi ing; jit is proposed tp.yigorousiyjpnsh forward the construction of thV road from Stratford through to a connection. .]. with'; the I "railways' system j'-'afeo/'lo*;;:'' proceed steaHily withjtfie 5 the- : f^hyßdWrua f WaifcareraoahaVe t Gisb6rne'and southwards ;?K) .liThe.erectioniPJcia pumping plant at , the^eepjleyel.shaft, of the\old^u^n.. ,of been'' referred,to in ; previouß^Btafement8 b ,'iß, .- noy approaching CGmpletwij)' and , !iUs I'l, expected that pumping operations 'will ''" be commenced -.before. .the s : . year. The gr'ealier f aciiiii-,s the lower level mm i\( Thames,. v > which the .pump^g\:yu'nt,w^.^pr3i^ f j. ■. will give ! a ■ lmp^^tr^old^" mining in that part.. '' ' J , ' " The question , of watericbnwrvatlbnUl on goldfielde is still being dealt with,, and reports" presented to?PajpHamentby t the'Minee. Department; Already a commencbnwnti I has been made, -towards■ the isoSei: va* W \ tion of water by the cohstrnctiori of - / adam atWest'EweburhiM Mahifcotaia County, which will becapable of storing 250,000 ) meat;the,supply froimi the 'Mbuntdda, water race to the extent of ment heads.a dsy^, •_;'; % ..; r ' ;v " • > The 'anhexed tables'-etioVtUat the expended last year on public works for the development of, goMfields was, • £33,117, while the liabilities ainbunteU ' ■ to £7135. -; A>vote of £45,000 is:pro-. posed for the current year.