PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7235, 23 October 1901, Page 4

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

*- • The following is the Public Works Statement presented to the House of Representatives by the Horn W. Hall-Jones, Minister of Public Works, last evening : — It is with feelings of pleasure that I lay before honourable members my sixth Statement, especially as it has not fallen to the lot of any one cf my predecessors to deliver six consecutive Public Works Statements. The work undertaken last year was of a more extensive character than during any of the past few years, and the total expenditure consequently reached a higher figure. A large amount of very useful work has been accomplished, and the extent to. which the improved conveniences are appreciated by our settlers is well evidenced by the demands made for further road, railway and other facilities ; indeed, had these demands been complied with to anything like their full extent, the estimates of expenditure which I submit this evening would have been swelled to twice their present dimensions. In dealing with the question of public works it is well to remember that it is only just ever sixty years since New Zealand became a British Jjolony, and when honourable members bear in mind that at- that time there were no roads, railways or bridges, no telegraphic communication, no post offices or other public buildings, that education, beyond that supplied by the missionaries, was practically unknown, and that the islands were only "visited at rare intervals by nailing ships, it must be admitted that the progress made since that time has been most satisfactory, and establishes a record of which we may justly be proud. Two thousand one hundred and twelve miles of railway have been constructed and opened for traffic, thousands of miles of roads have been formed, hundreds of bridges built, 7250 miles of telegraph lines established, the necessary public buildings (including schools) have been erected at great cost, and a large fleet of ships are now engaged in carrying to all parts of the world the products of our enterprising settlers. While this good work has been done during past yfars, we, who for the time being have the welfare of the country entrusted to our \ charge, must not ignore our responsibilities in "seeing that steps are taken for the further development of our colony, and that •every opportunity is thus afforded' for our 'settlers to forward their products to the markets of the world at the lowest possible cost and in the shortest reasonable time. To enable this to be done, notwithstanding what pessimists may say, we must continue our policy of roadi and railway construction. We • must further improve our existing lines of communication, which, if done with due regard to economy, will result in placing our country in a "still more satisfactory position. Without proper means of communication cur settlers are hampered and 'handicapped, andtit is now our duty to remove the disabilities -under which they labour, bearing in mind that as the work progresses each mile of railway completed arfd each chain cf road formed is so much toward the «id we have in view. Whilst making, provision for the urgent requirements of the colony, the Government is of opinion that it would be extremely inadvisable to enter upon a large borrowing policy for public works, and that we should adhere to the course followed in recent years and make provision for a fair rate of progress being maintained both in railway and read construction, and provide the accommodation and conveniences necessitated by the development of tie colony, including the re-

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ncwal with more permanent material of the old wooden bridge? . many of which j>to jxist repairing. The sums provided in the Estimates will admit of t lie Fevcral works being continued at a. reasonable ppeed. and it is hoped that the following; sections of railway will be open for traffic before the end of the current financial year: — ' Length. Line. Miles. Chains. Helensville northwards — Section Tafcekeroa-Ahuroa .... 4 69 Gi&bcrne-Karaka — Section, Gisborm AV-harf-Orm-cad ... 10 43 Siratfor.'l-Whang'amrTn-o'na. — Section, Stratford-Toko ... 6 40 Xor'-h Island Main Triuik — Section. Poro-oraraoOngarue . 14 21 X'orth Island Main Trunk—SectHon, M'angaonoho - Manga weka • 9 24 Blenheim - Waipara, — Section, Omaka-Seddon 12 76 Blenheim - Wsipara — Section, Y7aipara-Skargill .... 14 40 Otago Central — Section. "SVed-derbum-Blackston« Hill . . 12 23 Total 86 16 Considerable progress was made with the more important of the -works -under construction, the principal details of which. I will give later on. Before outlining my proposals for expenditure I Avill briefly state the ways and means available for Public Works purpose?- At March 31, 1900, the balance of the Ways and Means of the Public Works Fund amounted to £839,749, 'and further sums Avere provided last session as under:— New loan £1.000,000, transferred from revenue £500,000. There were also miscellaneous receipts to the amount of £1787, thus making a gross total of £2,340,536. The expenditure last year amounted to £1,309,021, so thatv^at !the close of the year the balance of our ways and means was £1,032.515, wad it is how proposed to provide the following additional funds : —New loan £1,000,000, further transfer from revenue £500,000, making altogether a gross total of available ways and means of £2,552,515. The estimates of expenditure for the current year total to £2,197.334 (in, addition to £46,577 under the Government Loans to Local Bodies- Act), «n» leaving an unallocated balance of -bS6b,Liil. TOTAL PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE... The following table shows the total expenditure out of the Public Works Fund on all works and services throughout the colony up to D«c. 31, 1860, and also up to March 31 last, andl in «. separate column the expenditure during the late financial year :— /

RAILWAYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. The railways under construction were the same as during the previous year, but with, two additions, namely, the Stratford-Kawu-Kawa, and Heriot extension lines. The expenditure amounted to considerably more that* the previous year, namely, £392,69],---against £199,580, the increase being £193,111. The improved progress on all the more important lines has been maintained, especially in the cas^ of the North Island main trunk railway, so that for

several of the principal lines substantial vittes must be asked for. I will now briefly -describe whxt has been done on each of the railway works in- hand during late year?, and also our proposals for the current year. K;i\va.kawa-(_irnhamstown. The work on the southern extension of the northern p»r- --! tion of this railway has been continued, the operations now extending over the ! whole eight -miles authorised in 1899.- Ra-il laying has not yet been, started, but rails ! have "been procured so that the work can be put in hand as soon as a sufficient length of formation is available. No suitable ballast has heen discovered immediately adjacent to the work in hand, but a- deposit of scoria, ash exists at a distance of a mile and three-quarters from the line. It will lie necessary to construct a branch line to enable this to be utilised. It is expected that the first section of the line will be finished and available for traffic by this time next year. A further link in ihe northwards extension of the southern portion of the line was completed during the year namely, a short section of one mile 26 chains between Waiotu and, Hukerenui, which was opened for traffic on March 1. The. last survey of the intervening length between the northern and southern portion of this railway has been proceeded with os opportunity offered, the line having been definitely located for six miles, and a trial line run" for three miles. Further comple- , j tion of this survey will be entrusted to an officer whose attention will be solely deI voted to it so as to ensure its being finish!cdat an early date. Preparations have been made to start work on the extension from Opau to Gra-hamstown. It was fou^d that the original survey could be- improved upon, and a new survey has accordingly been made, and plans of the bridge over the Whangarei river have been prepared. The I total expenditure, on this railway last year amounted to £13,101, and for the current year an authorisation of £15,000 is asked. Helensville- Northwards.— The Tahekeroa section of this railway, three miles eighteen: chains in length, was completed and handed over to the Railway Department for regular traffic on December 19. Work } on the Komokoriki section has been actively proceeded with, and the line as far as the south 'end 'of the tunnel is completed and the rails laid. More than three-fourths of the excavation in the tunnel is completed, and the rails laid^ and the rest of the formation to Ahuroaas well in- hand and should not take long to finish. A contract has been let for the supply of bricks for lining the tunnel. I am hopeful of being able to open the section to Ahuroa by about March 31 next. The final location of the line beyond the end of the Komokoriki section is now necessary in order to avoid any delay taking place on the completion of the works on that section, and the survey has accordingly been put in hand. The question has been raised as to Avhether the route for -i his railway by the Hoteo Valley is really the best that could be followed, . Another route has been examined by a ' committee of the\!local settlers, and con--1 sidered, by them to be superior. In order ' to set this point at rest, instructions have been issued for. the newly suggested route to be examined, and on completion of such 1 examination its merits will be carefully compared with those of the route previously proposed. The expenditure on this railway last year amounted to £11,933, and I for ihe current year an appropriation of £15,000 ds proposed. Pareora-Waihi. — Only preliminary woik has 'been dene on this line up till the close of the financial year 1899-1900^ During lasb year, 'however, substantial progress was made, and the work now extends for I a distance of six miles fifteen chains. The ' excavation of the loam tunnel ds well in I Ivand. The expenditure on> tne line last year was £12,259, bub this year it will be } larger^ and authority for £20,000 is asked for. Gisbowie-Karaka. — In the case of this ' railway the only work done prior to the commencement of the late financial year was of a preliminary nature. During the Ilate year, however, very substantial pro-gress-had been made, so that at the present time the formation is finished for about

12£ miles. All the bridges for the same distance havo ..een erected and the rails laid. 1 expect to have the lino to Ormor.d ready foi. regular traffic by February next. The final location of the balance of the line to Karaka will be taker* in hand as soon as a suitable officer tia-n be detailed for the work. The expenditure on this railway last year exceeded the vote .»y £i>49B. havi ing amounted to £15.498. This year it will \ie PV( . n larger, and an authorisation of £20,000 will be required. I iStra-iford-Kawakawa — This is one of the ! new railway? authorised last session. The purvey was put in hand soon after Parliament rose and' construction work started in April. Such good progress has been ! made that a large part of the first section to Toko, six mile- and a half in length, is ! now ready for platelaying, and the rails, which have recently arrived, are now being sent up to the work. I have every ■confidence that this section of the railway will •■ be openedi for traffic by Christmas next. Survey work is in progress on the next section of the line, so that by the time the formation to Toko is completed we shall be in a position to determine the best route to be taken beyond that township. The vote taken for this railway last year was £10.000, but scarcely any expenditure took place prior to March 31. For the current year authority for £12,000 will be necessary. Hon. members are aware that in my last year's Statement it was suggested that this railway should ba constructed as a narrow-gauge line, but as an examination of the country Showed that this was inadvisable, and! having in view the probable j traffic as : tfoe line is extended, it wais dei cided to construct it as a light railway, but without departing from the New Zealand ! standard gauge. North Island Main Trunk — A very large I amount of work has been performed on this railway during the year, at the northern end especially. The engineering staff employed upon the line has fully realised the desire of the Government 'that the work should 'be pushed! to completion with reasonable expedition, and every effort has been made, despite sundry adverse circumstances, to forward the work as rapidly us possible. Regular traffic is carried on by the Railway Department, as far as the Poroatarao tunnel on the watershed between the Waikato and Wanganui River systems, and from that point to Kawakawa or Ongarue the rails are already laid and the ballasting and' erection of station buildings is in. 'progress. The platelaying party is .-rtill at work -extending its operations to Tuamaranui, to which point the formation work already extends, and' bushfelling is in hand beyond the crossing of the Wanganui River. The railway at tho northern end, therefore, has now commenced to tap the celebrated Waimarino Forest. A contract was let in May last for a steel and timber bridge, 465 ft long, over the Wanganui River at. Taumaraimi, and contracts have also been let for the steel girders 'for the three bridges over the Ongarue River. The majority of the piers of thess latter bridges will be of timber, and 1 a contract- has been let for the supply of the iron cylinders for the remaining piers. At 'the southern end of the line the earthworks now extend nearly to Turangarere, a distance of thirty-nine miles from. the terminus of the opened line at. Mangaonoho, and fifty-One miles from the commencement of She railway at Marton. Considerable progress has been made • with these works during the year, but still I greater progress would have resulted if the road in the district hadi been in sufficiently .good order to admit of heavy carting being done in the winter. As much carting as possible was done during the summer and 1 autumn, but it was impossible for the whole of the plant and supplies required during the winter months to be carried up in advance. Advantage will be taken as the weather improves and the xoadls are again j fit for carting to send forward the neces- : sary plant and material for the work. The Makohine viaduct is now nearing completion. Platelaying between Makohine and Mangaweka is about to be proceeded with. Practically all the rails and sleepers reI quired for this section a.re now on the furI ther side of the Makohine ravine. A locomotive and a train of ballast waggons have also been arranged for and are now in process of being conveyed to Paweraw-era. I fully expect to have engines running over the Makohine viaduct by March, 31 next, and .hope to have the whole section to Mangaweka ready for traffic about the game time. The Mangaweka viaduct is in hand, •the concrete for foundations being in pro- ' gress at the site and) the ironwork in course of manufacture at the Makohine i workshop. This viaduct, though longer than the Makohine, is not so high and not nearly as difficult or expensive a structure. v\ ifcn favourable weather its erection will ' probably not take more than four months from the time the finished' materials can be railed through the Makohine workshop, *o that at a comparatively early date after'the opening of the line to Mangaweka it will be possible to proceed' with platelaying beyond the township towards- Taihape. Contracts halve been -let for the i steel superstructures of bridges over the Tortoi' Creek and Hautapu River, and all the steel and iron required for the remainder of bridges up to Ohakune has been ordered from England. Instructions have also been issued for the heavier portions of the earthworks on the Murimutu and Raetihi sections to be taken in hand when the necessary plant and supplies ran be conveyed thither. I informed Parliament last session that if ways and iman« were provided from time to time -as required this railway could be completed and opened j for traffic within -about four years from the | end of last session, and? I see no reason ] to suppose that that expectation is not- .still capable of realisation. Total expenditure j on the line during laisfc financial year, ex- J elusive of the cost of rails, sleepers and other permanent, way material supplied, was £109,632. This year a larger amount will be required, and an authorisation of ! £160,000 will accordingly be proposed for it. i BJfwkeittj-TVaipara. — The works ait the northern end of this railway >are approaching completion, and the station buidlings at Seddon are abmi'b to be -erected. It is probable that the line will lie ready to hand over to the Railway Department for ordinary traffic shortly before the ensuing Christmas holidays. Representations having been ma.de as to the necessity of providing *'ome protection to the tiains while crossing the AAvatere Bridge from the very strong winds which occasionally blow up and' down the Awatere Valley, it has been deckled to erect a. suitable wind 1 screen, the construction of which will be proceeded with immediately. At the southern end of the railway the work has made substantial progress. The earthworks on the first twelve mile? are virtually complete, and the few small bridges on this length which are still incomplete are likely to be finished within a month or so. The laying of the rails has already been completed/and the ballasting and erection of station buildings will follow in due course. I fully expect that the first section at this end of the line, 14£ miles in length, and extending as far as tfkargill will be ready for traffic early in the new year. Tlw -earthworks haive been started en the. wwiion between Skaigill and the Hurunui River, <uid are making satisfactory progress, ;i i:d plans, etc., for the- important bridge over the Hurunui River have been prepared, and ! tenders invited for its construction. This hridge will ba 378 fcvt long ,and will inw dude two spans of 100 feet each, supported on concrete piers. Plans are a!..« 0 being prepared for tire bridge over the Waiau River, near Parnassus, but as this is beyond the point to which the construction of t lie railway has been authorised it will lip. iwcessarv to make provision for a further sectiriu of the line before a contract for this briii,!.';'- e>n )>3 entered into. The iolzil fx- ', ppnilit.nr-3 i-n IliJ> \V:upar-& En-Hiva*- hi--t i 'year was £33.280, while liabilities "to an 1 amount of over £20.000 existed at the close of tlio ytar. This year an authorisation of £'55.000 is projwsed. (Hugo Centtal. — Good progress has been! I in ids with wrrks <m tb's railway during i the year. The section between Wed-,

derburn and Blackstone Hill is. rapidly approaching completion, and will probably lie available for traffic early in December next. The heavy work in the Pool burn Gorge is well in hand, ami much of it. is manng coanpleiinn. All the masoivry culverts ai... compleie up to the M.anuhei>ikia : River, and the work in the tunnels is about half done. The foundation for tho piers and abutment* of the Pool-burn viaduct are in progress, and a coiv.ra.ct for the seed superstructures of both that viaduct- and the Mamihenkia Bridge has been let, and the majority of the cylinders for the latter are. being conveyed to the site. YTn-k has recently been undertaken on the Manuhenkia section, several parties being now employed 1 oiv it. Altogether the work on this railway lias been" pushed along wit It vigour, and the progress mad* is satisfactory. The expenditure on the line, last year, according to the published accounts, was £61,347, but in reality it "was in excess of this, as uWitig 1 to an unfortunate accident in the Dunedin office, accounts representing nearly two months' cxpenditui-e on the railway were shut out at the close of the financial year. For the current year authority for £100,000 'has been provided. ' Heriofc Extension. — Work on the extc* sion of the Heriot line toward Kdie'a was put in hand shortly before the dose of the financial year. Same lit vie time was lost through the severity of the weather in the winter, and work h»s also been delayed by a difference of opinion amongst the local residents as to the route which it should take, which has rendered it advisable to restrict operations to a portion of the section about which there as no ■division of opinion. Scarcely any expenditure was charged against, the vote of last year, and this year a sum of £5000 -has been provided on- the Estimates for this railway. Catlin's River-Seaward Bush.— At the { Catlin's River end of this railway an extension of three miles and a half from Owaka has been in hand during the year, and former works are well advanced and i proceeding satisfactorily. At the Seaward ! Bush end of the line the survey to Tokonui, which was in progress last year, has been ; completed, but the result has not been enI tirely satisfactory, and a further survey has therefore " now lveen ordered, to ascertain definitely * which of the routes proposed for this section of the railway piesents the greater advantages. Owing to its having bsen impossible to commence construction work on this section of the line, pending a definite decision on the question of route, the expenditure last year fell considerably bdow the amount of "the vote. This year it will | probably be larger, and an authorisation of £512,000 is therefore proposed. Riversdale-Switzcrs. — A contract for the proposed combined road and railway bridge over the Mataura River has been prepared, but as 'the cost will largely exceed the amount of last year's vote, I have not felt justified in inviting tenders until the matter could again be submitted to Parliament. Orepuki-Waiau. — Tbe^ formation works on the firsD four miles of th'ls line are approaching completion, and simuar work is now in 4iand beyond that mileage. The rail?, etc., for the permanent way on the first section have been provided, and as soon as the ■formation is complete the platelaying will be put in ihand. The expenditure oni the line last year amounted to £7764, -and: this year an authority for £12,000 is asked for. Midland. — Hon numbers are aware from the report, of the MJidlamd Railway Commission', which has aheady been presented, to Parliament, of the result of the inquiry into the cost v and value of the railway works constructed by the 'Midland Company, and of the contributions made thereto by the Crown. Coming 'to the question of construction, the section of the line between Jackson's and Otira, which was wholly constructed by the Government, was formally handed over to the Railway Department for regular working at the end of November- last, but goods trains had been running over it for nearly a year previously. At the Canterbury end of the railway, where the works " are of the "heaviest description, good progress has been made. The cuttings and banks on the first four miles and a half are nearly completed, and the tunnels on the same section are approaching completion. Tenders were invited for the completion of the v' lucfc over Patterson's Creek, and that of Messrs Scott Bros., of Christchurch, was accepted for the work. Plans lor the larger viaduct over Gully are now being prepared. The extension of the Xel- | son section of the line to Tadmo-r, authorised last session, has b?en co-mmenced, and the earthworks are making satisfactory progress. Plans were prepared for the large combined road ami railway bridge over the Motueka River, and tenders for. its erect io-n have Teeerrtly been received anu declined. The Engineer-in-Chief is now considering the design of the bridge, with the view of effecting some economy in its construction. The survey of the proposed extension from Reefton toward Inan<g-ahua was put in hand as soon as a suitable officer could 1 be spared to take charge of the work. The line has been permanently pegged fov a distance of about eight miles, and longitudinal and cross sections completed for about five miles. We hops to be able to resume construction at the Reefton end of the line during the present yea.r. The first woi.k to bs put in hand will, of course, be the bridge over the 'Inangahua River. Considerable work has been done chmn-e: the year 1 in making necessary surveys in connection with the proposed long tunnel between. Otir a I and the Bealey. Before definitely undertaking the construction of a work of such great magnitude, however, the Government has considered it desirable to call in further expert advice, ;ind in pursuance of this decision, we now are in communication with railway authorities of the highest standing in America, with a view to obtaining a ye- | port from an American or Canadian engirt er of eminence and of experience in the construction of mountain railways, on the different proposals that have been made in reference to the construction of this particular section of the railway. The total expenditure on the Midland railway last year amounted to £41,328. This year it will doubtless be heavier, owing to work being in hand at the Nelson, end, and the probability of wo'- being started between Reefton and Inangahua, and possibly between Otim and the BeaJey. The proposed authorisation is therefore £100,000. (ireymouth-Hoki'tika extension to Ross. — This extension originally formed part of the Grey-Hokitika and Midland scheme, ;.rd a trial survey was made cf it. It is about 15 miles in length, running through level country, and taps over half a million acres of the finest forest in the colony. Four sawmills are now in operation, and there is a vast quantity of silver pine timber suitable for railway sleepers available. The estimated output of sawn timber is 6~.000,000 feet per annum. The main road from Ross to the Waibo and the Francis Joseph, glacier is completed, and ai great tourist traffic would eventuate if the line were made, for the mountain, lake, and forest scenery of .South Westland is unsurpassed. The present population, consisting of settlers, miners, sawmillers and .■ bushmen, which would be served by railway numbers 1000, and there is a vast area: of good la;:d' suitable which would be settled jf this line were constructed, and mineral deposits, well known to exist, were- developed. The amount asked for the current yea.r is £2000. Ngahere-Blackball.--The selection of a suitable site for the proposed bridge ov?r the Grey River has proved to he a work of much* difficulty, as great, changes in 'he river-bed in ih? neighbourhood of the proposed bridge have taken place in recnt years, and similar changes may take \n»cc in the future. A good sit? has now been selected, however, but it is evident that >lv cost of a substantial structure will amount to a. large sum, and tho question seems to require further consideration before any definite understanding is entered into. THE TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR RAILWAYS. In addition to the sums already mentioned, smaller authorisations totalling to £7500 are proposed under various );f\t(l.-\ and £76,000 for pc-rmnmiit w ; >y ,-nxl odier material-*, thus making the total authorisations for railway construction purposr:; £601.500, on account f-f which ji vote for the current ye.-v- of £561,000 is asked. ' ROADS, ETC. (Roads and other works under the control of the Minister of Lands.)

The amount authorised last year for roads and other works was £651,717, amd tl-e amount voted for expenditure £433,997. Of this sum there was actually expended during the year £310,660, for which amount. 621 miles of dray roads and 328 jniles cf bridle roads were constructed, 737 jmiles of dray roads and 175 miles of bridle roads were widened and improved, and 2272 miles of dray roads and 1032 miles of bridle roa-ls were "maintained. During the year the bridges constructed were 323, of a total length of 12,448 feet, and the culverts 3497, of a total length of 70,632 feet.. Out of the sum of £310,660 expended, £85,244 was disbursed through local bodies, and £225,416 by the staff of the Department, at the end of % the year authorities remaining with local bodies to the extent of £143,860, and with the staff to the extent of £292,386, a total liability of £436,246. The largest amount paid last year wa? in the Auckland district, tho expenditure there amounting to £92,255. In the other districts it w*« as follows : — Hawke's Bay £31,336, Taranaki £33.088. Wellington £72,039, Nelson £9278, Mtu-lborough £13.933, Canterbury £8015, Wetland £11.450. Otago £15,902, and Southland £20,299, with a general expenditure of £3065. The total last year was £29.535 more tlaa- in. the previous vea.r, being greater in the districts of Auckland, Taianaki, Wellington, Nelson, Westland, Canterbury and Otago, and a little less in the other districts. The very large number cf roads 1 which had to be dealt, with, namely, 2067, involved great labour in administration, a.nd arranging for the prosecution of the .n«es>ary works, appropriations were not printed until Nov. 15. After that the- new items had to bo considered, authorised, and t;h© carrying oat of the works prepared. Out of th? Land for Settlements account- tfc;re was expended £5946 in construction of 13 miles of dray reads and bridges, aad 73 culverts ; in addition 10£ miles of <3ray ronds were im- i proved, anil 28 miie* inainiaJn-ed. Owirg J to tire extension of land settlement and the consequent increase in departmental business it was decided to sever from the Lands andi Survey Department at tin- end of last financial year the work of construction and administration of roads «nd similar works. In accordance with this decision most of the officers of the Land a.nd Survey Department previously engaged on roads and cfrke work appertaining' thereto are transferred to a new Department called the "Department of Roads." Under this Department is now placed the responsibility of carrying out all the work for roads and kindred purposes formerly fupervised by the Lands and Survey Department as well as the general administration of the law." relating to rn-ads. It is yet too early to speak definitely, but so far the change has worked satisfactorily, and every coivh'denc? is kit for the future success of the arrangement. It i« proposed to carry on the road works with judicious expedition, and to endeavour to complete as toon as possible works already begun and those for which money ba* "bsen voted in previous years without nen-lecting the equally important duty o. keeping- up with the ever advancing boroar of settlement with biidgrs and Hacks at lea^t, if with nothing bett.r. ROADS ON UOLDFIKLDS. (Mines Department.) Tho vote last year under this bead amounted to £83.650, the expendmn? being £48,417, with, liabilities at die end ot the year amounting to £49,221. The sum proposed to be authorised for the current year i< £115.989, on account- of which a vote oi £84,000 is asked for. DEVELOPMENT OF UOLDFIKLDS AND MINING. The value of "old entered for .export durin K 1900 war? £1,439,602, being *.omevß.-.t le« (luui ckuiuj; die yr«vjow.« yenr, but nt statc-.1l by my colleague in his .Mines btaicment. notwithstanding 'this decrease tucre was un actual increase in the value of the grneral mineral productions. The iueiease in the. value of gold entered for export during the nine months ended Sept, 30 last was £174,528 over the value for the simi-^

lar period of 1900, and it. is expected that the results for the whole year will equal, if they do not exceed, those of 1899, -which ■were the highest for the previous twenty-six years. For the first time the output of coal and lignite has exeeed-edl 1,000,000 tons, the actual output for 1900 being 1,093,990 tons. The quantity of gold' entered for export during 1900 was 373,6160z, valued at £1.439,602, andi of silver 326,457 oz, valued! at £38,879, as compared! -with 389,5580z of gold, valued at £1,514,173 and of silver 349,3380z, valued at £40,838 for 1889, being a decrease of 15,9420z of gold, valued at £73,571 and 22,8810z of silver, valued at £1959. The Royal Commission appointed to enquire into the question of proclaiming fivers in the Middl* Island to l>e Araler-ocnrses into which, tailings audl mining debris may be discharged under the provisions of the Mining Acts has completed its labours, and 1 the. report has been presented; to Parliament. A settlement of the claims of the farmere is gradually being arrived at on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission, and ib is expected that before long most of them ■will be adjusted) and 1 that many of the rivers which have been reported on will be proclaimed. The amount expended last financial year on works for the development of the goldfields was £15,907, while the liabilities amounted! 'to £2011. It is proposed' to take a vote of £50,000 for the current year. TELEGRAPH EXTENSION. The expenditure under this head was £50,101, which includes £14,016' for new exchanges and additions to existing exchanges. The total number of subscribers at tho end of the financial year was 8210. The vote . asked for this year is £40,489, and provides for new exchanges, additions to existing exchanges, additional wire accommodation amd extension to new uis'tricts. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. j The expenditure upon public buildings again shows an increase over the previous year, but the increase was not large, being [ only £11,306, . namely £5937* under the j Public Works Fund, and £5369 under the Consolidated F.und. The appropriations purposed for the current year amount to £254,000, namely £46,759 under the Consolidated Fund, and £207,260 under ihe Public Works Fund. The vote for The current year provides for new offices and laboratories for the Mines, Agricultural and Public Health^Departments, acquisition of the land for some necessary additions to the departmental buildings jin> Auckland, completing alterations at Mount Cook •defence depot, partial rebuilding of departmental offices, Napier, completiqn of the fitting of the new and of the renovation of the old portion of Parliament Buildings, and sundry work.?. Gaols. — The total expenditure ufojer this head last year only amounted to £1258. Provision is made in the current year's vote for continuing operations in Auckland, for additions to gaol building and new gaoler's house at Wellington, gaolers houses at Westport and Dunedto, new warder's cottages ait Lyttelton, and; for a new gaol on a new site at Invercargill. Police Stations. — A large number of small works under the heading of police stations have been in hand during the year. Post and Telegraphs. — A number of new buildings were erected during the year-. Lunatic Asylums. — The expenditure on new works was slightly in excess of the previous year's figures.. The principal expenditure was again in connection, with the Porirua Asylum, which absorbed £10,587. An cxpe'ndi'ture of over £3000 also took place on additions to the Auckland Asylum,, and smaller amounts were spent at "Wellington (Mount View), Nelscn, Seacliff, etc. For the current veax> provision is made for completing the Porirua building, for completing the additions now in Oia-nd at Auckland 1 and Nelson, for some necessary enlargements and the completion «f the electric light installation at Seacliff, and for minor works at Wellington, Hokitika and Su-nnyside. Schools. — The amount voted for 1 school buildings last year was £90,655. namely £25,000 under the Consolidated Fi*nd, and £65,655 under the Public Works' Fund, j Ths expenditure amounted to £58,681. [ namelr £25.000 under the farmer, and I £33,681 undVr the latter fund. As in I former years, the bulk of this money was entrusted to the<Educatic-!V. Boards for expenditure, the only works directly controlled by thp Government being the Industrial and the Native Schools and the School for Deaf Mutes. This year we a"=b for a. total vote of £85,000. namely. £^5.000 under the Consolidated Fund, and £60.000 under the Public Works Fund. Provision is made for a commencement with the new School for Deaf Mutes, also a home for wenk-nvindsd and epileptic children, apd for the following werks under the head of Industrial Schools, namely, completior! of 'the alterations at Mount Albert (Auckland), clearing, draining, fencing, etc., on the new site at Levin, and for. a- commencement with the new building and additions, alterations and furnishings at Te Oranga. Christchurch. additional buildings at Burn-ham, and sundry furnishintrs at- Caversha.m. . Miscellaneous. — Provision is also made under the public buildings vote for_ erections reqirired by the Agricultural Department at Himter-ville. Polmerstoo North. Carterton, Palmerston South. Roxburgh. and Invercargill. in addition to the new I laboratories in Wellington already' referred j to. also for the following works under the head of Hospital and other Charitable Institutions : — Grants in aid to the Waihi, Wairoa. Napier. Picton and Greymouth Hospitals, for a cottaore hospital at Kaikoura, for special wards for the' treatment of delirium tremens cases at the four principal centres of population, and for a commencement with the proposed ' sanatorium for consumptives. LIGHTHOUSES. HARBOUR WORKS AND HARBOUR DEFENCES. The expenditure on new lighthouse works last year was very light. This year provision is made for the new light at Kaioiirungi Point, for a conun&oceme&k with a new tower, and providing a new lantern at Cape Campbell, and for connecting the principal lighthouses with the telegraph system. The cxcsndiiure on harbour works was also rather light. The expenditure under the head of harbour defences was also less than usual last year, but this year a much larger expenditure lias been provided for. ths amount proposed being £25,000. In the case of the vote for contingent <le- ; fence also the expenditure fell bslow the i amount for the previous year, but this year ! a, larger vote is provided for, principally | to meet the payments for the field batteries, submarine mining vessels, and material ordered which, is expected to come to charge during the y£ai". CONCLUSION. In allocating ths amounts proposed for the several purposes, due consideration!- has been given to* what 1 believe to hi the wishes^ of honourable members, that tha works should be proceeded with at si reasonable speed, and especially that the formation of roads to back blocks should bo pushed forward, the work being done- at a time wl'.en the best results may be obtaine:l. Kvcry consideration has been given to the urgent requirements of the colouy, and 1 have confidence that the result at ilu- end of the year will give general satisfafiion.

From Jan. Year 1,1890, to ended To Dec. 31, March 31, March Class of work. 1890. 1901. 31, 1901. Railways — £ £ £' Con-struc-tion . .. . 14,067,100 2,025,391 392,691 A d d i t iom? to open lines . — 1,075,535 325,032 Roads . . . 3,575,804 1,988,145 315,791 Public Buildings . . . 1,776,003 733,6i7 121,364 Immigralion . 2,144,386 3,333 214 Purchase of •Native lands 1,191,137 773,833 23,683 L ;g h thouses, ha r b o ur Works and defences . 880,095 85,518. 6,517 Telegraph extension . . 600,849 805,309 50,101 D -c v elopment of goldfields 561,101 125,252 15,907 Defence wdrKs— • General . . 429,720 120,240 37,650 Departmental 349,789 109,528 12,933 Minor works and services 300,689 7,472 673 Cost amd discount raising loans, etc ... . 1,021,472 36,299 1,460 Totals . . i 26.898.145 £7.389.502 £f 1*09,021