The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1900.

Waikato Argus, Volume IX, Issue 768, 1 October 1900, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1900.

Ox Friday "last the Minister for Public Works laid his statement upon the table of the House giving an account of the past year's work, and giving a sketch of intentions during that now current. The Government recognises the desire of the country that the Trunk railway shall be pushed on, and roads made to back blocks as rapidly as is consistent with not entering upon an extensive borrowing scheme, which they consider would be detrimental to the best interests of the country. In order in some measure to meet the difficulty with regard to back blocks, a scheme of light railways is in contemplation to be applied principally t.o the North Island owing to the general scarcity of road metal. It is, however, the Main Trunk line with which we are mainly interested. As regards this the scheme is to complete in four years, a rate of progress which the Minister considers is as rapid as can be profitably made. He points out that to go faster would entail heavy additional expenditure. It is no use now to cast reflections upon Ministers because of the backward state of this line consequent on the diversion of funds borrowed and voted to carry on this work. Assuming that the work could be prosecuted faster than is purposed we must not overlook the fact that under our form of Gevernment it is necessary to a ministry to. spread expenditure oyer the colony on other grounds than—that of urgency. In a young arid' undeveloped country like this'there is of necessity scarcely a district in which a public work could not be undertaken with advantage to the district and the colony, if the funds were available. Ministers may be said to be controlled by two balances—rthose of cash and votes, and the increase of the former by borrowing only places the two in the same relative positions. It is fortunate that this is Urn case, otherwise the only cheek upon Ministers, with a majority at their backs, would be inability to borrow. The vote asked for the line between Auckland and Wellington is £130,000 this year, as against £70,000 last, being an increase of £60,000. In view of the fact that the pledge has been given to complete the line in four years, we have reason to be satisfied. The sum asked is some recognition that the work is urgent. As regards roads, the Minister tolls us that during the past year 58 miles of dray roads, 348 miles of pioneer tracks, 85 miles of dray roads and 45 miles of bridle tracks widened and made more passable for traffic, and 2G38 miles of road have been maintained. There have been built 137 road bridges over 30 foot span and over SOOO culverts, the amount drawn for the North Island having been £200,809, and for the Middle and Stewart Island £57,'J05. This discrepancy is accounted for by the fact that the North had from various caubes, mainly the native trouble, been neglected as regards roads. Without doubt, if it were possible to draw a balance as (o the expenditure on both islands, it would be found that there is still a very large balance due to the North.

The following is the statement of Ways and Means ■ — At March 31st, 1899, the available balance of ways and means for public works purposes was £380,856, and further funds were provided last session as follows :—Under the aid to Public Works r.nd Land Settlement Act, £1,000,000; transferred from revenue, £450,000 ; miscellaneous receipts, £2116 ; milking the pros total £1,832,972. The expenditure last year amounted to £993,223. Therefore, at the end of the year the balance amounted to £839,749, Against this, however, were liabilities amounting to £494,895. It is now proposed to provide additional funds, as under :-Ncw loan, £1,000,000 ; to be transferred from reveuue, £500,000; making altogether (after deducting liabilities) a total of £1,845.854. The estimates of expenditure for the current year total to £1,938,369 (in addition to £49,U00 under Government loans to local bodies account), thus leaving an unallocated balance of ways and means for public works purposes of £401,380. In Saturday's issue we gave a list of the principal items referring to Auckland. It would be well that Chairmen and members of public bodies should carefully scan this before the Supplementary Estimates are dealt with.