PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

Waipa Post, Volume VI, Issue 268, 28 November 1913, Page 3

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

PROGRESS OF ROADS AND RAILWAYS.

1 The Public Works statement t was introduced in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, afternoon by Governor’s-Message. In it the Hon. W. Fraser (Minister of Public Works) stated, inter alia : “Owing to the financial position obtaining at the close of last session, and in view of the heavy commitments already entered into, l did not feel justified in making available for immediate ex-, v penditure the whole of the new -I items appearing on the Public f Works Estimates. All authorities ' issued and offers made in pursuance of previous years’ appropriations were, however, duly honoured. New votes urgently requiring attention were also authorised on application. As soon as the success of the flotation of the new loan was assured, all restrictions regarding expenditure of new votes were removed. ” Notwithstanding these precautionary measures the total expenditure of the past year on public works was not only in excess of that of the previous year, •►-but was actually the largest in W any single vear for over thirty years, and amounted to the very large sum of £2,711,068—viz., £2,593,365 out of the Public Works Fund and allied special accounts, and £117,703 out of the Consolidated. Fund. The total expenditure from the inauguration of the public works policy up to March 31st, 1913, is £60,014,415, of which amount £2,593,365 was expended during the year ended March 31 last. The gross.receipts for the year, including the ways and means for public works purposes available at the commencement of the year of £82,580, are set,down at £2,829,454- , • ■ “ The ordinary expenditure of the year amounted to £2,378,539. charges and expenses in respect of raising loans £72,950, and redemption of debentures £IOOO, thus bringing the total disburse- " merits up to £2,452,489, and leaving a credit balance at the end of . • the year of £379,965 (exclusive of £249,776 proceeds of 4 per cent. ; stock loan to pay off debentures due April 15, 1913)- 1 “ For the current year it is pro- ; posed to provide additional funds as under : (

Balance of loan of 1911 100,000 1 Balance of loan of 1912 894.774 Transfer from Consolidated Fund ... . ... 675,000 Proposed new loan ... 1,750,000 “ The above, with the balance * brought forward, gives a gross total of £3,796,739- The estimated expenditure for public works for the current year (excluding separated accounts having their own ways and means) amounts to £2,995,575, leaving an estimated balance of £801,164 tt> be carried forward to next-year. “In addition to the above, we have authority to-raise, outside the Public Works Fund, the undermentioned sums: — £ Under the Aid to Watejr~4t - power Works Act, If. i 0 450,000 • For irrigation work under the Irrigation and Water Supply Act, 1913 , too,ooo Under the Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers Improvement Act,X9lo(balance) ... ••• ••• 50,000 RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. “The following sections of railway were completed and opened for traffic during the last financial year, or since its N close : M. Ch. Waikohu to Otoko 7 75 April 1912 Westport to Tc Kuha 5 74 April 1912 TeWera toPohokura 8 55 Aug. 1912 Kiwi to Glenhope 12 59 Sept. 1912 Mina to Parnassus 8 43 Sept. 19 12 Te Plana to Kaiwaka 8 65 March 1913 Total 52 miles 51 chains.

The lines practically completed and ready to hand over to to the railway department total 29 miles 38 chains, whilst further works covering 52 miles 72 chains are approaching completion. The total expenditure on railway construction and improvement work during last financial year amounted to £1,179,077. ROADS AND BRIDGES.

The provision made on last year’s appropriations for road and bridge works under all votes and accounts (including the Consolidated Fund vote for maintenance) amounted to £746,950. The total amount authorised for expenditure during the financial year, including the unexpended balance of authorities brought forward at March 31, 1912, amounted t0£845> 2 4&. The total expenditure for the year amounted, however, te«ily 972, leaving an unexpended balance of authorities amounting to

£376,276 at March 31st last. Between April I and September 30 a further £337,378 was authorised, and expenditure to the extent of £231,605 was brought to charge. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The total expenditure on public buildings during the last financial year amounted to £611,041. AGRICULTURE. Further expenditure is contemplated this year to provide up-to-date buildings and equipment for the experimental farms, to make these institutions object lessons in all that makes for effective working and economy. When the farms were started there was an almost entire absence of modern equipments, and improvements are being effected

generally, the expenditure being spread over a number of years. SCHOOL BUILDINGS. The expenditure during the past year was £105,000, of which nearly £B3*ooo was paid to the respective governing bodies for the erection of schools, additions to existing buildings, equipment and sites for public schools, teachers’ residences, technical and secondary schools, and University colleges. WORKERS’ DWELLINGS.

The expenditure under this head during the past year amounted to £46,455 —an appreciable increase over that of the preceding year. The demand for workers’ dwellings under the conditions provided in the Act is increasing, and for the current year an authorisation of £75,000 is. proposed for the acquisition of land, road formation on sites, and erection of buildings. On account of this sum a vote of £65,000 is asked for for the requirements of the y current year. CONCLUDING OBSERVATION. The rapid increase of settlement necessitates year by year a corresponding increase of road and bridge construction, and the end thereof is not yet in .sight. There are still far too many settlers who have had for years past either no access or quite inadequate access to their properties, but the number of these, I am pleased to say, is diminishing. Once these arrears have been overtaken it will be a much easier task to provide only for the needs of new settler’s.

THE ESTIMATES

WAIKATO ITEMS. Of the votes for roads and bridges in this district are : WAIPA COUNTY. Blackett’s Bridge* £IOO. Waikato River Bridge (part Raglan) (£1 for £1), £SOO. Kihikihi to Waotu (part West Taupo), £350. Pirongia to Te Awamutu (£1 for £l), £250. Puniu Bridge Road, £SO.

Rangiaohia Road District Roads (£1 for £1), £750. Te Kowhai to Te Rapa (£1 for £1), £IOO. Tuhikaramea 1 to Rukuhia (swamp road), £350, (£l for £l), £550. Waipa River Bridge at Pirongia (£l for £1), £I3OO. Walker’s Gully (£1 for £2), £575. WEST TAUPO COUNTY. Kakepuku (part Waitomo) £IOO. Kakepuku Improved Farm Settlement (part Waitomo), £l5O. Kakepuku to Puniu Bridge, £l5O. Puketurua to Waotu Bridge (part Matamata), £2OO. Tokanui to Wharepapa £SOO. Kawa (£6OO, £2 for £l) part Waitomo), £950. Puniu River Bridge at Wharepuhanga, £IOOO. Raupara, £l5O. WAIKATO.

Eureka Main Road to Railway (£1 for £1), £IOO, Ruakura Experimental Farm Road (£2 for £1), £2OO. Tauhei to Morrinsville (£l for £l) £IOO. Taupiri to Rewi Settlement (on account) (£1 for £l), £250. RAGLAN. Raglan to Waipa (£125, £l for £l),-’£3oo. Waitetuna to Kauri, £125. . Waitetuna to Whatawhata (£l for £l), £250. Whatawhata Bridge to Karamu (£l for £l), £1,500. Harapepe to Karamu, £125. Harapepe to Te Pahu creamery L2OO. Harapepe to Te Rore £4OO. Sainsbury Road, £SO. KAWHIA. Kawhia to Aotea Road to Parangi Lake, £l5O. Okupata Lake, £2325. ' Oparau Bridge and Approaches £I,OOO. Pakoka River Road, £IOO. Pirongia to Kawhia (part Waitomo), £350. Pirongia West Road(Okupata), Pekanui Jn. to Te Rau-a-moa (on account) £1 for £l, £2OO. MATAMATA. Tirau to Matamata County Boundary, £IOO. Bridge Road, £IOO. Cambridge to Horahora, £2OO. Cambridge to Taupo, £l5O. Lichfield to County Boundary, £l for £l, £l5O. Lichfield to Waotu, £250. Stream Bridge, Lichfield to Waotu, £l5O. Puketurua to Waotu (Putaruru Road), £IOO. WAITOMO. Ngutunui to Kawa, £SO. Waiwhakaata Road (Pirongia), £IOO, £ I for £l, £2OO. Caves Road, £l for £l, £1525. Hangitiki to Waitomo, £l for £l, £3500. Hauturu to Otorohanga, £i for £l, £BSO. Kio Kio (on account), £l for £l, £4OO. Otorohanga to Otewa (£3OO on account of £l7s°), f° r £7°o- - to Ouruwhero (on account of £1250), £l for£l, £250. Otorohanga to Pirongia, £1 for £l, £l5O. Waipa River Bridge, Kawa, £4700. Waitomo Stream Bridge, £SO. Waitomo Valley, £l for £l, £1075. BACK B ROADS. In the Votes for the back blocks

the following appear, the County where situated appearing in parentheses :

Maihihi Bridge (W.Taupo) £ 150. Mangaorongo Bridge No. I, (W. Taupo), £125. Mangaorongo Bridge No. 2, (W. Taupo), £l5O. « Mangamahoe Bridge (W. Taupo), £l5O. Mangaiti (Waitomo), £2OO.

Okupata Jn. to Pekanui (Kawhia and Waitomo), £650. Pakoka Bridge (Raglan), £225. Waitituna to Aotea (Kawhia), £450. Wharauroa (Kawhia and Raglan), £225. Otorohanga to Hangitiki, Waitomo Road (Waitomo), £l5O. Otorohanga to Pirongia (Waitomo), £75.

ROADS TO OPEN CROWN

LANDS.

Moerangi Block (Kawhia), £SOO. Rangitoto No. 2, (W. Taupo), £IOO.

Rotongata Block (W. Taupo), £l,ooo. Tokanui Block (W. Taupo), £2OO.

Turitea Block (Waitomo), £IOO. Wharepuhanga Block (West Taupo), £3OOO. Wharepuhanga Extension No. 2 West Taupo, £ISOO. Hauturu Block (Waitomo) £2OO.

MISCELLANEOUS

Ohaupo Post Office £1775

Te Awamutu Post Office (including balance due on tower)— £175-

Ruakura —accommodation for cadets, water supply, etc., £ISOO.

Ruakura— agricultural tractor, £550. Ruakura, buildings, etc. AI3OO. Ruakura (drainage) AT,OOO. Tokanui Mental Hospital (land and buildings), £25,000.