The Public Works Statement.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XVII, Issue 3009, 13 September 1899, Page 2

The Public Works Statement.

[by telegraph]. Wellington. This day. The Minister of i übiic Works, the Hon. Hall-Junes. delivered his Statement in the House last evening. The following is a condensed report : Mr Speaker, in laying before ■ honorable members the Public ' Works Sta'ement for the year.it j is my plea-nig duty to again report I hat safi-ucIMT progress has j been made with tiie \'arious works in hand. The Thames-Paeroa, Seaward Jhisli, and Forest Hill railways have been opened for traffic," and should materially increase the earning power of the lines with which they are connected, the progress of settlement, and the profitable utilisation of valuable timber that have followed construction. Our present railways have manifested the necessity of making further extensions on certain lines. Some of the proposed lines that are urgently required in the interests of settlement also give promise of earning interest upon the cost of construction from the moment of opening. A large borrowing policy for the completion of the railway system, irrespective of results likely to be derived therefrom, is to lie deprecated: at the sametime it should not be forgotten that a? a. question of colonial policy the completion of the main trunk lines from Auckland to the Bluff within reasonable time is much to be desired. In regard to other lines it will also be necessary, in order to meet the requirements of industries, and to develope the resources of the colony, to keep pace with settlement, and so assist settlers in getting products expeditiously and cheaply to markets and ports of shipment. In my Statement of December 1597.1 included a table showing the mileages of different sections of railway completed and opened for t rathe. Since 24th January, 1691, the total length opened within the period referred to was no less than 224 miles 51 chain?. Since the Statement was delivered the following additional lines have been opened : —WhangareiKamo extension, section Whaka-para-Waiotu 3 miles 20 chains, Waikato-Thames, Paeroa-Thames 10 miles i'O chains, Midland. Bel-grove-Motupiko 0 miles 23 chains, Otago Central. Kokonga-Uanfurly 11 miles 2.3 chains. Seaward Bush, (Jorge Uoad-Waimahaka 6 miles f>2 chain?. Forest Hill, WintonHedgehope 12 miles 40 chainstotal c2 miles 20 chains. Add the mileage reported in the Statement of 1697. 224 miles 51 chains, the total mileage opened since 24th January, 1691, is 267 miles. There is also at the present time a length of 93 miles in progress. The expenditure on railway construction works during the same period amounted to" £ 1.431.140. Notwithstanding the someAvhnt increased funds available, 1 regret that I have still been unable to make provision for all the projected new railways, and exten sion of existing lines that have been petitioned for from time to time. 1 have only been able to provide for about one-fourth of the works, being those that were most ! urgently required, or which will be , immediately reproductive. While ' admitting that there is every proliability of some of the lilies unprovided for ultimately earning interest on their cost, it would nevertheless not be prudent to commence constructing until some of those now in hand had been completed. Reference is made later on to the more important of these proposals. Available ways and means for public works purposes on 31st March, 1697.—The available balance of ways and means for public works purposes was £326.492. Further funds were provided last session as follows: — Under the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Acts Amendment Act 500,000 Transferred from die Consolidated Fund 425,000 Sinking funds released 22,360 Miscellaneous receipts 2,330 Thus making the gross total available for ways and means .£1.297,162. The expenditure amounted to £916,327, which left the balance i'300,655 at the end of the year. Against this were liabilities amounting to £446,283. It is proposed to raise an additional fund as under : £ For railway construction ... 300,000 For additions to open railways 225,000 For roads to Crown and Native ■ lands and main voad3 ... 150,000 For roads to back blocks settle- | " incuts ... ... ... 150,000 For permanent works on goldfields 50,000 For public and technical school buildings ... :■ 50,000 For purchase of Native lands... 50,000 For contingent harbor defence 25,000 Total £1,000,000 It is proposed to transfer from consolidated fund the sum of £450,000, making a gross total of £1,6.30,855. The estimates of expenditure current for the vear is £1,355,096, of which £1,306.025 will be charged against the Public Works fund, and the balance against the Government Loans to Local Bodies Account, leaving an unallocated balance for public works of £522,630. It must be borne in mind that late appropriations will probably limit the actual expenditure to about the same amount as last year, and the balance available for next year will therefore be greater than the £522.630 unallocated. It is hoped that there will be a surplus from the consolidated fund this yea*, out of v Inch another grant can be made to the Public-Wrtgks fund, which, together pected balance available under latter fund, will be sufficient to meet the actual expenditure under that fund to 31st March.

1901. What steps should then be taken to obtain further ways and means for public works must be left for next Parliament to consider. TOTAL PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE, The following table shows the total expenditure over all works and services throughout the colony out of Public Works fund up to 31st December, 1690, and also up to 31st March last:—Railways— Total to 31 st December. 1890, £14,067,100 ; Ist January, 1891, to 31st March, 1899, £1,965.266 Tot alto 31st March, 1899, £16,032,360 : roads £1,387,311, £4,963,115; public buildings—£l,776,oo3, £496,856 ; immigration—£2,l44,3B6, £2734, £2,147.120; purchase of native lands £1,904,257; lighthouses, harbor works and harbor defences — £680.095, £69,976, £950,071 ; telegraph extension—£6oo,B49, £228,437, £829,256 ; development of goldfields-£661,101, £87,530, £648,631: defence works (general)— £429,720, £39,780, £469,500; departmental £433.712; minor works and services— £300,669, £6055, £306,744; cost and discount of raising loans, cVc. £1.021,472, £6518. £1.027,990. Totals, £26,898,145,' £5,087,606, £31,985,751. DEPARTMENTAL. Honorable members are perhaps not aware that a large amount of work was performed by the Public Works Department on behalf of other departments of the Public Service. The strength of the Public Works staff requires to be appreciably greater byleason cf this. The report then goes on to detail the various works undertaken on .behalf of other departments. RAILWAYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. The extent of railway construction work in hand during the last year was much the same as during the previous year. RIMUTAKA DEVIATION. The trial surveys to avoid the Rimutaka incline, and steep grades and sharp turns between Upper Hutt and the Summit, which were made by Mr J. H. Dobson, and were in progress when the last Statement was delivered, have since been completed. The surveys and subsequent personal examinations of the ground by the superintending engineer, Mr P. S. Hay, are embodied in a report by that gentleman which will be found attached, .to this Statement. A report is also appended on further examination of the Wainui Omata route by Mr R. W. Holmes. The Government proposes to have accurate detailed surveys undertaken in order to determine which route offers the greatest advantages, and the work will be started as early as possible. A vote of £6OOO has been placed on the Estimates to cover the expenditure this year. TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR RAlL-

WAYS. lii addition to the appropriations already mentioned a vote of £ISOO is proposed, to meet old land claims and other liabilities on railways, in respect of which no specific votes are taken, also a vote of £46,000 for permanent way and other materials, thus making the total appropriations proposed for railways construction purposes £836,500. WELLINGTOX-MAXAWATU RAILWAY. Honorable members are aware of the conditions under which this line can be compulsorily taken. As there are diverse opinions as to the Government taking it over a complete investigation should te made by experts as to the position, valuation, and outlook, and also as to the effect the acquisition of the line would have upon the working of the railway system of the North Island. Parliament would then be able to decide what should be done in the matter. ROADS, ETC. Roads and other works under the control of the Minister of Lands; —The report of the Department of Lands and Surveys gives in detail the nature and extent of the roads and other works done by that department, mainly in the interests of advancing settlement. It shows that during the past year 312 miles of dray roads and 399 miles of bridle roads have been constructed, 350 miles of roads have been widened from bridle to dray roads, 139 miles of bridle roads have been improved, 96 bridges over 30 feet span were built, and .575 miles of new roads were surveyed for construction. These works together with the maintenance of 2579 miles of roads already constructed have cost for the year .£282.352. Settlement on the * back lying Crown lands has now reached the stage at which settlers require roads passable by vehicles. Six feet tracks were eagerly applied for at first, to get into the farms now when the bush is felled and the land in grass they require roads to enable them to remove their produce, and also for the other purposes of life. The back iands are difficult to provide with such roads, and the construction is expensive, but having j settled these Crown lands the vernment is bound to forward to the utmost of the country's ability ! their future development. For | the current year the House is asked to authorise works to the extent of .£-155,280, and to vote for this payment during the year a sum of* .£330,000, also .£47,078 under the Government Loans to Local Bodies Account. The number of separate roads or items in the Estimates is this year greater than those of last year, and the amounts are many of them small. These small amounts are probably as valuable to the districts" affected as are the larger sums for the opening up of new lands or for the maintenance of existing means of communication, and they ' are therefore not to be despised ojc( that account. As far. as practicably

the machinery of the local bodies ■ will be taken advantage of in the expenditure of the smaller votes. NATIVE LAND PUKCHASES. ft In pursuance of the taperingpolicy initiated by the Govern--1 juent as regards purchase of native lands, efforts are being made to close up all incomplete purchases. It is anticipated that before the end of the financial vear from 150,000 to 200,000 acres of land purchased from the natives will be thrown open for settlement. The vote proposed for the current year is .£'50.000. Next ,year a much smaller sum will probably suffice. TELEGRAPH EXTENSION. The expenditure under this class during the past vear was £28,551. PUBLIC RriLIUNOS. There was an increased expenditure upon public buildings during the late financial year, due principally to the completion of the new Parliament Buildings. GENERAL. The new works at our asylum buildings last year cost ,£17,607. School buildings cost £08,400. This year we ask for a total vote of £77,500. The expenditure on new lighthouses amounted to £1)727. The j vote for the current year is £'4270. i The appropriation for harbor defence last year was £IO.OOO. and £ 10.15 S was expended. We ask for a vote of £-!0.gOO for j defence purposes and the pur- i chase of warlike stores. CONCLUSION. The gross total votes now submitted to T he House for public works purposes amount to£l.e>7s,- ; 098, as compared with £1.2;.i7.500* last year. The actual expenditure last year amounted to £900.298—viz.," £9i(3,;527 under the Public Works Fund and £16.971 out of the Loans to Local Bodies Account. i