PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15322, 24 August 1923, Page 6

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

RAILWAY CiWSTRUGTiON POLICY

HYDRO-ELECTRIC DEVELOPMENT

EXTENSION OF TELEPHONE SYSTEM

SPUTH AUCKLAND VOTE

By Telegraph. WELLINGTON, Thursday. The Minister of Public Worts (Hon. J. G. Goates) delivered the Publio Works statement this evening. •The operations of the Public Works Department have resulted in material progress in the works of railway con-. struction, hydro-electric development, irrigation, road construction and improvement, as well as in other works' individually smaller but none the less •of importance. The costs of con- .■ struction materials and plant have rc- . ceded to some extent. To this, and the application of mechanical appara- • tus' wherever possible, is due the fact that, compared with last Tear; a much greater extent of work lias been obtained for an equivalent expenditure ■of money. Railways. .' During the' financial year a seven miles 65 chains section of the Waluku ; branch railway was completed and banded over to the Railway Department. The two outstanding achievements have been the completion of the gap between the railheads on the : line running north from Auckland and south from Bay of Islands and Wha- . naarei, thus linking to the North Island ,< Mam Trunk system 200 miles of rail- '■ way system north of Auckland; while in the South Island the east and west ' coast railway systems have been connected, and general railway traffic , ..established in both these cases. , ; Four miles 5-i chains of railway has 'been actually handed over to the Working Railways Department since March 31. In addition, rails' were actually laid over 66 miles 35 chains ; of the 287. miles 46 chains now in course of-construction. Arrangements have been made for the invitation of i tenders for construction of the Aonga•tete, Apata, and Te Puna sections of the . Tauranga westwards railway, a total length of 18 miles 18 chains. The reasons for this step are twofold. , First, it is always desirable that a constructional department such as the' " Public Works Department should have . the opportunity from time to time of proving that its own methods of construction and its costs of carrying out work are satisfactory. Secondly, the creation of an equipment of mechanical apparatus' and plant to enable ~'; ''every work to be taken*in band under concentration'methods would involve the purchase of an amount-of 1 equipment which could not be continuously used. The -letting of a contract to a ' ' big' construction company would avoid : ,the necessity »f the Government providing the plant, as it would have-to do - if itfjjndertook t'he work itself. Furthcrmb#i:.it is highly desirable that ; the 50 nfffe of completed railway from Tauranga eastwards, on which traffic is at present being rim,by the •/Public Works Department, should be connected with the North Island railway system at as early a date as pos'sible, and a satisfactory contract for the 18-mile section in question will, it is hoped, enable this to be done. It must not be assumed that it is the intention to abandon the co-operative contract system by which so many of our works of great importance have been constructed. '.■■ During the present year it is anticipated that expenditure by the. Public Works Department will cease on the Whangarei branch connection to the. North Auckland Main Trunk,' and also on the Huarau-Waiotira section of the ■ North Auckland Main Trunk.' . Coming now to the East Coast Main Trunk line, which from a •construction ' point of view runs east from Tauranga ■to Taneatua, a distance of G 3 miles, •and west from Tauranga to Waihi, a distance of '4l miles, it is estimated ithat the Tauranga-Taneatua section can be completed in two years'. On $ ithe Tauranga westwards section to Waihi a certain, amount of work has already been -done:by' the- department, mainly at the Waihi end. Tenders are ■ being invited for the construction of the intervening section of 18 miles IS chains. The time allowed for completion of this section is three years from the end of this financial, year, within ■which time the Department will have 'completed the work which it has in ihana. , . .

primary development in any country -must be by roads. Very great progress has been made in- this direction during the -past year, both in materially improving existing roads and in constructing new roads. The expenditure of the Parliamentary appropriations for this purpose has been carried out by both the Public Works Department and local body organisations. Flood Damage. Progress of work' generally bas been considerably hampered by persistently bad weather. In certain localities very serious floods occurred, resulting in heavy damage and destruction of roads, bridges and river protection works. It has been necessary for the Government to come to the assistance of local bodies, which will mean a heavy addition to normal expenditure. Hydro-Electrlo Development. . Substantial progress is being made with the development of the hydroelectric power of the Dominion.' The total outlay on all schemes' during the year has been £450,247, and the' total outlay at the end of the year was £2.170,000. Two schemes, Lake Coleridge and Hora Ilora, are .in full operation and are being extended. The construction power plant for Waikaremoana has been installed, and is being used pending construction of -the main plant to supply the local demand, and two of the larger schemes are under construction, viz., Mangahao and Arapuni. Hora Hora Electric Power Supply.— Service has been maintained satisfactorily during the year, and the reticulation has been rapidly extended by the powder boards into the farming districts: ..The*, number of electric milking machines connected to the mains of the four power boards in the district has increased during the year to 880.' The financial results show a profit of £6269. This has enabled the accumulated deficiency of £5882 to be paid off and £386 is available towards' the accumulated sinking fund deficiency of £8450. The load at Hora Hora reached 6900 kw. during the year, which is 10 per cent, overload on the present installed capacity of 6300 kw. An arrangement was entered into during the year with the Auckland Electric Power Board to give them 2000 h.p. from Hora Hora in advance of the power supply from Arapuni, which cannot be given until 1928, and the construction of the necessary transmis'sion lino for this purpose is in hand, together with the necessary extension at Hora Hora, consisting of two units each of 2000 kw., to supply-this 'and the normal extensions to the demand in the Waikato. The arrangement with the Grand Junction Company to utilise their steam plant at Waihi as standby has proved very useful on several occasions during the year, and enabled the supply at Waihi to be maintained during the annual shut-down for the overhaul of the transmission line. Arapuni Electric Power Scheme: In accordance with ,the contract entered into with the Auckland Electric Power Board, specifications have been drawn up and issued for the construction of the dam and'headworks at the Arapuni rapids,, Waikato River, and tenders close early next year. Several inquiries' have been received from large construction Arms in Great Britain and America. Meanwhile'tenders for the power-house building' and plant will be advertised shortly. The Department has already let contracts for the construction of the access road between the railway and the dam site, I and has organised a haulage plant for metalling operations. The object of this is to avoid, delay in opening up the work when the dam construction is undertaken. In order that Arapuni shall be remunerative from the start it is nece'ssary to ensure a combined I load of- at least 30,000,.k\v. on. this sta- ! tion and Hora Hora. Towards this the ! Auckland Power Board will have an 'installed capacity at the end of this Ivear of 30,000 kw., and has recently I decided to instal a further 5000 kw. : in order to cope with the demand it -anticipates before 1925. A proposal is also in hand for the formation of the- Franklin Electric Power Board, i which will further, increase the deImand. This, with the.. 10,000 kw. of I load which it is anticipated Hora Hora i will be carrying in 1.928, .will give the i full amount of business.-which is ro- | quired to render the. Arapuni sclieme I remunerative .from the start. Future Development: The following works' are provided for:—(a) j Completion of Mangahao to 20,000 kw. in 19" 4 with transmission lines to I supply Wellington, Masterlon, Dannejvirko and Marion, and with early extensions to Napier and Wanganui; (b) I construction of Arapuni hcadworks, i together with first three generating 'units, amounting to 45 000 kw.. in | I<V>B with additional units of Ia.OOO kw each as required, also duplicate i transmission lines to Auckland; (c) ; (lie extension of the existing powerhouse at Dora Mora, which.is now in hand and will be completed early in ijO-v, brining up its' capacity from 16300 kw. to 10,300 kw., with transmission lines to Auckland, Te Kuiti, and Rotorua, in addition to the existin- lines to Waihi, Hamilton and To \wamulu; (d) the extension of Lake Coleridge By addition of two units, each of 7500 kw. rapacity, in J 926;

Road Construction,

The expenditure for the year ending March 31, 1923, on road construction ,and maintenance has surpassed all previous records'. The amount, of construction work carried.out was large and diversified in character. It lias been necessary .to employ large numbers of unskilled men on relief works, and the .object has been, so far as .practicable, to employ such men on work of general utility to the. Dominion. Consequently several of the leading highways that came under this category were selected and have, by means of this labour, been greatly improved by regrading, realignment, and surfacing with metal. The style of •construction has. as far as possible, been standardised, special attention ■being given to the. matter of curvature, as that feature is of great importance to motorists in regard to safety, economy and comfort. In bridge and culvert work the durability, strength, and adaptability of concrete, Whether plain or reinforced, are being increasingly recognised and made use of. In addition to the allocation of available funds between different districts, based on the usual factor of population, length of road, cost of completing present, roads and forming new ones, present loan indebtedness, etc.. special allowance* are being made for relief works and for certain roads thai will act as temporary substitutes for railways, as well as for roads on which there arc gaps that arc at present in such a stale as to interfere with through traffic. The works for which special allowances have be™ made, as well as the large bridge construction works, 'have been carried out under the direct

(e) in addition to the above preparations are being made for the installation of a major scheme at Waikarcmoana; this will probably take the form of two units of 10,000 kw. each. Preliminary investigations have been made of suitable sources for power for Olago, Marlborough, Nelson and Wcstland.

Expenditure

The tolal net expenditure under all votes and accounts appearing on the public works statements for the financial year ended March 31, 1923, was £4,939,520.

supervision of the department, but other works' have, us heretofore, been ■entrusted to local authorities in accordance with plans and specifications' approved by the Department. The Main Highways Act, though passed during the session of 1022, does not come into active operation till \pril 1," 1024. Meantime, however, much information is being and will still have to be collected, and many problems' considered by the board constituted in terms of the Act.

Of this sum £3,912,447 was expended oid, of the Public Works Fund, and the balance, £1.027,073, out of accounts which have their own ways and means and arc quite separate from the Public Works J.-'und.

Ways and Means

Toads and Transport.

Doubtless secondary development of Hie country by means of railway is Kisoniiui at a. .certain .vta;:e. yet the

On April !. 1922, the available ways anil moans for public works purposes wore £429,652, and other voles and credits brought, the amount available for public works up lo £9,442,474. The estimated expenditure on public works for the current linancial year (exclusive of those accounts which

have their own and means) is £1,806,212, which will leave an estimated credit balance in the fund at March 31, 1924, of £4,636,462. It is gratifying to me to know that the administration of the Public Works Department still retains the confidence of the Legislature, as evidenced by the establishment of these, credits and the placing of them at my disposal for the development of the Dominion under a progressive policy of railway road, hydro-electric, and irrigation construction. Railways Authorisation.

The expenditure under the Railways Improvement Authorisation Act, 1914, amounted to £53.636 for grade easements"; duplication of line, Horotiu to Frank ton Junction; a new station and station yards, goods sheds, and terminal facilities at Auckland, Wellington, Ghristchurch, and Lytlelton; and signal, interlocking, and safety appliances.

Additions to Open Lines. The expenditure out of the Public Works Fund under the head "Additions to Open Lines" amounted to £751,928, in the provision of additional rolling-stock, tarpaulins, Westihghouse brakes, steam-heating, electric headlights for locomotives, workshops machinery, Improvements and additions to station buildings, extensions of sidings, bridge-work and subways, cranes, weighbridges, additions to workshops, tablet, telegraph and telephone facilities, additional dwellings, signals and interlocking appliances, and purchase of land.

Public Buildings. Prisons. —The Department's building operations were again restricted to the completion of urgently required institutional and farm buildings and warders' cottages. The work of modernising the metal-crushing plant at the Auckland Prison is now well advanced, and the completed installation will very soon be brought into full U3C. In addition to general improvements to the Waikeria Reformatory Farm property, inmates from the latter institution have been employed extensively on the Tokanui Mental Hospital Reserve clearing and preparing virgin land for cultivation. Post am} Telegraph.—The great expansion of departmental business has rendered additional accommodation necessary at' many places. This can bo provided in most cases by additions to existing buildings; but in others the erection of new buildings is necessary, and provision will be made accordingly as funds permit. Provision is also being made this year for a new post office at Paeroa. . Mental Hospitals. Considerable maintenance' work with structural alterations and improvements has been and is being carried out at Auckland, and the additions to Park House have been furnished and are in occupation. At Tokanui a brick admission unit for males has been completed and furnished, and a supply of concrete blocks has been made from river-gravel on the estate for building villa units in the near future. Hospitals and Charitable Institutions.—The recently erected St. Helens Hospital' at Auckland has been handed over to the Health Department for administration. Although the building is in occupation there are still a number of internal fittings to be completed. Tourist and Health Resorts. The installation of a Diesel engine stand-by plant and the erection of a new power-house in connection with the Rotorua electric installation are in progress. Excavations for the foundations for the machinery have been completed, and the concrete work is. in an advanced stage. . A commencement has been made with the erection of the power-house. The engine and generator are ready for installation as soon as the building is sufficiently advanced. An order has been placed for the supply and delivery of castiron water-pipes to replace the existing wooden water-mains. At Helensville a new swimming bath has been completed, and additions and improvements made at Morere Hot Springs arid Tongariro National Park.

Telegraph Extension.

The bulk of expenditure last year was incurred in developing the telephone exchange' system, fcvhich extended during the year by the opening of twenty new manual, exchanges and the connecting -with these and other exchanges throughout the Dominion of 10,200 subscribers, the greatest number yet connected in any financial year. The addition of new subscribers necessitated the providing of additional switchboard accommodation at» twenty-five exchanges, and the installing of underground and aerial cables at a number of places where the pole-lines were so heavily laden as to make extension impracticable and maintenance a costly item. In addition the automatic exchange systems in the Auckland, Ghristchurch and Wellington metropolitan areas and at Blenheim and Hamilton were extended by the installation of equipment for'23lo lines. In each case the installation was necessary to meet the present-day demand for telephone service. The telegraph and telephone toll systems were extended during • the year by the erection of 199 miles of new pole-lino, carrying 1197 miles of wire. Notwithstanding the progress made, the programme of new works in hand'and in view shows no signs of diminishing. Tho multiplex telegraph system, which considerably increases the carrying capacity of telegraph circuits, has been installed between WclJlngton and Auckland, and has permit- [ led a number of circuits previously required for telegraph purposes to become available for long-distance telephono communication. So much success has attended the introduction of this system that it is intended in the near future to further extend it by connecting Napier with Wellington and Auckland, and Ghristchurch with Duncdin.' When these installations arc completed, the long-distance telephone facilities between these places will be considerably improved and extended without the. erection of any additional circuits.

Contingent Defence

The installation of electric light at Burnham Camp is in hand under contract. The development of Burnham and Ngaruawahia. as ordnance depots is a matter of some urgency, and will be put in hand when funds for the purpose are available.

River Protection.

The Waihou and Ohincmuri drain- ! age scheme work is still being car'ried forward, bill in order to aocclcr- | ate progress and hasten the day when immunity from flood will bo obtained it has been arranged to construct another suction dredge of considerably ' greater capacity than the one already I in use. The material for this is already on order, and immediately it enmes lo hand the construction of the ; machine will ho pushed ahead. In [addition to lids floating dredge two iexlra drag-lino excavators, of the | largest size yet used in this country,

have been procured and set to work. Mechanical Apparatus. In order to keep construction works adequately supplied with necessary mechancal apparatus and plant, the equipment has been or is being increased by three locomotives, two drag-lino excavators, a suction dredge, two road-rollers, and four portable oil-driven air-compressors.

Conclusion. In conclusion, tho Government conceives its duty to be not merely to concentrate on present-day requirements, but to visualise future necessities with the object of placing our Dominion in a position to receive and settle a greatly increased population. Apart from meeting existing reasonable requirements, we must at the same time comprehend and provide as far as possible for the stimulation of settlement and development of natural /resources as yet almost It is only by judicious balancing of present necessities and anticipation of future requirements as well, that a proper perspective can 'he obtained and tlie Government effectively carry out the trust reposed In it by the people.