3— No. 2c.

6

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

WATER SUPPLY, GOLD FIELDS. Under this head contracts and engagements to the following amounts have baen entered into, viz. :— £ s. d. Expenditure ... ... ... ... ... 3,415 10 6 Subsidies £12,534 (less £800 paid) ... ... ... 11,734 0 0 Water Race at Thames, including Land and Engineering ... 51,405 0 0 Total ... ... ... ... £66,644 10 6 Leaving an Unappropriated Balance of ... ... ... £233,355 9 6 We have therefore available £ s. d. For Eoads in the North Island, a sum of ... ... ... 227,084 0 9 For Roads in Westland, a sum of ... ... ... ... 3,608 7 4 For Water Supply on Gold Fields, an unappropriated balance of 233, 355 9 6 For Railways (including permanent way and rolling stock contracted for), an unexpended balance of ... ... ... 547,992 12 9 These sums are subject to reduction to the extent of the charges which may be incurred in departmental expenses, and in raising the Loans. I shall now proceed to explain what we propose to do during the current year, and t shall first deal with the question of ROADS IN THE NORTH ISLAND. "We intend, to the full extent of the appropriations at our disposal, to press forward the construction of those main lines of Road in Native districts which are necessary for promoting the settlement and prosperity of the North Island. It will be readily understood that it would be impossible to specifically appropriate the sums which may be required for these different works. To do so, would probably retard our operations; and where so much depends on advantage being taken of favourable circumstances, it is essential that a large discretionary power as to the works to be undertaken should be left to the Government. "We recognize to the fullest extent that it is essential, to serare the assistance and co-operation of the Natives in the construction of these works, and it will be our aim on all occasions, when forming Hoads through Native districts, to avail ourselves of Native labour for that purpose, either by contract or otherwise. ROADS, MIDDLE ISLAND. We propose to ask the House to vote a sum of £3,000 out of the Railway Loan for the purpose of constructing a road from Westport to Nine Mile Creek ; and also to vote a sum of £3,000 for the formation of a bridle track from Ahaura to Amuri, and thence to Kaikora. The expenditure of the latter vote to be conditional on a sum of £1,500 being contributed towards the work by the Provinces of Canterbury and Nelson respectively. These works are urgently required, and may to some extent be considered as of Colonial importance. ROADS, WESTLAND. A sum will be placed on the Estimates for the purpose of making a careful survey, in order to ascertain the probable cost of constructing a road from the Ahaura to the 32nd mile-post. I may here state, that it is our intention at once to widen those portions of the road lately formed in Westland from Kanieri to South Creek, a distance of about eight miles, and in the neighbourhood of Ross about two miles. The available unexpended balance of the County of Westland Road Fund will probably be sufficient to carry out the work. It is very certain that unless these portions of the road are formed to the full width, the district will not derive that benefit from the large expenditure incurred, which will undoubtedly be secured when it is completed to the width originally proposed.