D.—l

XXII

The experience gained, from the year's operation has been sufficiently satisfactory to entirely warrant a continuation with the amended system. Last year the vote for " Roads to give access to outlying districts " was increased hy £20,000, and this enabled many more of the backblock settlers to be given road access to their properties. It was well known that many of these settlers had been handicapped with their improvements for the want of reasonable access, and the allocation of a substantial sum for this purpose has undoubtedly met a long-felt want. This year I propose asking Parliament to again increase this particular vote, with a view to continuing with the work to an even greater extent. The disastrous earthquake which occurred in Marlborough, Nelson, and West Coast districts in June last year caused very extensive damage to roads and bridges throughout those districts. Temporary measures were adopted immediately to permit of those people who were isolated being relieved, and, as soon as possible, allowing in the first instance for the opening-up of track access in cases where the roads were blocked or destroyed, a commencement was made on the restoration of the most important roads and bridges. Large gangs of men were engaged, and the work was pushed ahead as expeditiously as possible. Public satisfaction resulted from work being completed more quickly than had been anticipated. As the important roads were finished, attention was directed to the side roads. A great deal of the restoration work, as was to be expected, was expensive, as not only were the roads in many cases completely destroyed, but the country was so badly shaken and shattered that it was extremely difficult to carry out reconstruction. With regard to maintenance work, although the expenditure on the renewal of bridges was slightly less than the previous year, a considerable amount of assistance was granted to local bodies towards replacing worn-out and obsolete structures. The expenditure on the restoration of flood damage also showed a decline on the previous year, no very disastrous floods having occurred during the year.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT NET EXPENDITURE ON ROAD CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING MAIN HIGHWAYS FOR YEARS 1913-14 TO 1929-30.