D—l

Summary

Summary of Votes under the Control of the Minister of Works and Proposed Ways and Means of raising the Necessary Funds, Year ending 31st March, 1947

For the current financial year, 1946-47, a sura of £2,402,500 will be provided from the Consolidated Fund for expenditure on the purchase of plant and on maintenance of public works and services. The expenditure on main highways (including permanent appropriations estimated at £256,225) is estimated to reach £3,756,225, of which a sum totalling £2,406,225 is expected to be raised by way of special revenue and special funds for employment of seasonal workers on highways works. Miscellaneous receipts (previously shown as credits-in-aid) for all votes are estimated at £3,422,000. MAIN HIGHWAYS During the year every effort has been made to overtake arrears of maintenance* and the extent of the resealing carried out exceeded that of the previous year by 134 miles. Extra graders and other roading machinery have recently become available, and with the possibility of securing additional man-power it is hoped that by the end of the approaching paving season there will be considerable improvement in highway surfaces, but much will still remain to be done to restore the highways to the standard which obtained prior to the outbreak of war. It is unfortunate that the supply position is retarding the bridge-renewal programme, but everything possible is being done to improve matters. It has been found possible to resume work on some of the improvement schemes that were suspended during the war period, and further improvement works will be put in hand as circumstances require and plant and man-power become available.

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— Public Works Department. Other Departments. Total. Expenditure Recoveries and receipts £ 21,112,116 6,706,448 £ 1,591,632 593,741 £ 22,703,748 7,300,189

Vote. Miscellaneous Receipts. Loans. 1 Consolidated Fund. i Special i Revenue. Total. £ £ £ £ £ Railway Construction 45,000 355,000 400,000 Housing Construction 332,000 7,500,000 7,832,000 Public Buildings 250,000 550,000 800,000 Lighthouses and Harbour-works .. 2,000 38,000 40,000 Roads, &c. 10,000 340,000 350,000 Soil Conservation and Rivers Control 80,000 370,000 450,000 Irrigation, Water-supply, and Drain115,000 685,000 800,000 age Main highways 170,000 1,180,000 2,150,000 3,500,000 Maintenance of Public Works and 2,418,000 2,402^500 4,820,500 Services 3,422,000 11,018,000 2,402,500 2,150,000 18,992,500