THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue XIII, 27 September 1902, Page 798

THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Has Mr Hall-Jones, the Minister for Public ” 7 nrks, discovered the philosophers stone that he proposes to shower the golden guineas over the land with so prodigal a hand? His Statement last week is worthy of the best—or shall we 'say the worst—traditions of the old Vogel regime. A couple of years ago such open-hand-edness would have staggered us. We would have called it reckless extravagance. And since then it is not very clear that anything has occurred to

make it merit another designation now. But it would seem that the glint of the gold has dazzled our judgment, for instead of being aghast at a proposed expenditure that would have shocked us not so very long ago, we are all absorbed in the contemplation of how much is to come our way, and how much is going our neighbour’s. Apart from the inevitable discontent which the best planned Statement must occasion when we come to compare what I have got with what

you have got, Mr Hall-Jones’ proposals have given very general satisfaction simply because they are so generous. There neyer was a Minister of Public Works who treated us all round so handsomely as Mr HallJones is doing. His is a record Statement. The Shah, according to recent cables, can get through a tidy sum of money. He spent £200,000 in Paris the other day; but we may doubt whether he signs as many big

cheques in the course of a twelvemonth as modest Mr Hall-Jones. Below we give a few of the big cheques our Minister signed this year, and alongside some of the big cheques he will have to sign next. It will be seen at a glance what rapid progress he is making in the art. Figures are proverbially uninteresting, but cheque books are quite otherwise, and a peep into Mr Hall-Jones’ cheque book will probably interest our readers.

The total expenditure on public buildings last year amounted to £193,452, namely, £47,852 under Con-

sclidated Fund, and £145,600 under Public Works Fund. For the current year a total appropriation of £ 288,370

is proposed, namely, £47,900 under Consolidated Fund, and £240,470 under Public Works Fund.

To none of the proposed appropriations does the same amount of interest attach as to the quarter of a million the Government will ask Parliament to (allot to the North Island Main Trunk Railway. It will be noted that the cheque in this case is the second largest the Department will

have to fill in this year, and though the sum is only a third of the amount which it is estimated will be required to complete the line, it is so large compared with the driblets we have l>een getting that there is a general feeling of satisfaction in the North with what must be regarded as, in a

large measure, the result of our conslant agitation. Even those North Islanders who are opposed to the policy of profuse expenditure to Which the Government seems committed will feel reconciled somewhat to the position nt the prospect of the line being completed in a reasonable time.

The cheque Mr Hall-Jones proposes to draw this year for the Otago Central is £lOO,OOO, as against £103,000 spent on the line last year. Considering the comparative uselessness of this work, the merely nominal reduc-

tion this year cannot allay the general dissatisfaction which the continued allotment of large sums of public money towards it causes everywhere outside of Otago.

Here is another work, the usefulness of which for many years to come is very questionable. Some £60,000 was expended on it last year, nil

now it is to share in the general profusion this year to the extent of £lOO,OOO.

The total expenditure on the Blen-heim-Waipara railway last year, exclusive of the value of permanent way materials issued to the line, was

£48,382, or, inclusive of the latter £65,823. For the current year an authorisation of £60,000 is proposed.

Holders of scrip will be glad to see that there is a very substantial increase in the amount of the cheque the goldfields are getting this year as compared with last.

The Helensville-Northward, which gon £lB,OOO last year, is only getting £ 20,000 this year.

This line drew £16,000 last year, and will get £20,000 this year.

Here are the cheques which the above two lines will .be entitled to this year. The first line is to have £25,000 and the second £29,000.