PUBLIC WORKS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23965, 4 June 1943, Page 4

PUBLIC WORKS

RAILWAYS AND IRRIGATION SOUTH ISLAND VOTES From Our Parliamentary Reporter 1 WELLINGTON, June 3. Expenditure of £767,000 on develop, ment of hydro-electric power schemes in the South Island is provided for in the Public Works estimates tabled in the House of Representatives this evening. With working expenses and maintenance of £201,350, provision is made for a total expenditure of £968,350, compared with £516,000 voted last year, and £539,085 spent last year. The estimates provide for an expenditure of £209,000 on railways in the South Island. £253.500 on irrigation in Canterbury, and £55,000 on reading in the Greymoulh and Christchurch road districts The estimate for hydro-electric development in the North Island is £1,983,000, almost half of which is for Arapuni-Horahora, and £511,000 for Mangahao - Waikaremoana. In the South Island, the main provision is £417,000 for the Lake Coleridge-Wai-taki works. Other items are Highbank £200,000, Cobb river £IOO,OOO, Southland £40.000, and Tekapo £IO.OOO. The principal provision in the irrigation water-supply and drainage vole for Canterbury is £200,000 for the Rangitata diversion race (Surrey Hills siphon), which is approximately £50,000 more than was spent last year. Other estimates under this heading are; —Ashburton (irrigation scheme) £10,000; Ashburton-Hinds drainage (on account), £10,000; Canterbury .district (investigation), £1000; Downs (watersupply scheme), £1250 (£1 for £1); Mayfield-Hinds (irrigation scheme), £5000; Washdyke lagoon drainage, £1250; Temuka workshops (recoverable), £25,000. Last year £251,050 was voted under this head, and £208,118 spent. The main item over-spent last year was the Temuka workshops vote, where £41,594 was spent, against an estimate of £25,000. The vote for reading in the Greymouth road district is given at £50,000 against £75,000 voted last year, and £41,393 spent. In the Christchurch road district, the corresponding figures are £SOOO, £9OOO, and £2554. In the railway construction section £50.000 is provided for the Te KuhaInangahua section rgainst £30.000 voted last year, and £53,318 spent. The estimate for the Wharanui-Parnassus section of the South Island main trunk railway Is £150,000. Last__year