Public Works Statement.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 43, 28 November 1913, Page 9

Public Works Statement.

*$T YEAR'S EXPENDITURE FOR OVER 30 YEARS. jBILUING ROADS AND BRIDGES. The Main Features. I proposed loan, £1,750,000. funds available for year; £3.796,739. Estimated expenditure, £2,935,575. Telegraph Extenciori, £376,000. Railway construction votes, £825,000. Appropriations for road works, 851.750. Appropriations for public buildings, £g65,'389. Water power and development, £200,000. Irrigation, £35,000. 475,,000 tor workers' dwellings. £36,000 for immigration. £50,000 for contingent defence. £25,530 for hospitals. £200,011 for pest offices. £7OOO for Otago Central. WELLINGTON, Nov. 26. In the House of Representatives laste gelling Hon. W. Frascr (Minister for fnblic Works) presented the Publx Jforks Statement as follows.— Offing to the financial position ohiiiiinig at the clcse ol last session ami B view of the heavy commitments aljeady entered into, I did not feel justijed in making available for immediate opcmliture the whole 01 the new items appearing ou the Public "Works Estimates. All authorities issued and offers jade in pursuance of previous year's appropriations were, however, duly hon(ral. New votes urgently requiring attention were also authorised on application. As soon as the success of the jotation of the new loan was assureil all jestrictiojis regarding expenditure oi ie\r votes were removed. Notwithstanding these precautionary measure; ilie total expenditure of the past yea. 1 ea public works was not only in excess {[that of the previous jear, but was setuallv the largest in any single year gr over 30 years, and amounted to the wrv large sum of £2.7ll.oGS—viz., fi,'593.36-3 out of the Public "Works fund and allied special accounts, and 1117,703 out of the Consolidated Fund. The lollowing table shows the brief particulars of the expenditure or the «ar, and also the total under each c'as; of work from the inauguration of the Public Works policy op to -March 31

be;:— Mai Expenditure. Expenditure Total year ended Expenditure ' March 31, to March 31 1013. 1913. iUikays— Sew construction £084,190 2i,945,.802 Additions to open lines 464,630, 8.353.417 teds 374.316 9,723.865 Wic buildings 445,192 oASl'.yli, amigration ... 14,694 2,254,G00 ■arclia-o of uatire lands ... 2.CG5.720 lighthouses, harbor works and krbor defences 16..785 1.098,1:07 fcurist <sc health resorts 12,006 229.539 fegraph extension 251,375 2,277,12-5 wlopment of goldlields ... 10.644 877,802 fcnce worlds (general) ... 23.790 944.209 yartir.eiitu 1 . ... 57,425 784,095 ktelopment of water power ... 18.451 ligation and water supply 4.356 symcnt to M'idtel Railway bondholders ... 150.000 nils impryve- ,»! 22.550 101.713 fo>r works and .service* 312.607 *ti discount, raising loans. «c. 72,950 1,243,692 ~ £2,451,489 58.375.431 elingtuii-Hutt Eaihvav iinprnreineiit ... 991 22f< 381 wHutt Road 1,738 98,822 altray improvement Acwont 29.254 596.76 m ?eomg up frown Lands '» Settlement AK0 «"t ... .17.951 632.153 J ' i; ona! !-];:dowaent A-couni 2.689 19,-3 ■?"ioii and <)h-

iscmuri Hirers .fcounu ... 'J.-3.3.5 13.32 ; I t, Water f«er Works 5<""U Xu.iM) aooi.n Ration and » a ter Supulv icc °uui ...' ;.. UM) u,w> T "tals ... 2,093.363 60,01 J. 410 a ys and Means. f March 31, 1912, the available >' and means for Public Works purZl er * . i-82..350 lands were received as 1111 jMe- Aid to Public Jwks and Land Settlefi ct 'l?ll 950.00 C P,Jie Aid to Public ff\ and L ™ d SettleM Act, 1912 805 "26 !L % Zealand gr irom Consolidated mu„, ••■ •. 700,. 000 wu aneous receipts 119,969 Aking a gross total of £2,829,404 ewdinary expenditure of the vear 2£d ,'to £2,378,539, charges "and W of raising loans g . aim redemption of debentures ~' u.s bringing the total disbursett y to £2.402.489, ami leaving a too; 1 -'"".'' at the- end of the vear j So )- j ;» (exclusive of £249,776 prokW,,, I ''"'' !'" ut st ' K ' k !nan to Pav due on .April 15, 1913). ' % iin,',i" ( ' ; ' L • VOi ; r il 1S proposed to J" «an of 1911 ... £IOO,OOO 4.«>n0U912 ... 89-L774 m ' '"'in Consolidated SL'!?' 1 '- 11 ! 1 ' •'•'■ ■•■i'l.73o)r»fj(- .«>.. wnl, t-li,. balance brought 139' ,f V(IK a grow total ol £3.*»ori expenditure for n» J.,* ''"' rlio curron', year (exWin?' 0 a,TOlnit - :i living their jjfe and means) amounts to £2,1 r - stim »tcd balance Nr. '"Tried forward to Jitv't 011 l " a,) ove we have • IW aise '. out ' side lhe Public ii. Uf - U .- he undermentioned

Under the Aid to Water Power Works Act, 1910. £450,000 For'lrrigation Works, under the Irrigation and Water Supply Act. 1913 100,000 Under the Waihou and Ohhinemuri Rivers Improvements Act, 1910 (balance) 50,000 Railway Construction; During the last financial year or since ite close a total of 52 miles 51 chains of railway were completed and opened for traffic.

The total expenditure on railway construction and improvement work during last financial year amounted to £1.179,077. The Minister's remarks on the, subject oi railway works throughout the Dominion may be summarised as follows : On the North Island Main Trunk Line the expenditure during the pa-it financial year amounted to £73,030 and for the current year a vote of £OO,OOO is proposed. On the South Island Main Trunk line the expenditure during last financial year amounted to £21,877 at the north end and £23,964, at the south , tno "'"■ wit year a total vote of £50.000 will be required. Midland.---The expenditure on the different sections of the Midland Railway during the last financial year was as follows: Nelson end £23,366 Reeiton end 10,073 Otira-Eoaley ... 6L809 Beafoy-Cass 36,786 For the current year appropriations are proposed as follows:

Nelson end & 5,000 Heefton end 10,000 Otira-Realey 7O]OOO Bea ley-Cass 50,000 Otago Centra I.—Recent examination, by engineers of the route between Clyde and Cromwell proves that, provided 'fliie rate of .peed is restricted, a line of the .standard gauge with sharper curves, occasional slightly increased grade;, and generally lighter formation''can he taken for most of the way alongside the present road and eoustrucled ac far less cost than the original estimates indicated. .Such a line would admirably serve the purposes of the settlers in ihe I'ppor Clutha A'alley and enable large quantities of grain of the highest quality, and also fat stock and i'ruit, to be conveyed to the coast. At present this is impossible, as it costs Is per bushel to cart grain from Hawea to Clyde, and fat lambs would become stores by the time they reached the present terminus. A vote of £7OOO is included in the Estimates to permit of construction work being commenced as soon as the necessary re-survcv is completed. Lawrence-Roxburgh.—The Big Hill Tunnel was completed in December last, and formation works for a length of two miles and three-quarters beyond the tunnel are practically finished! It is proposed to put platelaying in hand with a view to opening a section of three miles to Athenaeum. Flat for traffic as early as possible, Very little

more in the way of construction work will he required to permit of iails being laid to Beaumont .Station, two miles and a-half i'urtlier on. so that the completion of the line to that point may be looked l for at a fairly early date. The expenditure on this line, during the la.-:t financial year amounted to £17,392, and for the current year a a vote of £IO.OOO is proposed. Catiins-Waimahak;!. —The terminus r>{'. the-opened line is .still at Houipapa hilt rails are laid and the line ballasted up to Caberfeidh Station, Hi miles farther on, to which point a temporary goods and passenger service is in operation for the convenience of settlers. The expenditure on this line during last financial year amounted to £29,291, and for the current rear a vote of £30,000 is proposed. Winton-Heddou Bush.—There was no expenditure out of last year'is vote for the proposed branch line from Winion to serve the oroduetive agricultural district of which Heddon Bush is a convenient working centre. There were local differences of opinion as to whether the district could not be more, effectively served by a branch, from the Riverton line, but the difference has now been settled in favor of the Winion connection. 13 miles in length, and the vote of £BOOO to commence the construction of this line is renewed on the current year's Estimates. In addition 'to the votes alreadv mentioned, an appropriation of £IOOO is required to provide for liabilities on account of the Kawakawa - Grahamtown Railway that did not come to charge against last year's vote; £IOOO will also be needed for old land claims, damages and. other similar charges; £SOOO for surveys of new lines; and rS.O.rOO for permanent-way materials; thus bringing the total appropriations for vailwav construction purposes up to f;>25.00'!.'

During tlie vear under review the ' <uiu of £300,009 was : pent by the Railwav Department oa iv'l'ng-stoek, tarpaulins, pneumatio coaling-cranes, Westinghou.se brake, .steam heatinggear, workshop? machinery, and steamer for Lake Wa-katipu. The sum of £164,577 was spent on extension of '-t.'ition yards, purchase of biid additions to workshops, cranes, bridge work ard subways, tion -'■■rviers, wharves, gasworks, and extension of signal and i;it"''loel:ing system, tablet ir>r:t->l!atio'i, telegraph •■"id facilities;, deification of line, reduction in grades, and improvement of curves.

_ A farther extension of the duplication of the Dunedin-Mossicl line was opened during the year, and the work of baring the Chain Hills Tunnel and r-nnipJeriiiF tiie line from to Mos"'pl is in hand. As more favorably inare now in evidence it b> '""!(>. i that better progress will in [inure be mode towards tlie completion of the tunnel, of which about 15 chains st'll remain to l;e bored. The expenditure last year on railway •lunlif-ation and contingent works "'as f, .'?0.245. principally on the Dunedin-Mo-giel line. Tho amount proposed to be voted for fV ie current vear on account' of "Addit'V'w to ori.n lines" is £500,000. of which sum';t:if!fl.ooo is for new rollingifor.l.- nnfl work'.-hons niachi»ei"<' and iS ; 10.()'!0 for vnvions new works." A vote of £40.000 is asked for on -e----count of the deviation. Rnnth arse" Bridqe-. The provision made on last year's appropriation? for rrjad and bridge worlcs under all vote- and ,icrounr< C;nck.ding the Consolidated Fund vote for 'maintenance) amounted to £740.950. Tl"> total amount for oxnenditure during the financial year, including the unexpended balance of authorities brought forward nt March SI. 1912, amounted to £845.248. The total expenditure for the ye.ar amounted, however, to only £468.972, leaving an unexpended balance of authorities amounting to £376.276 at March 31 last, Between April 1 and September -

30 a further £337,378 was authorised,' and expenditure to the extent ot £^31,605 nas brought to charge. Last year I referred to the disinclination of local bodies to make satisfactory provision for the maintenance of main roads.' In localities where the main road parses through unoccupied .Crown lands, sparsely-settled districts or native lands, whence little or no revenue in the way of rates can be collected, such a feeling is to a great extent justified. All main roads, however, do not come under the above category, nor will it be an easy matter to define what constitutes a main road. I hope, however, during the recess to find ; a satisfactory solution of this problem, as also to the equally abstruse one of improving the present | method of distributing grants for roads | and bridges. Roads on Goldfields (Mines Department)

The. total authorisations under this head last year amounted to £74,-116, on account of which a vote of £50,600 was taken. The expenditure during the year was £36,761. The sum proposed to be authorised for the current year is £65,743, on account of which a vote of £50,000 is asked for. Total Appropriations for Road Works. Last year's appropriations were as under: Roads, etc £328.275 Raekblock roads ... ..-. ... 201,575 Roads on goldfields •. 50,600 Opening in> Crown Lands for Settlement-Account 100.000 National Endowment Account 19.200 New Hutt Road 5,300 Maintenance of roads (Consolidated Fund) 42,000 Total _ ..._ ...£746,050 The provision for the current year is,as under :- Roads, etc £330,000 lV'!:Moek road; 200.000 ff.)-ds ,ei gd'iields 50,000 Opening up Crown Lands for Settlement Account 100.000 National Endowment Account 22,750 New Hutt Road ' ... 4,000 Maintenance of roads (Consolidated Fund) 45,000 Toud £751,750

Development of Goldfields. The value of the mineral output fe-i the year amounted to £3,042,224, being a decrease as compared with the output of the previous year. "Work in the mines was hampered considerably by strikes, but as this year this trouble has not existed to anything like the same extern, it is anticipated that the output will be in, excess of that of last year.

Expenditure under this heading during the yenT was £10,644, and a vote of £9300 is proposed to be taken thi ; year.

Public Buildings. The total expenditure <»i public buildings during the last financial year amounted to £611,041. For the cur- | rent year the following appropriations are proposed : Xew buildings (Public Works Fundt " ...£486,000 Maintenance works (Consolidated Fund) 68,689 Maintenance works, schools (Consolidated Fund) 102,200 Contribution to fund lor renewal or reinstatement of building* damaged or destroyed I>y lire 10,000 Total £666,889 General, Tim foundations for the proposed new Parliament Buildings have been completed ready for the superstructure, the loial expenditure on building and grounds during" the financial year amounted to £15,841, and £2944 was spent on widening and altering the grades of adjacent streets. Judicial. The current year's vote provides for new courthouse; at various places, including Balclutha and Wyndham. Provision is also made on the current year's Estimates for work in progress at Invcrcargill Gaol. On the current year's Fstimtaes provision is made for new notice station buildings at Tapanni and Mat-aura. Post and Telegraph. The principal items of expenditure during the past financial year were in connection with the large new buildings at Auckland and Wellington, which were completed and owned for nublic business on November 20 and 26. 1912, respectively. To meet the continuous growth of the Department's business it is still necessary to provide additional accommodation, and' appropriations for this purpose amounting to £206,011 are proposed on the current year's Kstimates. Mention is made of the building erected for postal and telegraph purposes during the la«t financial year at Balfour, and provision has been made on the current year's Estimates for a new post office building- at Rivcrsdale. Mental Hospitals.

The principal expenditure during the past financial year was in connection with the main block of the new mental hosnital at Tokamti. which was completed under contract in February la.st. A substantial vote is proposed to continue work in connection with this hospital during the current year. Since the close of the financial year two contracts have been let for auxiliary buildings at Auckland Mental Hospital, -for which a vote of £29,000 is provided, and l items t<3 cover necessary works at Porirua. Sunnyside, Waiiati. Seaeliff and Nelson, also appear on the Estimates. Agriculture. Further expenditure is contemplated this year to provide up-to-date buildings and equipment for the- experimental farms, to make these institutions object-lessons in all that makes for effective working and economy. A noteworthy increase in the numbers of purebred live-stock imported involves extensions ,of the accommodation at some of the quarantine stations. ' Hospitals. Under tin heading Public Health, Hospitals and: Charitable Institutions there was an expenditure last year of £9120 out of the Public Works Fund. On the current year's Estimates m'Ovision. is raafc for £23..530. of which it is anticipated that £IO,OOO will come to charge before March, 31 next. School Buildings.

The expenditure during the past year was £]oo,Qoo, of which nearly £83,000 was paid te tho respective governing bodies for tho' erection nr schools, additions to existing buildings, equipment and sites for public schools, teachers' residences, technical and secondary schools and university colleges. Tne purchase of the Stoke Industrial

School property was completed and two residences provided. The vote proposed lor the current year includes a substantial grant for a new site and building for the Auckland University College, as well as the usual grants for buildings and sites to. the several Education Boards, technical and secondary schools and university colleges, and also provision for further buildings recruired in: connection with the School for the Deaf, the Otekaiko Home, and the different native and industrial schools. Workers' Dwellings.

The expenditure under this head during the past year amounted to £46,455 —an. appreciable increase over that of the preceding year. The demand for workers' dwellings under tht conditions provided fh the Act is increasing, and for the current year an authorisation of £75,000 is proposed for the acquisition of land, road formation on sites, and erection of buildings. On account of this sum a vote of £65,000 is asked: for for the requirements of the current year, Development of Water Power, The total expenditure to date is £82,897, while the liability amounts to £121,236, and it is estimated that a sum of £48,484 is required to complete the works now under construction, making a. gross total of £252,617. Last year's expenditure in connection with the development of water power amounted to £35,009, and l for the current year a vote of £200,000 is provided.

Irrigation, Steady progress was made during the year with ihe development of the scheme to irrigate the Ida Valley from reservoirs constructed in the Manorburn and Poolburn Valleys. The expenditure out oi last year's vote amounted to £],!,680, hut a much larger sum will be required th's year, and :•_ vote of £35.C00 is accordingly provided on the Estimates.

Tourist and Health Resorts. 'The' expenditure under this heading for the year amounted to £12,900, the principal part being in connection with the erection of the new hostel at the Hermitage. It is stated that a practicable* track can be made from Milford Sound to the head of Lake Wakatipu via the Cleddau Valley. In the event of this turning out to be correct, steps will at once be taken tq survey and form the track. For the current year a vote of £16,000 its provided, with which it is intended to complete and equip the new hostel at the Hermitage, make much-needed extension to Waitomo Caves hostel, and further develop and improve other scenic districts and resorts.

Telegraph Extensions. The expenditure on telegraph and telephone extension during the year amounted to £251,37,1. Among the larger works undertaken may bo mentioned the construction of the Invorcjirgill-Lumsden land line, while high-power wireless stations at I Awanui and Awarua' and a low-power 1 station at Wellington, have been completed and opened for business. The vote for the current year amounts t<> £376,000, made up as' 1111J New telegraph and telephone / lines ... £7.3,000 New telephone exchange conuectioni 220,000 Wireless installations 30,000 Submarine cables 10,000 Automatic telephone installations 41,000 Total £376,000 Lighthouses. The sum of £7375 wHI be required for lighthou.se works during the current financial year. Harbor Works' An authorisation of £1.1,811 is required for harbor works, on account of which a vote of £II,OOO is proposed for the current financial year. Harbor Defences. A 6in. Mark VII. battery at Auckland has been constructed, principally by prison labor, and other minor works have been carried out in other parts of the Dominion. The expenditure last year was very small, but » vote of £3OOO is asked; for the current year. Gross Total Appropriations. lit addition to the votes already specially mentioned the Estimates make provision for the undermentioned services:—■ Departmental £04,200 Immigration 30,000 Contingent defence ,10,000 Lands improvement 31,700 thus bringing the total amount of the proposed appropriations, including special accounts, up to £8,427,325, as against £3,143,111 voted and £2,020.7'J!) actually expended last year.