PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2286, 21 October 1914, Page 7

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

BIG PROGRAMME OUTLINED

ONE RESULT OF PRUDENT FINANCE

THE RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYMENT

SOME OF THE DETAILS OF THE YEAR'S VOTES.

The Public Works Statement was presented to the House of Representatives last night by the Hon. W. Fraser, "Minister of Publio Work's. In ono respeot at least the Statement which I have the honour to submit to tie House this evening is unique, 6tates the Minister in bis introduction, in that it is the first time ill the history of the Dominion that a Publio Works Statement has been delivered during the currency of a war involving nearly all the great Powers of Europe. My collegue the Minister of Finance announced in his Budget that it was proposed to provide largely/increased ways and means for public .works purposes this year, but that statement was penned prior to the outbreak of hostilities and when the money market was favourable.' The events that have happened since have rendered it doubtful whether money can now be-bor-rowed on advantageous terms, and] on the satisfactory, determination of that

question must, of course, depend the carrying out of any extensive public works proposals. The Statement and ■Estimates'submitted to the House this evening teen prepared on the assumption that the requisite funds will be procurable when needed; but if, unfortunately, that 'proves to be errone- . ous, then, of course, the programme , iwill necessarily have to be curtailed so as to keep our expenditure within our means. The Biggest Year. In my last year's Statement I said that the public works expenditure of the year 1912-13 was the largest of any single year for over thirty years, and I am now able to state that the expenditure of 1913-14 was even greater, havi ing amounted to no . less a sum than £2,949,992—viz., £2,824,526 out of the " Public Works Fund and allied special accounts, and £125,466 out of the Consolidated Fund.Ways and Means. £ On April 1, 1913, the avail- . able ways and means for , public works purposes were 626,741 And further funds were received as tonder: — , £ Under the 'Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Act, 1911 ; 100,000 Under the Aid to Public . Worka and Land Settlement Act, 1912 , 893,674 Under the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Act, 1913 . 1,532,222 .Under the Immigration " and Public Works Loan Act, .1870' ; . '113,224 Under the New Zealand' Loans Act, 1908 96,238 Premium 1 on sale. ..of, 4' per , cent stock, 1929 500 Transfer from revenue ....:.. 675,000 Other receipts I 32,242 Making a gross ' total of . 4,069,841 The ordinary expenditure of the eyar amounted to £2,421,807, charges and expenses in respect of raising loans £105,450, and redemption of debentures £364,000, thus bringing the total disbursements up to £2,891,257, and leaving a credit balance at the end of the year of £1,178,584. For the current year it is proposed to provide additional funds as under:— ' £ Balance of authorised loan ' moneys 227,628 Transfer from Consolidated Fund ' 350,000 Proposed new loan 3,000,000 The above, with the balance brought forward, gives a gross total of £4,756,212. The estimated expenditure for public works for the current year (excluding separate accounts having their own ways and means) amounts to £3,402,758, leaving an estimated balance of £1,353,454 to bo carried forward to next year (1915-16). Railway Construction. The total expenditure on railway construction and improvement work during last financial year amounted to £1,144,459, as under: —Construction of new lines, £606,448: additions to open lines, £498,448; railways improvement account, £39,563. This year the gross total appropriations proposed for railway construction purposes is £960,000. Reference is made in the Statement to all the lines in hand. The following references to those most interesting to this part of New Zealand are selected:— Stratford-Main Trunk. ' Another important section of this rail- • way—from Pohokura to Whangamomona —six miles thirteen chainß in , length, including a tunnel through the iWhangamomona Ridge, was completed and opened for traffic on July 1. Beyond the new terminus earthworks arc completed, and rails laid for a distance of four milos to a station site at KohuTatahi, and formation, principally heavy cuttings and banks, is in hand over a further length of three miles. There are two tunnels just beyond Kohuratahi, one of'which (23 chains long) is approaching completion, and the second i 3 just opened out. Ballast, is not obtainable in this locdlity, and has to be liauled all the way from Mount Egmont. ,It is expected that the section to Kohuratahi will be completed during the coming summer. From Tahora a now route for the lino has been adopted, following.the Eaekohua Stream, crossing the Tangarakau below its gorge, then across some rough country to the Haeo Valley. By this route some difficult and costly works on tho origina! location through the, Tangarakau Gorge will be avoided. At the eastorn end of this line there has been increased activity during th< year, and formation work is in progress over a length of six miles from th< junction with the Main Trunk line al Okahukura. Included in this lengtl Is the Okahu Tunnel, now being exca vated under contract, and duo for com plction in July, 1916. The tunnel con tract- covers two miles aiul a half of tin railway—namely, one mile and a hal of formation iii addition to the tunne itself. Six small contracts are in ham besides, and several co-operative partie aro also employed on railway and ser vice road formation.

As suitable material for concrete is not obtainable in this locality, tho De-' ■partment is installing a plant for tho manufacture on a'large scale of bricks to bo used in tunnels and culverts on the railways. i The expenditure on this lino during the past financial year was £67,432 at the western end, and £21,443 at tho eastern end, or a total of £88,875. For

tie curront year a vote of £100,000 is proposed. Mount Egmont Branch. Formation-work extending over 60 chains was completed during the year, and some culverts put in. There still remains to bo done some alteration of grades at the selected quarry-site, and the installation of the machinery for quarrying and crushing the rock and. transporting it down the mountain-side to the railway. During the la6t financial year £5933 was expended oil this line, and for the current year a vote of £7500 is proposed. It is also proposed to construct a short branch line, from the main line near Marton to a point in the Rangitikei River bed, whence a very considerable quantity of excellent road metal can be obtained. It is confidently expected that the South Taranaki and other intervening districts where metal is'scarce can be supplied fiom this proposed new source with this very necessary material at quite a moderate cost. Provision for the authorisation of this branch line will be made in the Railways Authorisation Bill, and an.amount of £7500 is proi vided on. the estimates to enable its mstruction to be proceeded with.

Opunake Branch. - Surveys along alternative suggested routes between the main line and Opunake were completed during the year, and after full consideration a route was adopted from Te Roti, along section boundaries north of Skeet Road, past Kapuni, Auroa, and Pihama ; to a sta-tion-site near'Opunake. It is proposed to commence construction-work on this line forthwith, and a tender has already been accepted for the first section. The survey of the Manaia Branch is proceeding, and work will be commenced thereon as soon as it is warranted by the progress mado on the Opunake line. The expenditure during the past financial year in- connection With the surveys amounted to £828. arid for tlie current year a vote of £40,000 is proposed. Ohakune-Raetihi Branch. ■ The .tenders received for formation contracts on this line were not very satisfactory, and only one contract was let, the work covered by wliich is practically finished. The Railways Department is doing the'formation-work for the first 15 chains, which is inside the Qhakune Station-yard, ajid bushfelling and formation-work is in hand under the co-operativo system over nearly five miles' of the remainder of the route. The expenditure, on this lino during tho past financial year amounted to £0031, and for the current year a vote of £30,000 is proposed. ' -. Fcatherston-Martinborough. The survey of the route for the branch to Martinboroiigh- was completed and estimates prepared, but no con-struction-work has yet been undertaken. The survey, shows that tlio proposed ■■ line will be . 11.-miles 'so , chains long, ( mostly of inexpensive formation, but two substantial bridges over tlio Tauhereniaku and Ruamahanga .Rivers respectively will bring tho cost per milo up to the average figure of recent years. The expenditure out of last year's vote amounted to only £311, but for tho ourrent financial year a. vote of £15j000 is proposed. , ROADS AND BRIDGES. THE REWARD OF PRUDENCE. The total amount provided for road and bridge purposes on last year s appropriations under all votes and accounts' (including the Consolidated Fund vote for maintenance) was £785,000. | The amount authorised for expenditure during tho year added to tho balance of authorities unexpended at March 31, 1913, totalled £962,811. The expenditure for the twelve months amounted te £493,633, leaving ail unexpended balance of authorities at March; 31 last of £469,173. Between April 1 and September 30 a further £301,719 was au tliorised for fcxpenclvture, and a further £316,713, broucht to charge, making the total expenditure between April 1, 1913, and September 30, 1914, £810,351. Honourable members are aware that owing to tho unsettled condition of the money market after the close of last session it was not considered advisable to float the loan for public works pur•poses until the end of January. Prudence dictated that the authorisation > of expenditure of new money should in the interim be restricted to uis;ent works, until such time as further loan 1 moneys were available. Between the passing of tho public works appropriations and the raising of the loan, there- ' fore, only metalling and other urgent 1 works were authorised. This did not, however, mean that any very great re- ' striction was placed, upon expenditure, 1 as there was a vory large sum indeed > in the hands of local bodies in the shape ' of authorities previously issued but unexpended. The prudence then exercised has resulted in our being able at the present juncture to keep public works going, and so relievo "unemployed J difficulties arising as a result of the . European war. i I have on previous occasions referred to disabilities imposed by the . present system of making grants for road and bridgo works, and trust that . the Local Grants and Subsidies Bill now before Parliament will afford machinery resulting in'greator efficiency and progress in providing that essential factor m successful settlement of the land — I good roads and bridges. 1 Workers' Dwellings. < 5 The expenditure under this head clur- - ing the past year amounted te £41,741, i as-compared with £46,455 expended dur--5 ing the preceding year. The demand i for dwellings is increasing, and in order ) to meet tho requirements an authorisa- | -tion of £100,000, and a vote on account ■ , of same of £92,000, is proposed for the e acquisition of land, road-formation, and - erection of dwellings. 1 * b A Big Programme. Tho programme outlined in the State--3 lient and provided for in the Estimates 0 is a fairly extensive one, and gives pros mise of a busy year, says Mr. Eraser 9 in conclusion. All the oxpondituio pio--1 posed is, however, absolutely necessary, and more could lie spent to advantage; " but sufficient work is. to bo undertaken ! " to fullv occupy all tho labour that is likely to be available, and to propose to ® undertake moro than this would only 1 load us into difficulty. Every effort has ! ] been mado to allocate tho funds avail- " ablo fairly amongst the different disIS tricts, anil I think this wdl readily bo realised bv tho House, and I therefore, with every confidence commend tho proposals to tho careful consideration of honourable membors. Sir Joseph Ward asked when the dobate oil tlio Statement would take plnrie. The Minister of Public Works replied that tlio discussion would not como on for a. day or two at least, am tlio Prime Minister stated that it could not be commenced before next Friday or next Tuesday, probably, the latter unjp