PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 58, 25 October 1884, Page 2

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Thc linn. Mr Richardson delivered his Public Works Statement in the House last evening. Tbe following are its salient features : — Aftor dealing with thc public works estimates, Mr Richardson said it may be as well to state that on the 31st March. 1884, the colony had 1404 miles of railway open for traffic, on which there had been expeuded the sum of £11,251,633, and that there were 234 miles in course of construction. It was to ihis 234 miles of unfinished railway, that my honourable colleague, the Colonial Treasurer, principally alluded when he stated that it will i be our endeavour to push on to a speedy I completion the various unfinished portions ot lines, so as to add the extra mileage to our revenue producing railways. ! i NAPIBB-WOODVItLE. Tliis line has been extended and opened for taffic to Matamau, 4 miles [ beyond Makatoke, to the great con venience of the travelling public, as about nine miles of coaching is thus saved. A further portion extending to Tahoraite, sevon niilos, will it is expected, be ready for public traffic by the end of this month. This will bring the railway to a point 81 miles from Napier. WELLINGTON-WOODVI-...8. The extension of the railway beyond Masterton ia progressing under two contracts for a distance of about 17 miles. BUEVI.YS. Good progress has been made with these in both islands. In the North Island three lines have been examined at probable routes for the Main Trunk liuo between Wellington and Auckland, viz., one frem Napier by way of Taupo, ono from Marton by a line west of the Rangitikei Rivor, Ruapohu and Taupo, and one frain Stratford by a line island about 15 miles from the coast. main no.\D3. (Under the R^ads aud Bridges Construction Act.) Under this heading tho total amount of the applications received on the 30th of June, 1883, when reduced in accordance with the act of 1883, came to L224.588. Of these applications those which were for bridges were granted in full ; while as regard* those which were for road works, exclusive of bridges, the available fund only admitted of their being granted to thc extent of one fifth of the amounts applied for. The total amount thus distributed for bridges and road works together amounted to L70.681. In addition to these ordinary applications there were also applications for repairs of extraordinary damages by floods, amounting to L19.825, and grants wore on those to the extent of L10.282. The total applied for altogether on account of main road.s was, therefore, L244,413, and the total granted L80.963. of • which L41.842 was for bridges aud L39.121 for other woks. MAIN TRVSK B ULWAY (NOBTH ISLAND). ; The Government has on more than one occasion expressed conviction of the ex pediency of hastening forward to ; the utmost the construction, of the North Island Main Trunk RuilWayi aud the route having now been decided .1 have, been enabled to issue instructions for fchV survey to be proceeded with for the first section »outh of Te Awamutu, and I hope iu a few weeks to be prepared to oall for teiiders for this work. I shall leave ito my colleague,, the Native Minister, the ta-k of obtaining' land along the line. It will be necessary, in any case, to commence the construction at the other end of (he line, and it will greatly facilitate the rapid prosecution of the work if tho construction of the Wellington- Manawatu railway is vigorously pushed on. Taking the present year as a starting point — the object of this year will be to bring the expenditure charged on the consolidated fund within the means of that fund without the aid of the property tax. We should obtain considerable increases, as when the North IslandTrunk railway is finished, the increases from all' the fragmentary 1 . systems in the island will vbe enormous. Tbe Government considers - that this justifies our borrowing a million and -a half during next year, and that the probabilities are that in future years the increases of revenue will justify at least additions from one to one and a half millions a yeur. It is a million and a half that lias already been stated we pro* pose to ask authority to' borrow, and I may say we also propose that it should cover expenditure,up to the end of March, 18S6. In conclusion, MrSpeakei",T|i.hali only add thut I hope* when the time comes • round for the next annual Public Workß Stal ement I Khali be . able .to show that ' the department generally "i< being adiinntercd with greater econo'my than at pre? sent that I may have been able to place the tariff on railways, in a more satisfactory state, and that I shall be able to submit a bill providing for the creation of -non- political boards of management whieh will be satisfactory to this House [ aud tothe country. A . • A