Public Works Statement

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 17, 26 July 1890, Page 2

Public Works Statement

By the Minister fob Public Works, I j the Hon. T', Feb@uß. 1 Mr Speaker* - - The interest attached to- . the Public Works Statement is generally in proportion to the amount of funds for new works at the disposal of the Goyeru- , , ment ; as the funds decrease, however, greater care is to be exercised m dispos- ' ing of them, and the question assume ! more- than ordinary importance at the } present juncture when we are endeavouring to meet the ordinary demands of settlement without the aid of borrowing money. In dealing with the subject, I \ shall explain the present position of the , funds and workß and then submit our proposals for the future. Public Works I Fund. — The amount standing to the credit . .of the Pubhc Works Fund in the treasur- ' . ers books on the 31st March last was £959,492, but there is a further sum of ' £87,974 due to Part I for advances under ] the Government Loans to Local Bodies } Act the debentures of the Local Bodies are negotiable at any time so the amount to the credit of the Public Works Fund ' is really £1,074,466 against this there ' are outstanding liabilities to the amount of £314,933 which leaves a balance of £732,533. Expenditure on Public Works — The expenditure during the past year has been £410,730. The amount voted for actual expenditure was £635,721, consequently we are withia our Votes to the extent of £224,991. It was confidently expected by a large section ofthe community that any considerable diminution of the Public Works expenditure would entail serious results on the commerce and industries of the colony but happily these forebodings have not been realised as shown by my hon. colleague, the Premier, our power of production is increasing at an extraordinary rate and the ''unemployed" who in 1886 numbered 1300 have ceased as a body to exist. The enterprise and energy -which in former years were devoted to prosecution of public works have found fresh outlets in other directions equally profitable to the country. Including the purchase of provincial and district railways the total expenditure to 31st March 1890 on the works and services throughout the colony chargeable to loan was £27,774,930 the principal items being railways, £15,028,---353; roads, £3,552,999 ; water races, £510,280; telegraphs, £590,356; buildings, £1,757,965; lighthouses and harbour works and defences, £879,152 : immigrations, £2,143,327 ; purchase of natiye lands, £1,178,554; cost of raising loans, £1,021,472; defence, £429,719; * and departmental, £341,905. As regards 1 railways, harbour works, and harbour ' defences, these may be considered works 1 of a special character beyond the ordinary operations of settlement and which cannot well be carried out without borrowed ' capital ; and the purchase of Native lands and construction of roads in . connec--1 tion are fair charges on Land Revenue. 1 In accordance with the policy of economy it was proposed to proceed with all classes of pubhc works in a very cautious manner, " and the experience of the last year or two proves that the slowing down process is not retarding the progress of the country. We propose to expend all the available i funds for railways in completing lines to convenient termini. The state of Publio Works Fund on 81st March last and an estimate of what it will be on 31st March next — total £1,047,466. Total appropriation proposed for expenditure duiing 1890- --; 91 and to cover liabilities at end of year, £744,538. Estimated balance on March . 31st, 1891, £302,920. Working Railways, including district lines purchased, there I were 1813 miles of Government Railways in operation on 31st March last, 43 miles , having been opened during the year. The ; total expenditure on Railways has been £15,028,352. The report of the Commissioners shows very satisfactory results for working railways during the past year ; , the earnings have been £1,095,569, and i the working expenses £682,787, showing ; a profit of £412,782, which is £2 19s 5d t per cent on the total cost of the open lines. The tourist traffic increased last year in a ' marked degree, and promises considerable > expansion in the future. During the fonr months from November to February 6860 1 tourists were landed in the colony from ; Australia. Not only did these people expend considerable sums of money on their trip, but some acquired a permanent stake in the county. New Zealand has been aptly called the recreation ground of the Antipodes, and it is not unreasonable to assume that before many years there will be large swift steamers running between Australia and the West Coast fiords, doing the passage in three days, and that land communication will be established : between the coast and the central and western lakes of Otago and the glacier region of Mount Cook. In the North Island the Wanganui River will be made accessible, and form a fitting extension of the line of wonders in the Hot Lake district, The Commissioners have applied for £54,000 for necessary works on open lives during the year. As the balance of the loan allocation for this class of works was only £12,928, we have been unable to see our way to propose a vote for more than that sum. This amount is to cover liabilities in the re-arrangement of the : Palmerston North station and minor works. Railways under Construction. — The North Island Trunk Railway— With the exception of the Porootaroo tunnel tbe works on this railway are at present at a standstill. The Waiteti section was handed over to the Goyernment in May last, and the tunnel is also approaching completion. The cash balance of the North Island Trunk Railway Fund on March last was £386,985, against which there were liabilities amounting to £9694. There is also a further sum of £97,644 set apart for the purchase of Native lands under the North Island Main Trunk Loan Application Act ; the balance therefore at our disposal for fresh undertakings iB £279,547, of thia amount it is proposed to to devote a further sum of £40,056 for constructing roads to and through the Native lands recently purchased; this leaves £289,491 at present available for the extension of the railway, but the lands bought and the expenditure on their improvement are simply an investment of the railway funds, which can be drawn upon from time to time as required. The total expenditure on land along the North Island Trunk Railway to 31st Maroh last has been £122,541, of this amount £89,---247 haß been paid for 630,283 acres, of which the purchases are complete, and £33,294 on account of blocks under negotiation. One of the most valuable tracts ' of land along the line is the Awarua block, which commences at Powhakaroa, about ( 12£ miles beyond the present terminus at ] Rangatira, and negotiations for the pur 1 chase of which are now in progress. It ] is proposed this year to proceed with the ' section of railway between Rangatira and < Makohine ; consequently it would, under < any circumstances, be desirable to con- j tinue the railway to this point. The sur- 1 veys of the North Island Trunk Railway < are not complete as it is des'rable to have * full information as regards the rougher < parts of the line; it is proposed to con-, i tinue the survey this year. It is also in-, « tended to run fresh lines on gradients of < lin 50 instead of lin 70 where survey ] have already been made to see whether i ttie heavy worl^ can be materially reduced. 1 Under proposals now submitted it is in- **) tended to carry but' a complete system of ] roads in connection with this railway, 1

particulars of which will be given further wa, Woodville-Palmerston. — The completion of thi* line has been: delayed by somewhat financial tronbles of contractors for the Ashurst section. The contract is now progressing favorably and it is expected the whole hne will be finished about November next. The Palmerston N. station is-to be re-arranged and extended, Owiug to the treacherous nature of th« ground hi the Manawatu gorge, which entailed extra work in tunnels and retaining walls and tbe heavy land compensa- ' tion r ths balance on the last allocation of funds for this railway is scarcely sufficient to complete the hne. It is necessary tosupplement the funds by about £10/00, The completion of the "Woodville-Palmers-ton section will establish through railway communication between Napier and theWest Coast and Wellington. WellingtonWoodville.— -This railway was opened toEketahuna at the beginning of the financial year,, and since then the only work* in progress have been the river bank protective woaks at the Awapurua bridge ' which are now almost complete. The funds originally provided for this railway; are also insufficient to complete the works,, a sum of -£3OOO being required. It is alsoproposed to extend this line at the Welhngton end, namely from the present station at Thorndon, which is. yery inconveniently situated for the bulk of the population of the city,* to Te Aro, and for this purpose a further sum of £13,000 will be needed. Miscellaneous Roads and Bridges. — 'Under this heading a sum ot £18,918 was voted last session, of whicii £19,998 has been expended and liabilitiesincurred, the cost of £10,015 for the current year. It is proposed to transfer the? remainder of the loan allocation for Village Settlements to the different classes of* road works. Roads to give access to the Marton-Te Awamutu railway ; under this: heading a sum of £1692 was voted last ' year for three items, and of this amount L 248 was expended during the year ani liabilities incurred amounting to L 666. We propose to ask Parhament to make v material addition to the vote this year. We shall ask for further allocation of L 40,056 for these road works. Looking': to the long time that: must elapse before through communication can be established by railway from Rangatira to Mokau, the the present terminus of the railway. Itis deemed advisable to provide, roadswhich, though not. following the trunk: * railway line, will afford a means of directtravel between Wellington and Auckland, * 'The.vote .proposed for expenditure withins the year is L 30,500 with an .authorisation: to incur liabilities amounting ta Llojoo9~ As regards pubhc buildings the increasing: requirements of settlement, together witb. the necessity for renewing the older wooden structures, create continuous demands on the votes, and until many renewals still urgently required haye been effected this demand must continue. The amount voted for public buildings out of loan last year was £58,351, of whicht £35,473 Was expended and liabilities existed at the end ofthe year to the amount of £10,086 in addition. Out of the Consolidated Fund £34,075 was also voted, for pubhc buildings- and domains, and! £35,900 for school buildings. The expenditure was £32,182 and £24,434 respectively, while liabilities existed at the end! of the year amounting to £3976 and L.1031. The total votes from both fundslast year was L 107.426 and the expenditure L 92,089. The more important works proposed to be proceeded with this-, year, and for which provision has beerrmade on the Estimates, are as follows : — Out of Loan Fund — Asylum at Porirua. and further works at the asylums at Seacliff and Sunny side ; at the gaols of Wel- '• lington and Auckland. Out of Consolidated Funds — L 40,000 is provided for school buildings, also L2OOO for native--schools, and LBOOO for an institution for deaf mutes. Besides these amounts LB,OOO is also provided for ordinary additions, repairs, fittings and furnitureHarbor Defences. — Thepolicyiof carryingon defence works by means of convict labor announced in last year's statement has been followed during the year with satisfactory results, but while much.hasbeen done there yet remains a good dealt to do. [Remainder of Statement held over.J,