Public Works Statement

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 31, 10 September 1891, Page 3

Public Works Statement

The following are extracts from the above statement, which was delivered in the House on Tuesday evening last: — IJ^bifch vlsland Mam Trunk Rnulway.— Thepnly work' that has been in hand at th^|a6rthern end of this line for some tinie.'past in the Paro-o-rtarao tunnel, 4Uid •■'this has been completed during the ;year. At the southern end of the hue a ■contract for Mangaonoho section (nearly 4**- miles iv length and including; plate laying) has been let,- and a {food start nrade'Jwith the work, and a further leugth ■of about two miles between the end of 4hat section and the ,-Makohme has been •got read*' for construction to meet the ■demands of the market, and it is now iii- course of formation by the " un«mploved." The balance at the credit of the North Island Main Trunk Railway account on March last was £356,107. "We ask> this year for appropriation of il3,()fi<) for railway construction works, i.'50,0P0 for roads to give access to the rail whjy and £3000 for further surveys. Ekotuhuiia - Woodville.— We propose, to ausk the House to vote a sum «JF ■•£17,000, which will be expended ■partly at. one end and partly at the other. Wellmgtori-EketJihuna, te Aro Exten «ion. The Railway Commit-sionerd stroiislv recommend that the work should be proceeded with, and we therefore propose that the amount required for its construction shall be voted out o the balance of railway allocation uuder Part I of the Fund. The purchase of. nine blocks, portions of the la'ije Knhe Ppate Block, containing in the aggregate about 2UO,0()0 acres, has been commenced, and is now being pro needed with as circumstances permit. It is the intention oF Government to ask for a further allocation of L! 4,000 forgen «ral land purchases outside the North Island Main Trunk Railway area, to enable the acquisition of valuable land for settlement purposes in different parts of the North Island to be undertaken. Wellington-Manawatu Railway:— lf the Government purchased this line a considerable saving would be effected in the costs of its administration, which saving could be given "to rhe settlers in the shape of cheaper iliroiiah. rates, in place of the special rates now charged. As matters stand, however, the Government consider that it would be unwise to take li" al present. The Public Works Estimates include sums of L6OOO repuired to be authorised for the Te Aro railway extension. L 1414 for the Manawotu Gorge Bridge ; L6OOO for the enlargement of Government, Printing office 1 ; LiO.ooo for the Eketa-Luna-^Voodville railway, and LIOOO for ihe Wellington- Woodville railway.