PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1049, 17 November 1903, Page 2

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

By Telegraph. WELLINGTON, last night

The Public Work* Statement was delivered 10-night by the Hon. W. iiall-Jones, the Minister for Public Hoiks.-

Tile" Statement was a very long one, in the course of which the Minister said i—The intimation of the Colonial Treasurer in, the Budget that” the expenditure on public worts must be curtailed will have led hum members to anticipate the necessary reduction in the amounts to he voted lor public works carried on out of the Public Works Fund. At the same time, however, the construction of tlie North Island Main Trunk and other important lines must proceed expeditiously, and th? urgent necessity ot providing settlers in the back oiocks with road communicati j:i must he met. in this respect good work has been done during recent years, and the sum proposed to ce voted ior the current year will enable a reasonable rate oi progress to he maintained. The expenditure upon the Toad vote was below the estimate. This was owing to local bodies not undertaking the work entrusted to them in time to allow the expenditure to come to charge within the financial year. The total expenditure during the year was less than during the previous year. On the 31st March last there was a credit balance of £338,565 in the Public Works Fund. For the current year it is propose! to provide acdition-1 funds under the balance of the 1902 loan (less cost ol raising) of, say, £657,000 ; new loan of 1903, one million pounds ; transfer from revenue, i£350,000 ; this will give a. .total available ways and means of £2,315,505. The estimates ol expenditure for the year (exclusive of £39,353 for .works under the Government Loans to Local Bodies and Land lor Settlement Account) amount to the sum ol £1,729,062, thus leaving a balance of £61G,503 to be carried forward to next year. The amount proposed to ho transferred from the Consolidated Fund is £IOO,OOO more than stated bv the Colonial Treasurer. The >'n-

crease in revenue during the fir.it six months ol the present year, and the promising outlook for the latter six months permits of this proposition being niade by thus increasing the amount to be. transferred from the Consolidated Fund. Further provision is made for the repairing and renovating of public buildings, and for the maintenance of main arterial r.-jis.

RAILWAY EXTENSION.

The only now railway works started last year was the Reeffcon-Inangahua section of the Midland Railway, but those previously in hand have been proceeded with, and the following sections have been opened for traffic :—Gisborne-Ormond, 26th June, 1902, 10 miles 25 chains; Stratford Toko, 9th August, 1902, 6 miles 26 chains; Blenheim-Awatere, 10th October, 1902, 13 miles 3 chains ; Mangao-noho-Mangaweka, 3rd November, 1902, 9 miles 11 chains ; Ormond-Kaitaratahi, 19th November, 1902, 2 miles 5 chains ; Waipara-Soargill, 16th December, 1902, 14 miles 59 chains ; Taihikerca-Ahuroa, Ist September, 1903, 4 miles 51 chains ; Orepuki-Waihaaka, Ist October, 1903, 4 miles 40 chains. Total, 64 miles 60 chains.

At the present rote of progress the following sections will probably be ready for opening before another Public Works Statement can be presented :—Kawakawa southwards, 7 miles 57 chains ; Paeroa•iarangabake, 4 miles 23 chains ; Poro-o-taro-Taumarunui, 27 miles 36 chains ; Taumarunui-Piriaka, 6 miles 48 chains ; Maugaweka-Taihape, 13 miles 18 chains ; Toko-Oruru, 4 miles 70 chaius ; Motu-pako-Tadmor, 10 miles 9 chains ; Grey-moutb-Ooal Creek, 5 miles 1 chain ; OtaraMa-Staircase, 5 miles 3 chains ; Ida Valley-Ophir, 13 miles 25 chains ; OwakaOatlins Bridge, 3 miles 30 chains ; HoriotEdio, 6 miles 20 ohaics. Total, 109 miles 190 chains.

[No mention i 3 mado of the Kaitara-tahi-Te Karalsa section. | Tho statement then gives dotails of the expenditure on tho soveral lines previously montionod.

GISBORNE KARAKA LINE,

As mentioned in my last statement tho section of the Gisbome-Karaka line between Gisboruo and Ormond was opened for traffic on 26th Juno, 1902, and a further section between Ormond and Kaitaratahi wa3 completed and handed over to the Railway Department for traffic on tho 10th November. This brings tho lino to tho left bank of the Waipaoa river. The bridge over tho river is being orected by Messrs J. McLean and Son, of Auckland, and the contract time expires on tho 15th March noxt. Beyond tho bridge the formation works, including a tunnel 10 chains long, are in hand as far as liaraka, and are making good progress. The survey of tho projected extension of the lino towards Motu will shortly be in hand. Last year’s expenditure on the line amounted to £13,428. For the current year we ask for £15,000.

MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Considerable progress was made on the North Island Main Trunk railway last year. At the northern end of the line regular passonger traffic is now carried on between Auckland and ODgarue, 160 miles. The line is also in complete working order as far as Taumarumi, 14 miles further, andit’is proposed to open the railway to this point shortly, and rails are laid and the line ballasted as far as ihe Wanganui river, a further distance of about two miles. At this point further progress with rail laying is and has for some time past been checked by the backward state of the works on the largo bridge over the Wanganui river. The contract for the bridge was let to Messrs Scott Bros., Limited, of Christchurch, on the Bth May, 1901, and the date for completion expired in February last, but the bridge is not likely to be available for locomotives for three months. Beyond the bridge the formation of the line is in hand for several miles. Directly the bridge is available the rails can be laid into Pariaka, and from lihis onward a valuable timber asset in Waimarino forest can be tapped. The question of the manner of dealing with the forest is engaging the consideration of the Government. By the time the line is opened to Taumarunui it is hoped that arrangements will have been made for taking tourist traffic down the Wanganui river from this point, so that there may bo a through tourist route without interruption from Auckland to Wanganui through the interior, and thence to Wellington.

&.t the southern end of the line the section between Manganoho and Mangaweka has been opened. The erection of the steel superstructure of tho large viaduct over Mangateweka creek was started in November last. This structure is 994 ft long and 160 ft high, and is now practically completed. It was tested with three locomotives on tho 4th inst., and found very satisfactory. Beyond tho viaduct the formation is ready for rail laying has now been taken in hand. It is expected that tho line will be available for good, if not passenger traffic, to Taihape, by about May, 1904. Beyond Taihape the formation is in hand for a considerable distance. During the ensuing summer the material and stores required in the following winter will be carted on to the ground, so that the progress may not be dolayed. In view of the large appropriations for this line last year tho relative expenditure at a first glance appears a small nature of work, and the late period of the appropriations rendred it impossible to spend more during the financial year. Since 31st March, however, a much larger number of men have been employed than in the early part of 1902-3 ; greater headway will consequently be made, and a vote of £200,000 has therefore been provided on the Estimates.

OTHER LINES. On the Blenheim-Waipara fine the expenditure last year was £31,651, and for the current year a vote of £35,000 is proposed. The total expenditure on the Midland railway last year amounted to £39,253. For the current yeai a vote of £70,000 is proposed. For tho Ngahere-Blackball line a vote of £IO,OOO is proposed. The work of finishing the Coal Creek

railway, which was begun by tho Grey-mouth-Point Elizabeth Coal Company, has proceeded throughout the year, and is now approaching completion. Tho expenditure during last year amcuutcd to £6775.

The survey of the Greymouth-Hokitika extension to Ross, which *as in progress when my last statement was mado, has since been completed and construction operations continued throughout tho year. The expenditure last yoar amounted to £7245, and for the current year a vote of £IO,OOO is provided. The exceptionally severe weather during the last winter interfered with the progress o£ works on the Otago Central line. For several weeks almost all work was stopped, and when it could bo resumed its progress was further delayed by slips which took place in consequence of the melting of snow and by lioods in tho Manuheriko river, due to tho same cause. With the return oi milder weather work was resumed, and it now actively in progress. The expenditure on tho railway last year amounted to £40,585, but for tho current year a voto of £70,000 is asked for.

The earthworks on the Heriot extension line are now nearly complete. Last year s expenditure amounted to £3OIB, and for the current yeas a vote of £6OOO to complete the section is proposed. Tile earthworks on the Call insSeaward Lush extension at Gatlins end of this line are practically finished, and plate-laying has begun, unci the erection of the necessary station buildings has also been authorised. The line should shortly be available lor traffic. The survey of a further section will be taken 'n hand during the year. The expenditure on railways last year amounted to £5789, and for the current year a vote of £10,060 is proposed. On the Riversdale-Switzers line the

contract for the combined road anl railway bridge over the Malaura river is proceeding, but work is not making very good progress. Th-i contract time for the erection of the

biinge expired in May last, but u likely to he several months yes ln;orc~it is finished in consequence ol the slow progress of the bridge. The expenditure last year amounted to £12,511 only. For the current year a vote of £40,000 is provided. On the Orepuki-Waiau section, r-o Waihoaka, four miles and a-half in length has been completed, and was handed over to the Railway, Depart-

ment for regular traffic last month. The expenditure last year amounted to £0,368, and the vote proposed foc 11; e current year to provide lor the cost of completing the line to Wailioaka is £BOOO, TOTAL RAILWAY APPROPRIATIONS,

Tiie total appropriations for ra

ways, in addition to the sums already mentioned, include the following ; Appropriations of £IOOO ea.-U are proposed for old land claims and for surveys of new lines respectively, also £60,000 for permanent way materials, This brings the total proposed appropriations for railway construction purposes to £555,000.

CO-OPERATIVE LABOIL

The co-operative system has worked satisfactorily. By this system, a good workman can make a good wage, while the inferior workman is paid only the value of flic work lie performs. It is the latter class who complain that the rates paid are upon too low a scale, and it is difficult to make them realise or admit that they are less competent than their fellow-workers. The instructions lo the departmental officers are that the rate of pay fixed for anv work is to be such that

a man of average ability, working up to his ability, can earn for his day’s labor the rate of wages ruling in the district for that class of wolk. I learn from inquiries recently made of •ali engineers in charge of worxs, that this instruction has been closely adhered to. The test of the matter as applied to reconstruction is shown by tile cost of that class of work

prior to and since the coming into operation of this system. A return was recently laid upon the table of

the House, showing (1) that the average cost, exclusive of additions To open lines and rolling stock of all

Government railways opened up for traflie to the 31st March, 1891, was £6,808, and (2) that the milage cost (also exclusive of additions to open lines and rolling stock) of all Government railways opened for traffic between the Ist April, 1891, and the 31st March, 1903 was £6,762

(The figures m each case aro exclusive

of provincial and district railways taken over by the Government. While the cost of construction under the

co-operative system is thus shown to be less than under contract, lion, members are aware that wc are also now using heavier rails, and more sleepers per mile, that our bridges

are in most cases now built of steel, instead of perishable timber, thus minimising the cost of future renew-

that the cost of all materials and labor has increased, and that more extensive station accommodation especially in the .shape of buildings for employees, length of platforms and sidings is now provided than during the period first mentioned. The improved construction and lessened cost prove conclusively that the colony is obtaining satisfactory results from the co-operalhjc system ; and, on the other hand, there arc many men who, after working as co-operative laborers for a time,have taken up holdings under our excellent land laws, and are now numbered among our prosperous settlers. ROADS 'AND BRIDGES-

.The work on roads is distributed over the whole colony, generally in email undertakings, arid consists mainly of making roads and bridletracks in new. country, although a considerable sum is annually spent on the maintenance of roads already partly constructed, but not sufficient-

ly complete to hand over to the local •authorities. In addition to these, ■there are the main arterial roads in districts where there is no railway communication, on which a large amount is annually spent by the Government. A considerable proportion of the annual appropriation is

absorbed in subsidies and grants to •local bodies, who expend the money subject to. the control of officers of the Roads Department. The expenditure by the Roads Department on roads and bridges since 31st March, 1891, totalled to £2,705,855. For

the year 1891-2, it was £99,920

while for 1902-3 it amounted to £227,184. Nearly the whole of the new roads or tracks are for the purpose of giving, or improving, access to land recently taken up and held by Crown tenants under various land tenures now in force. NEW SETTLEMENT.

Most of tho new settlement is forced on to rougher and more remote country, and the great number of dairy factories established, and being established throughout the whole colony, has largely added to tho demand for metalled roads. Experience has taught that the industry, as at present conducted, connot be carried on to advantage without metalled roads, and the necessary provisions for such is a heavy tax on the powers and resources of the local authorities, A considerable amount of assistance has been given towards this class of work, but it is a question for consideration whether such assistance can be continued in view of the very heavy demands arising for money to roads, newly settled lands, and land which are in process of being settled. LAPSED VOTES.

From various causes many of the local bodies who had been authorised to carry out work did not put the same in time, and briDg the expenditure within the financial year. Tho expenditure has mostly been upon a very large number of small scattered works, the items on the appropriations representing 2408 different works. For the current year the proposed votes for tho same classes of works are as follows : —Roads departmental £18,120, roads generally £300,000, maintenance of main roads £30,209. tourist roads £19,448, Government Loans to Local Bodies account £30,000, Land for Settlements account £9353. Total. £407,430, In regard to roads on the goldfields the

voto last yoar under this head flldOUQtOll to £84,460, the expenditure boing £51,690, with contingent liabilities at tho end of tho year amounting to £49,575. Tho sum proposed to bo authorised for the current year is £78,435, on account of which a vote of £30,000 is asked for. GOLDMINING INDUSTRY.

Tho gold mining industry continues to steadily advance. Tho output of gold for tho year was greater than during the preceding twelve months, and was the highest for any period since 1573. The valuo of gold entered for export during 1902 was £1,951,433, being an incroaso on tho previous year of £197,650. Tho quantity of gold entered for export during 1902 was 505,0450 z valued at £1,951,483, and of silver 674,1960 z valued at £71,975, as compared with 455,5G10z of gold valued at £1,751,783, and of silver 571,1340 z valued at £66,259 for 1901, being an increase of 52,4840 zof gold valued at £197,650, and 103,0620 z of silver valued at £6717. It was proposod to take a voto of £20,000 for the curront year for tho promotion ot this industry. TELEGRAPH EXTENSION.

The expenditure under tho head of telegraph extension during the last financial year totalled £68,578. The greater proportion of this was expended on telephone exchanges, an item governed by tho requirements of tho public and tho rapid expansion of this branch of tho service. Tho number of new subscribers during tho year was 1373. The voto this yoar is limited to £50,000, which includes liabilities on the 31st March last amounting to £27,409, leaving £22,591 for works put in hand since the commencement of tho financial year and further extensions authorised. PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

The total expenditure on publio buildings lost year amounted to £249,303, namely, £01,538 under tho consolidated fund and £197,445 under tho publio works fund. For the current year a total appropriation of £282,995 is proposed, namely, £47,055 under tho consolidated fund and £235,940 under the public works fund. SCHOOLS.

The amount voted for school building last year totalled £109,750, namely £27,750 under tho consolidated fund and £73,000 under the public works fund. The expenditure amounted to £85,644, uarnoly, £27,854 under the former and £57,790 under tho latter fund, The bulk of this

money was granted to Eduoation Boards for expenditure, practically the only school building works controlled by tho Government being the buildings for Native and industrial schools. Nativo schools were erected, or are now in course of erection, at Whaugara, Puniho, Teteko, Torero, Omaio, and Tekaho. Tho Ahipara school was removed and re-erected. Additions were made at Tikitiki, Tuparoa, Wai-o-matatini, Te Araroa, and Parapara, and teachers’ residences erected at Peria, Paeroa, and Kaiapoi, For tho current yoar a total, appropriation of £110,950 is askod for, namely, £24,950 under tho consolidated fund, and £86,000 under the publio works fund. In addition to ordinary grants to Education Boards provision is mado for a grant of £0756 to Victoria College, aDd £2124 (balance of grant for £3000) to Waitaki High School. Substantial provision is also mado for a now industrial school building at Levin, and. for a deaf mutes’ institute at Sumner. Votes aro also provided for additions to Mount Albert t Auckland) industrial school, and additions to similar schools ot Burnham and Teorauga (Christchurch), and for the purchase of a building to bo used as a receiving home in Christchurch, also for a home for weak mindod and epiloptio children, and other building works. II ARBOR IMPRO V EMENTS.

For the current year, provision is made for improving the channel to the wharf at Onehunga ; for wharves at Waiwera r Mercury Bay, O.potiki, IMokau, and Bruce Bay ; for soma r Mprovomcnts in tire harbor at Collingwood ; for protecting the Ocean Beach at St. Clair ; and for the sundry minor works under the head, “ Harbor Defences,” Last year’s expenditure amounted to £6126, and for the current year a vote of £IO,OOO is provided.. For tourist and health resorts, a vole of £26,535 was asked for.

WATER POWER. The Statement dealt at length with the question of the best means of utilising the water power in the colony for motive , power, favorable leferencc being made to the Wairoa river, north of Auckland, Huka Falls (on the Waikato river) and others in the North Island. In the South Island, Tiowever, the cost for the hydraulic part of any scheme Would 10- - quire investigation, over 90 rivers streams, and lakes having been, suggested as presenting conditions favorable for the generation oi electrical energy from water power. These were at present being investigated by, Mr Hancock, the American expert.

CONCLUSION. The Statement concluded :__l think hon. members must admit that the opening up of Crown lands and the extension of railways and roads has materially assisted to bring about the prosperity which this colony has so long enjoyed. Wc must continue to open up land for settlement by means of money spent on roads and bridges, and we must still continue

slowly, it may be, to take our railways forward to those points where they will serve the purpose of tapping districts of high-producing capacity. That has hecn our policy in the past, and will continue to he our policy in the future, and I trust the careful consideration given to the allocation of the amounts proposed for appropriation for the several works will meet with tig-' approval of hon. members.