Telegraphic Intelligence.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1445, 3 October 1872, Page 2

Telegraphic Intelligence.

[from greville's telegram company.] CHRISTCHURCH. TIIUESDAY, Oct. 3. The scheme for forming street tramways has received great support. The leading men here are patrons. DUNEDIN. Thursday, Oct. ?. At the fire on Tuesday a man named Hughes narrowly escaped with his life. GREYTMOUTH. Thursday, Oct. 3. Seventy passengers left hero in the s.s. Rangitoto to-day, for the Queensland and Roper River diggings. PATEA. Thursday, Oct. 3. The polling for Egmont took place today. The following is the result, so far as this district is concerned : —Major Atkinson, 46; Mr Moorhouse, 17. WELLINGTON. Thursday, Oct. 3. Representatives of no lower than fifteen newspapers are here at present. A press conference is contemplated. PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE. Mr Reid made his Public Works Statement in the House last night. He said that 250 miles of railway had been contracted for at a contract price of ,£910,823; the additional cost required to complete these works was es timated at £506,201, making a total expenditure, including liabilities and engagements on railways and Middle Island roads, of £1,489,209 ; and leav* ing a balance available for further woiks of £547,992, not £'74o,4B9—the difference being caused by outstanding engagements, of which no record appeared, and which were not known at the time of the Colonial Tieasurer's statement. The estimated cost of completing the woiks contracted for ex ceeded the appropriations by £380,328, for which the legislature would be asked to make provision in the Railway Act Amendment Bill now before the House. Out of the proportion of the Railway fund devoted to the Middle Island had been expended £67,584, lea\ing an unexpended balance of £3,608. On the Grey mouth protective works £4,000 had been spent,' and on unauthorised purveys £6OO, for which authority would be asked. On roads in the North Island the expenditure and liabilities amounted to £172,915, leaving an unexpended balance of £227,084; on gold-fields water supply the contracts amounted to £66,644, leaving a balance of £233,355. There was therefore available £1,012,040 for roads in the North Island, Westland water supply, and railway works, including permanent ways and rolling stock, This sum is reducible to the extent of the departmental expenses and the expense of raising the loans. During the current vear the roads in the Nor'h Island would be pressed on to the full extent of the appropriations, the assistance of natives, either a** con traetois or laborers, being obtained wherever necessary. For the Middle Island roads £6,000 would be asked; the roads from Westport to Nine-mile Creek and from Ahaura to Kaikoura would be provided for from this sum ; and the construction and widening of roads in Westland would be carried out. The gold fields water supply wo.u.ld. also be amended to..

Out of the £596,992 available for railways, the Government purposed commencing the following lines:— Lower Hutt to Upper Hutt, 8 miles; Nelsonto Foxhill, 20 miles; Rakaia to Asbburton, including bridge, 20 miles ; Timaru, 2 miles; Mocraki to Waitaki, 40 miles; Tokomairiro to Lawrence, 20 miles; Winton to Kingstown, 12 miles ; besides branch lines—Rolleston towards Malvern, 20 miles; and coalfields railways—Brunner, 7 miles, and Kawakawa, 5 miles ; making a total of 168 miles of railway. During the recess it was purposed to f make inquiries into the merits of the branch lino from Oamaru to Waireka, should the owners and occupiers of property in the neighborhood agree to pay rates to the extent of five sevenths of the annual charge on the required outlay. Enquiries would also be made respecting the coalfields, and he promised that should any new development of importance take place during the recess the Government would push on an_j railways or tramways required. He further proposed to push on and complete the surveys and working plans of the lines from Auckland to Riverhead, Pakipaki to Ruataniwha, Upper Hutt to Masterton, and Pi .ton to Blenheim ; excluding the lines from Ashley River to North bank of Ko»vai, Ashburton to Temuka, Moeraki to Waikouaiti, and Winton to Kingstown. These would be got ready for contract, and 270 miles of other lines would undergo a preparatory survey, while the working plans of the branch and coal railways would be completed. For these the sum of .£14,000 would be asked for. Such were the proposals submitted to the House, and he hoped they were sufficient to divest members of the idea that the Government opposed the prosecution of the functions of colonization 'vhich had been undertaken. It was the duty of the Government to proceed fir<t with the lines likely to yield the earliest and largest results ; and they hoped, by energy, piudence, and forethought, to carry the scheme to a successful termination.