THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 97, 12 August 1879, Page 2

THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

The Hon. Jns. Macandrew made a brief statement of the position <>f public works on Friday lust, to tho House of Representatives. From it we learn that the total length of railways opon for traffic is 1145 miles, ihe cost of which wj 3 £8,057,188, and tho nut receipts from which, after paying working expenses, amount to £212,017°, equal, as has been pointed out, to the ■ interest, at o per cent, on nearly £5,000,000 out of the total 48,057,183, or iti other words, fiveeighths of the public debt undertaken on account of railway construction may be regarded as practically extinguished. In the North Island, during the past jear, 27 additional miles have been opened for traffic, making a total on the 30th June last of 336 milc3, the total cost of construction of which amounts to £2,300,000. The gross receipts have boen £106,702 Is 4s, and the working charges and maintenance £l 16,879 15s lid; leaving a balance of £39,882 5s od available towards payment of iuterest and cost of construction, being at tho rate of nearly 1 J per cent, for the year. The number of passengers carried during the year was 703,809. lv the South Islmd, during the past yoar, 59 additional miles of railway have been opened for traffic, uultiag a total, ab 80th June last, of 8)2 miles, the total cost of construction of winch amounts to £0,707,138. Tug gross receif ts have been £'3J1,-ilB 6s Id. Tha working charges and nniutenanne have been £129,498 19s Id, leaving a balance of £172,033 7s available towaivU piym3nb of interest on cost of construction, being at the rate of 3 per cut for the year. Ihe number of passengers carried during tho year was 2,018,871. The profits have bjcn considerably diminished, owing to the 'heavy floods in the South Island, and the Iqck'of eaginepower. However, the results are most satisfactory, and show that thj new loin tho Parliament has authorised will tend riot only to the development of the country, but will also greatly increase the traffic upon lines already constructed. Mr Macandrew states that it was tho intention of tho'GKiVernihent to hare applied for power to lay off smallfarm settlements along the various new lines, and to dispose of the same upon such terms as might bo doomed best to secure the permanent location on the soil of those employed in the construction of the works, and he expresses the hope that no time may be lost, after the assembling, ofrtha new Parliament, in legislating in! this 'direction. 'The total expenditure! on: railway construction duringtho past year' was £819,280; viz., £343,831, in tho North Island, £402,812, in tho South Island, and £12,607 on surveys. The, contract liabilities on :30th J une were — North Island, £537,951; South Island, £539,580 ; rails not yet arrived or upDor* tioned, £100,000; total, £1.177,531. ■ Mr Macandrew refers as follows to what he calls tho " Wellington to Foxton " line :— " This line is part of the main trunk lino from Wellington to ihe WaiUato, via the West Cjast. The lan-l through which it passes is now being purchased by the Government, and at least 0110 million of acres contiguous t<> it will be shortly available for settlement purposes. Considerable pains have beon bestowed upon ascertaining the most suittiblp, route frpm Wellington to Waikanae, thisliejng the most difficult ami expensive portion of th». line. It has been found that the best outlet from Wellington is by Kaiwarra aiid Johnsonville, by which route a very fair grade can be secured. The working plans are now finished, and tenders can be called for the works almost immediately."