PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Manawatu Times, Volume X, Issue 1330, 25 October 1884, Page 2

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

The above was delivered m the House last evening by Hon B. Kichardson, From the telegraphed statement we summarise the -follow* ing items of interest to this district :, EAILWiiTSJN CoCRSii OF CoNSTRTJO- -/_... -; ; tion. ' Napier-Woodville. This line. ha^ been extended and opened for traffic to Matamau, 4 miles beyond Makatoko, to. the great convenience of the travelling public, as about nine miles of coaching is thus saved. A further portiou extending to Taboraite, seven, milea,,j will, it is expected, he ready forpubjic. traffic ."by:, -the end this month. This will briug the railway tp a point 81 miles from. Napier. ' J - '''■ Wellington-Woodvilie. .; ,Th« extension; of the railway beyond Masterton is progressing under two contracts for a distance of about 17 mileß. _''' V ' j Foxton«New Plymouth. A farther length of : about 17 miles on. this line has been opened for public rtraffic during- the yearj namely* from Waverley to Manntahu leaving a gap of only 10 : miles be* t ween the latter place, and Havvera to complete the through connection; The work on this gap, is proceeding as fast as the weather will ■ * % llow, and under favorable circumstance* this/length height be ready for traffic about the end of February next. . Surveys. Good progress has been made with these m both Islands. In the North Islands 8 routes have been; examined as probable routes for the; Main Trunk Line between Welling.: ton .and Auckland, viz., one from, Napier by : way of Taupio, one from; Marton by a line west of the Bangi* tikei Kfver, Ruapehu, and Taupo,. and one irom, Stratford by, a line; inland about 15 miles from the Coast, In addition to the reports' already before members on this sub* jeet^furtherand fuller reports %ye. since; been prepared and supplied the.jOommittee -appointed ito: inquire into the question of the most suieable route to be adopted, i ,'/. / , Koads to open tip Grown lands before „".--;•■; y % .' ; Sale. •■:■' -= r ,-«■-.- r ■ » T _s During the twelve months" ending the 81st March last, £84,681 was expended. r Out > of^ the last, three million loan r '£205,00b s wks' allocated for this work, and on 81st March last £108,713 was available for the cairying/jn .of )hs road, l,ineg already on th6{estimate.>., y It is-p'roppsed tb aslc\he H6use~ for a further' vote 'this" year of £29,595 to open up blocks of *laxid m the several land districts ; which have been : surveyed, but .With* held from disposal by the.department pending their being :or ened up by roads; ,; ... ... . / . ■„.-. -...•.■:-. :,•. ■. , . . Main fipads.; ; : ,: Under the Koads and Jbs ridges (3pn-- : struction Act ; one-fonrth of the coßt.pf. work to be provided or repaid m 10 years by ihe local body, and :the .balance to ; be found by the? tfo- 1 fVerhment. — Under this heading tie total -amount; of i the applications re* ceived on the 80th June, 1 888,- when reduced m accordance with the Act of 1888, came to £224;5§8. The applications for bridges were'granted m full, but the available funds only admitted the granting ofT one«fiftk of the amquut asked for roads/ 3?fi© tot^^%oiin : t . thuß : di^foi&uibed %)r bridtes-atid road works^ was £70,681. In addition £19,825 was applied for for repairs of extraordinary damages by floods, and £10,282 granted! i ■; -i District < Boads and Biver Works. \ Total amount grauted •to/ be rev paid m fifteen years; On account of this class ,of .works the total amount applied for during the year ending March last has been £80,696, and m pursuance of these a.pphca>~ tions loans have been granted to thjj extent of > £,22,941. Of, t hia ■. stam £21,495, was for rpads, and:.£l446 for yiver work?., . : , „ ; ;;/.-. jPfarchase of Lands,,- North \ . ~ i; ; '"' 'lsiahd. v ' '' : ■"■' " . The areas of land, the- purchases of which y>ert ,. completed -during the year endiiig the 21st MaWlf were as follows :— ln the Auqkland Pro vinci&l District; 77,721 acres, m the Wellington Provincial District, 120,861t£er69, and m the Taranaki Provincial District 10,280 acres, amounting m all to 208,862 acres. The total area of- land purchased un*. der the Immigration and . Public Works Acts up to the 81st. March; :last was 8,958,233 acres, at a.^cosj?* of £92,826 has been paid. The total disbursements up to the end. of March last. were L 921,693. "V ' ■ . Immigration. ; As the House is awarej the schedule to the Loan Act- of 1882 provided a sum of L 200.000 for immie gration. Since that .time assisted and free passages have been granted: to 9619 immigrants who. have ai rived' m the colony. In addition to these the Government have advices of 150 more immigrants (principally single won- en), hayin? left Plymouth on the 81st August last. The total number of immigrants of all classes m« troduced by the colonial Gpvetnment, since the inauguration of the immi--gration s<-h4me is iip;888. With; th& exception of a small number of single Women whom the Agent* Gbnei'al caused to be specially sen lected, the whole of the immigrants who have arrived m the colony since April, IBB2,liiave been nominated, but, since the l2tli MattsK-Jast even nominated i-n migration' (except for single women) has been suspended. A number of person, part for whose passages .were provided by friends were suddenly told; that they could not be brought out. The hardship to : which these persons-have been subjected has been so forcibly re« presented to the Government} and their right of complaint iswso . clear/ that instructions have: been given; Chat ,m; all cases where the nomina- ' tioajnbney. has been already.' paid' passages ,are to/ be provided^ for the peivojuiQMOmifU^edL