PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 189, 11 August 1877, Page 4

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

, At the evening sitting, ;the Public Works Statement was delivered by the Hon. J. D. Ormond. He . reminded the House that he took office in J'unuary * last, and he acknowledged the cordial aaaistuhce ho had received from his predecessor, the Hon. E. . Richardson. Cousiderable progress had been made during the year in railway works. The votes were not fully expended, but, those who were inclined to qomplaiu on that ground should -remember' that it ■■ was not until February that monetary arrangements ■ -were concluded which enabled itutnoriaed works to be vigorously proceeded with. I'hVKuivn Kuw.i iine - was now couipleiod to the shipping place, and but iHtie additional work on it was. proposed ut present. - The Auckland-Kuipara line was being extended from Heleneville to a new and moro conveuient station on the Kaipara river, and from Auckland to war! a Hiverhead : a section of -ten- uiiles was in progress. The'courße from that seetiou to liiverliead hud to be altered and alternative plans being prepared, l'lio Auckland- Waikato jiue wus expectejd_to bo opened in August to NewcusMe, 76 miles la all. Newcastle to Ohaupo was proposed to be completed during the finaucial year, thus adding. 26;, miles. Tile -work ' towards Te Awamutu was 'also' being, puslie'd 'on.* ' The Eailway Wharf at Onehunga was. in progress. During the year it was intended to improve the station aud workshops at Auckland, and: eonnect the. present statiou with the Q.ueon ''street wharf. The" .Napiet-Mauawatu Hue would be extended' live or'.six miles by October next, wheu it would be completed " to Kopua, and about 65 miles would be in work. During tho year a few miles more would be finished, and as this would bring the SeTenty. Mile Bush settlements into more tlirect' communication with Napier, the traffic would be . considerably increased. On the Wellington and Masterton line it: had been found that all the tunnels must be.. lined j" this .was slow work, and the Country was altogether , difficult, bu| it was hoped that by December the line would be open to Kaitoki, 27 miles from Wellington arid every exertion would ' be triads to complete the line to Peutherston before June next. formation ; works towards Masterton would -ibe proceeded with " as would also those required for connecting the ,Wel- • lington station with tne wharf, the Waitara-Putea '. line would soon be completed to Inglewood a section aouth of Inglswood was in progcess aud it was pro- ' posed to continue the works a tew miles further this year a short section to carry the aouthernsectiou olthe Patea-Mauawatu line. from the Waugauui river into < Wanganui was under contrac J , and the whole line .. I from' Wanganui to Foxton was expected to be com ■ peeted during the year. The Nelson and tfoxhill i Eailway would be connected with the City (?) by ■ June next, and it was intended to erect a workshop in Nelson. The Westport-Ngakawau line and the i works for loading coal would shortly be finished. The Picton-Bleuheim Eailway was to be extended I to Blenheim at once, and work southwards, would be begun so soon as the survey had been completedThe Greymouth-Brunuertou lino was working satisfactorily, iiiver protection works would be t proueeded with steadily, the statiou accommodation would be improved, and a workshop erected during the year. The line from Amberley to Waitaki was completed some months ago. The works proposed to be carried out during the present year were the connection of the main trunk Hue northwards from ". Amberley about fifteen miles,, completion of the Eyreton Eailway now under contract, improvement of the line at the Wahnakariri Kailway, completion of the Opawa Eailway, eon version of : the . broad guage from Amberley to Ly Helton to tilie" narrow guage, re-arraugment aud improvement of the railway stations at Christchurch and Lytteltou, additions to station accommodation, aud a large increase of rolling stock. Between Moeraki and Dunedin the whole line was under contract, exdept the Waikouaiti section, the formation of which had been' done by piece work. Every exertion would be uaod to get the works completed by January, which was the latest contract date for any of thsin. . Tenders : have been invited for the Balclutha-Clint'on section of the Dunedin-luvercargill line, and tho whole was to be completed by June next. Within the year the Ingercargill-Kingston line would be completed, aud the Government hoped that by that time the trunk line from Canterbury to Kingston, 527 miles in all, would be open for traffic, Additional stations and stock for the Marewhenua-Waiareka and Green Island Eailways were provided for. The Outram line was nearly completed, hut required rolling stock. Thero was much yet to be done to complete the Otago Western railways. The section from Wallacetown to the Junction with the Ofcautauline was now completed, and the completion of the formation of that section to Biverton, aud of the Otautau line would be proceeded with so as to ba ready for plate laying, as soon as the Wallacetown line became available for conveying the .rails. There was no rolling stock tor ' those lines," but what was requisite for their working .hadbeen ordered. The valuation of the Canterbury... aiid Otago railways, in compliance with tho Financial Arrangements Aor, 1876, gave these results—Canterbury, £731,759 ; Otago, £372,522. The total length of railway yet authorised was 122? miles, of which 412 wiles were in the North and 815 ini!e3 in . the South Island ; and there were open fcr traffic 212£ miles in the former, and 647£ miles in the' latter, making a total of 860 miles. An additional length of 274 miles would be completed during the financial year, about 132, being in the Northland 142 in the South Island. This would leave nearly 93 miles of authorised lines to be completed subsequent to the current finuneial -yean, eoui.'.thing more than 67 miles being in the .North and 25 in the Sooth Island. The amount appropriated by the ' Immigration and Public Works Act of last year for railways wus £1,300,600; the expenditure against ' wliich had been £9(57,4:25 13s gd, inclucfirig the ais-. tribution to the several railways eondernod of' £29,881 15s 6d, being the balance of the advances made in previous years to the General iltailwiys Accouut. Tho total expenditure ud Io -the 30th June, 1877, waa £6.129,920 11s 2d, and tho outstanding tiabiliUHs £530,333 &i 4d. This amount - included .the wholn liabilities of till . exi>nm»contracts, some of which extend to the year 1878^ and for plant and materials ordered from Home! It was intended to push on tile exploration surveys • during the present year, aud main trunk lines in both Islands. Together with definite "'proposal* for their completion, tho House wmi.d be asked to give further aid in the direction of tho special provisions made last session, for roads in certain districts in the North Island, and for similar purposes in Westland and the Nelson south- west goldfieMs, on the grounds that these districts had urgent -wants which could not be provided for by the local bodies, and that they had special claims to consideration, from being so situated as not to derive the same adgantages from the public works policy, ;is other • parts of the colony. Including motes' of balance from last year, the total asked lor these road works would be £79,172, thus divided:— Eoads north of Auckland, £2i,20(i;, including £15,201] balance from last year, on which amount thero were liabilities for ' roads in Native districts £12,000; roadsiil Westland, £19,10-1, including £'J,(;ii of balance; -roads in the Nelson south-west goldlields, £17,802,-in-cluding £7,802 of balance; to Hokitika-Uhristclmrch ■ road £5,000 Information had not been obtained as yet to enable an accurate statement to be made respecting the condition aud cost of provincial roads and works in construction when the Abolition Act came into force. Votes would bo submitted as soon as the necessary information had been received. The Government recognise " said the Hon. Gentleman" that the distribution of tho expenditure on these provincial works had been unequal in tho different parts of the colony. Wo aro also, .awaro that there are some works in sparsely settled outdistricts, such as bridges over dillicult rivers, wliich are urgently required to connect important divisions, ' of the country, and that in some cases these works are beyond the present means of the County Councils. We do not wish it to be inferred that we think . the colony can provide for all the works of this kind that .ire desirable, but we propose at the same time that we submit votes to cover the liabilities on tho present Provincial works-in progress to ask provision for the more important aud pressing of the works I havo just described, and in so doing we shall take into consideration the c aims of those districts which have not shared equally-in the'public works expenditure already incurred. A Bill would he introduced to enable jthe Goveriimeut to make advances for opening up J Mocks of land- for "

; settlement. /The ; Gbyernment recdgiiised'that o isuni might be expected piqsfc^advftukgeausly in this way. but only £50,000 would be proposed to be so spent " this year. The Bill would ; proved? that, any such expenditure should be recouped out of the proceeds; ' of land; sold in the blocks t|us opened up. As tb ' ■'• water races',^ the " expenditure i had beerf. almost . wholly confined to a few races in : whicli ; large-sums had previously been expended. The Government „., had intended to baud the raops over t.c^the respective r. County Couu'Qils," but the Counties cprinmipicatedY i with tadlsnpt been willing to /undertake' the charge, and, considering the very large cost of the works', the Government had not felt justified in handing .- them over until assured that proper provision was ■■- secured for their cave and maintenance. The pecuniary results of completed races ori the -West Odasfc '" 7 . . had not been very, satisfactory. 1 " 1 - It' was intended 'to f ask for votes for £858,86*7 'to 'complete the moreim.- , portaut races in progress. That amount" would be - 1 thus divided— Thames £6,505, Wairnea'- £-25;828, v '- ■ Nelson Creek £24,38-1, Four-Mile £12,000, Mikonui ■ £15,(350.' The amount namoU for the ilikonui race. /' was the unexpended balance pf last year'&.vote, but as the estimated cost of that! raceWas £81,000,' the ; - Government would not propose to commence the • Work' unless safisii§d tliat^hq whole scheme, would '■be completed '% & Vprivafco; company. On' public buildings, £^13,309 had been ; expended' during .the a ' year, 'and' the estimate was that £215,000 would be , . needed "for the^'currenfc year. This was .largely . owing to the charge- and maintenance of public/ buildings in the Colony having to be provided for' many' of which were formerly Provincial ocharges. i It was found that ihany of these buildings were in J 'S~bd'd atafce of repair, and afforded insufficient accommodations For, &cbpplß,.aiono; it was leatimated that . £.50,000 -was x'equiaitei The provisions needed for ' lunatic asylums, lighthouses, gadle, police, and court-' "' \: Ijquses was very considerable. '■ With respeot to coal exploration, the .results, of thejyear Had included tha Vcompleiion of the survey of the Buller field, which had been proved;.to contain over one hundred million - tons of good, coal advantageously workable. -Only' only one mine, that of the Wellington Company, had jet been opened. At Greymouth the Brunner Com- - r pany had iuthree-yearajextended their' workings from 22 acres to 38 acres,' an^d their total put out during that time bad been .49,833 itona. The Coal Pit Heath Company had .coal, on 'the market, and the Greymouth Company had reached coal in their new shaft, and expect to, be. at work shortly^ In the Waikato Basin it was believed to be probable that more coal existed than had yet "been stated in the sanguine estimate. Two new mines were sending [ coals' to market, and one of them, the Bridgewater, had a seam fifty- live feet thick, only eighteen feet being at present, worked." Coiningnex.t to ,the question of railway' management, ilr. Ormond explained that when the Governmerifr took oyer the Otago and Canterbury railways they found 'that the tariff of charges on thbva. 'differed' "from each other, and that • i the tariff on the General Government lines differed from both. Hence the necessity for, the -railways I Commission, the essential recommendations of which, after very careful consideration, had been put I into force. As to their dffect-.lie said,' "The Government believe that the tariif should be as I nearly uniform l-as'/p^ssibte, but ' experience has : already shown tEat there are cases in- which uni-. r . . fdrmifcy must be abandoned, or the traffic of 'the ' railways _ suffers,; -and 1 the". Government 'will not hesitate in such cases to depart .Jxom ;sbe ■ general " principle of uniform rate. In the" meantime I have . instructed the managers of the different; railways to report generally as to the . operation of the new regulations,' with' 'the hope that, aided by the information they can afford, and assisted by the representations that are freely made by the settlers, such alterations can be effected as will meet the public reipiireirients." The principal- recommenda■tiona of the Auckland Railways "GonimissiQn were, •. that charges should be reduced ahd more power given to jfcho. Iqcji}. .manager. Tho Government "c'oncuvre'cl in thTdes&abTeness of the railway mana- ■;. y.ge. I'^1 '^ being /allotted more discretion than hitherto, and effect was being given to t.kiß, view. The '.' recommendations, as to charges involves -the whole 1 question of . the tariff. , ;-Af ter very carefully considering'" the subject; 'the Government purposed taking power this session to lease tho AucklandWaikatb Railway with the view of practically testing " the advantages of that mode of management. On the Canterbury railways the great increase of traffic caused inconvonienee .during the grain season. The traffic returned for, March last a- total of • 51,000 tons as against 37*400 ih the corresponding month of IS7G, and in April. the returns showed 49,000 'tons as against 33,500 ; such ran; .increase could have boon foreseen .and provided for" by the Provincial authorities. To guard against the like difficulties -in future, the Government were procuring a large a idition to the narrow guage rolling-stock, - aull the Aniberley-Lyttelfcon section was being altered to the New Zealand standard guage. When the Financial Statement was 'made some of u th'e departmental; accounts of the! southern lines had riot been finally adjusted, therefore the amounts 1 : given in that- statement, as the earnings » and profits of the railways were ; not quite accurate, they were now found— to be. The total . re- . ceipts during the twelve months on lines under the public works department management, and during six mouths on the Canterbury and Otago lines was £311,187 7s lid, expenditure £224,800 ' 17s 9d, leaving a balance of £86.35(5 10s 2d: ' "As to ■ . the future the HOll. Gentleman said " The traffic returns for the present year will without doubt be largerly in excess of last year's. Not only have .we ' to expect- an increase on tM lines now open, but it must be remembered that Airing the present year it is proposccLto complete the works now in progress ' in Ofcago, which will connect the northern and south- ' em districts with Dunedin, and make one continuous line from Amberley to Kingston'of 525 miles extend . siye of 22.2 milssiqf branch lines in the same dis- : tficts. ..Then the railways from Auckland to - Waikato, Wellington and SVairarapa, and Wangauui to'Foxtoh are also to "be* completed within the same period, each line opening large ami Important '' districts, and although' all these lines will, not be" complete in time to got returns from them^within ' ; the present year, yet the additional 'mileage that : Will be opened at an early date will materially add to the truiHc receipts." y- ■':•■■'<) u • r r .v - TaliiiSg tho u tl)re'e p'rinciuol classed of work?, tlia.espi'nditifro in eaca island up to J'irio 30 had* been as ■ follows : — ■ . ' . Nurihlsland — -• '•_.■ • ; ' "' "• ; Itttilwaya -.£2,190.405 Roads . ... _ , ... 471, U)0 Wator-races 6fi,32.L, — ■ " "'£2,736,917. South Tsland— '" ; . . ' ' Railways , " £3,9?0,45V R>ads ... : 1'J8,412 Water-races ... .... ', "288,711 ' ":—^ 4,417,607 ■ Aggregate for both islands £7,15i,555 The expenditure proposed for tno rurronfc year far railway a wu,3 £1,370,100^ but that a-nount included liiibilitios wliioh, on the 30th Juno last, aggregated £530,333. r In the following . statement of railways ' • and proposed appropriations^ tiia liabilities were in- • eluded in each case : — ■' | ; K>iwu-K'twa ... ... ; ... £6,113 Kiupora-Pu'rriu ... ... ... 142,830 Waitura-Patea „ ... ... 50,000 jPiitca-Manawatu ... ; ... 141,956 •.: : , t , i ... 75,633 Wellington-llaatorton > ... i ... ' 162^677 . Nelson- Fox llill ... ' ... ■ ... 11,083 Picton-Blenlibim ... ' ..." ... 29,235 Greym-JUtli-Brunnerton ... j ... 35,006 Westport-Ngakiiwau ,'... ' ! M , 38.234 Araberloy-Waitaki and nor'bfiwards 182,754 Wiiuki, .iilutf, aud brauchea ■ ... .365,488 Winton-Kuigstou fi .; s , ... 39,296 Western Railways ... ' ,;. ' - 37,587 Bi»veyj...8 i»veyj... ... ... . ) r# 10)000 Luiul -...-. \. o 42,208 The Government (said the Hon. Gontleman in conclusion) would havo preferred to; propose a smaller expenditure for the year, but taking into consideration that, in the case of some,of rtbe most important ; railways, tho works are far-advanced, and represent in their ■nnlihishocl state '-"a largo 'unproductive expenditure, we consider it necessary to provide for their completion at as early, a date as possible. We also think \t requisite to push oil the completion of [ tho main liuo from JDuuedin fib liiver,carguM, and

throught to Kingston, and to adyance the wbr^S ; iri ' the different sectioes of --the main trunk Khe%in both Islands, and to. provide the rollingl itcok and ' station accommodation', is necessary tosecure the efficient workingi of the railways throughout the - colony, with the exception thai; we undertake' tlfe' completion ot^hbae branch railways in th9~South Island Which: \jfere in coiu-se of .construction b'y^ the Provincial Government^our proposals are confined to works ou v the main trunk lines. "W> consider the polony is not in a pojsition at present ; tb undertake : the responsibility of 'constructing branch lines but must confine itself to steadily proceeding with the mam trunks., }Ye fully recognize, however, that many 'important "districts in the colony inay be . immensely assisted in the development of their ■ . resources "by the construction of branch or district "Railways, aud to provide for this a District Railway ?ill haa been prepared, which, we believe, will enable any district that is in a position to support a railway- to" ; se(iure it. ; . I purpose submitting this Bill v to. the House very shortly. • If Parliament sanctions . the work I have .proposed, a very considerable increase wil|. he added during the year to the mileage of -working railways, and looking at the f results : of last year wo may confidently expect a largely increased traffic, and ! such • returns as . will simply % justify us in providing ior. the further extension rof, our railway sysfcemv ' After a f6\v J£mark3 ;by Mr • Joyce, Mr Barff, and.< Mr.M:acandrew,'!tb;e House' adjourned at 8.50.

; A6yi(3b| to Mpraska 1 —jLve.yba brolcen ia :{ ;youpvria6|by a, piJk ' child !. suffering" wUh tni>! j'P'»ia of catting teech-f Gti* at! once"; to atchaaiis^a^id fj^fc a bi>t6le of' *Mrd;*Wmdlq^s -„ . , Saotjiing gyriTp.' ' It will reiievwtud poor' :v - suffered inimeilJateiy; , jt - is"perfetsly hiriii- 1 less an'l !pleaa*nt to liaste' It' producer natural quiet sleep, by jalitjvlng? :the 'child from pain, and fctie-litfcle cherub awakes "as bright as a button." It soothes the chili), it 'soltens the guuaa, allays all pain, r> lie yes wind, regelates the bowels, and f is thelb'eaii .. , Huowo; remedy iqv dysentefy and diarrhea^) whether arising from teething .or other effuses , ,Sold everywhere at Is. I^-1... ptr bottle. ' . Manufactory, 493, Oxford- street, Loudoiu . Fi.obilihb 1-^Fot the Teeth a r nd Breath -^ lt A few drops of tha Uqiiid "jFibt'oline" j sprinkled pn ft wet '6a'ot'i-bi*ußh ''produce a pleasant lather, which thoroughly cleanses the teeth ' from all .parasites. aud irapirities,. hardens- the gums, prevents tartar, stops decay, gi^es to the teeth =a ; peguhar pearly whiteness; anil a dJight/ul fragrance 10 the ; breath. |lt removes aU UDpliaVapt , o,dor % . arising _.froni decayed teeth or ,'. tobacco ', .au>okt».j •■•The Fragrant Fi'oriliue.V "being "■ ''-'cdupb'sed jin part, oi, U>ney jjnd sweet ">• herbaria jiietieious io-- tho 'taste, and the gfeitesfe r ' toilet "'discovery of the age. Sold everywhere af 2s. fid. Prepared r by' Henrr O. .Gallup ,j493-Ojcford-stree£ London. 109 1 ..

•j y , ,■■ r'" j ' I'' ■'VaWaoLb DISOiTERT FOE THE OAER —If yftuebkirts turning gPiy or white, or falling '.oa^>nse "The Mexican Hair Ran ewer," for it ':wM;positiveli/ restore in evefy, case Gr 4 ey or UWhffe Aatrjtj its originaTcolor^ vyitbout leaving the digiigreeable smell of tnctst- 1 KtatoFers.' 16. mhkta fch,a;hiit;chuminv;ly. as, - well as promoting the' growth of.; the bair on bald spots jwhere the glands are not decayedAsk your tjearest chemiafc for." The Mexican < Haw Hene^er," prepared by Heary C. Gallup, - 493, J Oxforii-sfereet, London, and sold eWywhefe at 3s. 6aV per bottle. ' 910