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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5835, 11 December 1879, Page 2

The Public Works Statement, with tables attttoUoJ, ,o»oWl u= to-day. Tallin No. 12 shows the total expenditure and liabilities on public works out of loan up to 30th September, 1879. The figures are startling. The following table summarises the main particulars :

Among the items included in the summary referred to, may be mentioned a total expenditure on railways up to September 30, 1879, of £7,883,000 ; on water supply to goldfields of £421,800 ; on telegraphs of £344,000 ; on public buildiugs of £529,000. There are also heavy liabilities under authorities and contracts on railways of £1,308,000, and on public buildings of £219,000. A footnote is attached to the Statement concerning the expenditure on railways, to the effect that this expenditure on railways does not include the expenditure on provincial railways which were taken over from Ofcago and Canterbury, and which were valued jointly at £1,144,000 when taken over. We believe that few persons were aware of how large an expenditure had been actually incurred upon our Public Works policy up to the present. The cost of raising loans has been considerable, and the departmental charges have also run up to a large amount, as there has been no less than £145,000 under this head either spent or authorised to be spent up to September 30 last. The Statement contains a long list of the lines proposed to be authorised by the Public Works Appropriation Act, 1879. The niain items of interest for Wellington readers are the amounts appropriated for expenditure within the year upon the Wellington to Opaki line, £163,000 ; Wellington to Johnsonville, £40,000; Johnsonville toFoxton, £15,000; Foxton to Oarlyle, £148,000 ; Carlyle to Waitara, £85,000. In addition to this there is a total appropriation proposed for the Bunnythorpe to Woodville line, fourteen miles long, of £150,000. Altogether, it is proposed to appropriate for expenditure during the year, £889,000 in the North Island, and £1,419,000 in the South Island.

TotalExpenditure to Sept 30,1879. Liabilities, &c., on Sept,30,1879. Immigration Land purchases Contingent defence Charges and expenses raia • ing loan Interest and sinking fund £ 1,801,962 720,454 80.000 554,269 218,500 £ 97,063 1,210,802 60,000 Total on public works, as per summary 3,375,187 10,704,356 1,367,865 1,755,621 Total expenditure and liabilities out of loan, 30th September, 1879 .. £14,079,543 £3,123,487