PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 352, 31 August 1878, Page 2

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Thk lion Mi' Macamlrew delivered the promised Statement on Tu s.lay evening. lie commenced by alluding to the changes he had made in the organisation of the department —placing the working railways under the management of a Commissioner for each Island, as recommended, by the Railway Committee last session. The other principal recommendation of that Committee, relating to the leasing otic of the Auckland lines, had not been acted on, and required grave consideration. He was in favor of the Stale retaining the management of its railways in its own hands. Railway tickets would shortly ho sold in ail the chief centres otherwise than at railway stations. Of the working railways in the Middie Island, 741 miles were open, of which 94 were opened during the past year. The net ba'ance of receipts over expenditure, available for payment of interest, was £145,346, against £IIB,OOO for the previous year, showing a percentage on the whole of the outlay for construction of 2 - G5. The total number of passengers was 1,159,147. Working railways in the North Island—3ll miles wore open for traffic, of which 99 were opened during the past year. The net balance of receipts over expenditure, available for payment of interest, was £18,656, against £13,656 for the previous year, showing a percentage on the whole outlay for construction, of fifteen shillings. The total number of passengers was 313,728. About £3,000 had been saved in salaries by the substitution of an Engineer in charge of each Island instead of an Engineer-in-Chief, and the change was like!}- to prove beneficial. He denied that the appointments named were intended to facilitate the separation of the two Islands as had been asserted. Had such a change been made earlier, it would have conduced to more efficient and economical administration, and there would have been more to show for money spent. There must bo incurred, to complete the portions of railways already authorised, — £958,000 to complete 425 miles in the North Island, and £1,087,000 to complete 874 miles in the Middle Island. Out of a total expenditure of £2,045,000 required for this purpose, it is proposed to spend this year £1,176,500. It is proposed to fill up the gaps in the North Island system as follows : Wellington to Foxton via Wakanae, 61 miles ; Waitotara river to Upper Patea crossing, 51 miles ; Te Awamutu (Waikato) to Inglewood (Taranaki), 125 miles. This will complete an unbroken lino from Wellington to Auckland of 476 miles. Masterton to Woodville, 50 miles ; Woodville toPapatu,4o miles—thus establishing unbroken railway communication from Wellington to Napier, by a line of 220 miles. Waikato to the Thames, 30 miles ; branch line to Hamilton, 2£ miles; Ilelensville to Kankapakapa, 2£ miles. Except as regards the line from Waikato to the Thames, there are no actual surveys, and the following cost is estimated on the basis of a mileage rate : —Wellington to Foxton, £440,000 ; Waitotara River to Upper Patea crossing, £357,000 ; Te Awamutu to Inglewood, £1,115,000 ; Masterton to Papatu via Woodville, £630,000 ; Waikato to the Thames, £168,000 ; branch line to Hamilton, £IO,OOO ; Helensville to Kaukapakapa river, £25,000 ; Wangarei to Kamo, £30,000. Total, £2,775,000, or a total, including the amount required to

complete the lines already authorised, oi £3,733,000.

Sir Macaitdrew pointed out that tho construction of the line through the Waikato country would be full}' warranted by the acquisition of considerable a nas of land suitable for settlement, and by the vast influence to good it would have on the native owners, whose lauds would be increased many fold. Useful employment in construction would also be found for the natives, many of whom would gladly earn money b) labour. The construction of tiie Weihngton-Eoxton line would, to some extent, lie contingent upon the acquisition of land from native owners. In addition to an area of 300,000 acres of Maori land, 180,000 acres of which had been under negotiation for some time, the line would render available for settlement 100,000 acres'now in the hands of the Crown, and there could be no doubt, taken together, these lands would ultimately realize an amount which would go far to cover the cost of ..the proposed railway. If the two great centres, Wellington and Auckland, were to he effectively connected by railway, the Wellington to Foxtou portion would have to he constructed some time, and the sooner the better. Tiie best route would he ascertained before the line would be commenced. The Government proposals embraced one main line of communication on the West Coast from Wellington to Auckland and the Thames, and another on the East Coast from Wellington to Napier. To make the system complete it remained but to establish a connection between these two lines by means of a short link of twelve miles between Bunnythorpe and Woodville, This would place Napier and nearly all the East Coast country in communication, not merely with Wellington, but also Mauawatu, Wanganui, New Plymouth, aim Auckland. The probable cost would be £119,000. and there could be little doubt that s joner or later the work would he undertaken.

Proposed lines North of Auckland to connect that city with the great Kaipara Estuary, and also short line at Wangarci to open up the mineral and agricultural resources of that district were named. Details were given of proposed lines In the Middle Island, making a total length of 57G1 miles, at a cost of £3,535,000. To that amount would have to be added £1,087,000 the estimated cost of completing and putting into working order the lines already authorized or opened for traffic, which would give a total expenditure for the Middle Island of £4,032.000.

Mr Macandrcw summed up by statin" that the railway proposals would involve an expenditure in the North Island or £3,733,000, and in the Middle Island of £4,652,000. Altogether £8,385,000. He believed the estimate to ho rather over than under the mark. It was intended that the expenditure should extend over a period ox live years, otherwise labor would have to bo imported to a greater extent than could readily be absorbed in the permanent settlement of the colony. The object in view was to regulate the administration of the waste lands of tiie Crown, so as to ali'ord every inducement and facility to men who labor in the construction of railways to invest their earnings in land, by laying otic allotments for sue along the various lines as they progress, by which means a fair proportion of the money expended on Public Works would find its wav back to the 'treasury. Out of the loan authorised last session, there remained on the 30th of Juno, available for Public Works, about £2,000,000. Add to tlio Public Works fund from ordinary revenue during the next five years, say £3.500,000, the amount just stated as available would be increased to £5,500.000 and there won hi remain about £3,000,000 to be raised by further loans.

To show that £3.500,000 would not he too large an amount to expect to obtain from revenue during the next live years, Mr Maeandrew enumerated Muck's available in the Middle Island totalling about 4,000,000 acres, which at a moderate computation, he estimated to realize £4,650,000 “ As regards Crown lands in the North Island, I have first of all to direct the attention of honorable members to the fact that about 120,000 acres of the host land on the West Coast portion of the confiscated territory, is now being surveyed for sale, ido not wish to raise the expectations of honorable members undid}', but I believe that I am warranted in reckoning that from this quarter alone (irrespective of the large area of land already acquired, and under negotiation in the same locality) we may expect to receive a net revenue of 3 quarters of a million sterling.” In addition to which there were large areas in the Thames and Piako Districts, and other large blocks would soon be available in the Bay of Plenty, Poverty Bay, and Wellington Districts, and he shortly expected the gratificalion of beholding the North Island, for the first time in many years, yielding a substantial revenue. “In reference to such of those lands as situated upon the West Coast of Island forming part of the confiscated territory, I have a proposal to make to the House which, while it may appear to be a considerable modification, if not a reversal of the financial arrangements of last session, is really' a means of giving a practical effect to those arrangements. These lands have been acquired at an expense of blood and treasure which, in our opinion, .-justifies exceptional treatment, in appropriating the proceeds. In addition to the 25 percent. payable to the New Plymouth Harbour Board, the County in which they are situated, in accordance with the legislation of last session, would receive 20 per cent, of the amount realised from the sale, while the Colony, which had already paid so heavy for the land, would be called upon to provide the means of constructing the main line of railway. We propose then to apply 15 per cent, of the 20 per cent, otherwise payable to the County, to the construction of the railway through the district. As the land will shortly be in the market, there will bo a considerable sum at no distant date, specially available for this work, which can be commenced immediately. The County will in this way, receive the whole of the 20 per cent., while the Colony will be assisted in a work which will contribute so materially to enhance the value of the property in the district, and to increase the financial resources of that County.” In remarking on works not sanctioned, the bon. gentleman pointed out the difficulty there was in settling which to take in hand first, on account of the im-

of all parts of the colony to be first served. .Under the District itailways Act of last session about 100 miles of railway were being constructed. Amendments, in tbe Act would enable it to be more'-largely availed of and so relieve the Government to a considerable extent. The position of .the House in regard to local works was explained, and the utter impossibility of acting justly by all paits of the colony shown. The only solution be could see to the difficulties of the ease was that overv locality should rely upon itself, and Government had been compelled to turn a deaf car to numerous and pressing applications for local works throughout the colony. On the principle of (he ‘•Settlement Works Advance Bill,” which was rejected last year because localities where it was desirable money should be spent were not mentioned, Govi rnment intended to ask a vote of .•1500,090, which at an average of 2s lOd per acre would enable upwards of 414,000 acres in various districts to be brought into the market under conditions which um.hl largely enhance its value. Amongst public buildings it was intended to erect a new lunatic asylum at Dnncdin and a reformatory and industrial school for boys and girls. The Government hulk in Wellington harbour it was intended to fit up as a training school and reformatory for boys convicted of criminal offences. The hou Mr Stout, as Minister of Lands, announced that Government had thought it necessary to advise His Excellency to withdraw from sale lands near projected linns of railway, to prevent speculators taking up the laud.