PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 269, 25 October 1884, Page 2

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

By the Minister for Public Works, the Hon. Edward Richardson, October 24, 1884. Mr Speaker,—The information usually contained in the Publie Works Statement has been somewhat anticipated this year by the particulars laid upon the table of the House during the last short session. The time that has elapsed since the Government took office has not been sufficient to enable me to make myself thoroughly acquainted with the proceedings of the various branches of the Public Works Department, and I have had to depend in a great measure upon the figures and reports submitted to me by the several official heads of the department. I may state, however, so far as time permitted, I have looked into the question of the staff of the department, as provided for in the present estimates. Reductions were supposed to be made in the year 1881-82, but I find that those reductions were more nominal than real, and that the bulk of the officers who at that time disappeared from the list of the permanent staff were placed on temporary charge, and provided for out of the votes for construction of works. Although lam not as yet prepared to state to what extent reductions can be made, I am of opinion that the staff is much larger than is necessary for the due supervision of the works the colony now has in hand. The railways being the most important works carried on by the department, I propose to allude to them first under the several headings of "Railways in course of construction,” “Additions to opened railways,” and “ Working of railways already opened for traffic.” Before going into the details of the several lines, however, it may be as well to state that on 31st March, 1884, the colony had 1,404 miles of railway open for traffic, on which there had been expended the sum of Li 1,251,633, and that there were 234 miles in course of construction. It was to this 234 miles of unfinished railway that my hon, colleague, the Colonial Treasurer, principally alluded when he stated that it will be our endeavor to push on to a speedy completion the various unfinished portions of lines, so as to add this extra mileage to our rcvenue-producing railways. RAILWAYS IN COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION. I shall now shortly refer to those portions of our railways which were under construction during the past year. KAWAKAWA, This railway, about 7J miles long, has at length been opened for traffic to deep water, with a convenient wharf, alongside of which is a depth of water of 21 feet at low water, spring tides. WHANGAREI-KAMO. This has been opened for traffic for more than a year, and an increase of traffic may be expected, as the proprietors of the Whauwhau Mine have arranged for the construction of a branch line to their mine near Kamo, the yield from which is expected to be considerable. WAIKATO-TH AMES. The section of this line from Hamilton to Morrinsville, 18 miles, is now opened for traffic to a section beyond Morrinsville to Te Aroha, 12 miles is being formed under contract, and the formation is nearly completed. The erection of the bridge and approaches over the Thames River, at the end of this contract is being proceeded with, and when completed will be available for ordinary road traffic. Pending the completion of the railway Grahamstown-Kopu, 4| miles, the permanent way on this line is now almost completed. Hamilton-Cambridge branch : 12 miles, this line was opened for traffic on the Bth inst. Naper-Woodville : This line has been extended, and opened for traffic, to Matamau, 4 miles beyond Makatoko, to the great convenience of the travelling public, as i about 9 miles of coaching is thus saved. A further portion extending to Tahoraite, about 8 miles, will it is expected be ready for public traffic by the end of this month, this will bring the railway to a point about 81 miles from Napier, Wellington and Woodville. .The extension of the railway beyond Masterton is progressing under two contracts, for a distance of about 17 miles from Foxton and New Plymouth. A further length of about 17 miles on this line has been opened for public traffic during the year, namely from Waverley to Manutahi, leaving a gap of only 10 miles between the latter place and Hawera to complete the through connection. The work on this gap is proceeding as fast as the weather will allow, and under favorable circumstances, this length might be ready for traffic about the end of Febuary next. NelsonRoundell : This line has been completed from Nelson to Belgrove, 23 miles, for souie tiim, and the only extension now in progress is the Waiiti section, 124 miles, the formation of which is well advanced. Gieymouth-Nelson-Creek : A length of 60 chains of heavy formation work, beyond Brunnerton, has been completed on this railway for some time pas* - , but no further extension of it is at present in hand. Greymouth-Hokitika :On this railway a total length of 10 miles of formation is partly executed, 6 miles at the Greymouth end, and 4 miles at the Hokitika end. The work done during the year has consisted of a small formation for a section at the Hokitika end for whieh sleepers have also been provided. Picton-Awatere : On this railway a length of 4 A miles to the south of Blenheim known as the Vernon section, has been formed for some time, nothing further was done during the financial year, but a contract was on the 9th July of this year let for 3 j miles of formation from the end of the Vernon section towards the Dashwood Pass to Hurunui Waitaki and branches railway. HURUNUI-WAITAKI.

The extension northwards from Waikari to the Hurunui is now finished, and ready for opening. This completes the main trunk railway through Canterbury and Otago. The bed of the Hurunui River having been found too hard for pile driving, the erection of a pile bridge there has been suspended, and a contract for its completion with iron cylinders instead of piles is now in preparation. The formation of bridges and station buildings on the section between the Hurunui river and the crossing of the main road near the Red Post, is in progress. This will bring the railway to a central position 69 miles from Christchurch, and commanding the traffic of the Amuri and Hanmer Plains, The Ashburton branch railway has been finished and opened to a point opposite the Mount Somers township 21 miles from the point where it leaves the main line, and 23 miles from Ashburton. The Little River branch has been opened for some time to Boardings Flat, a point about 30 miles from Christchurch, beyond this point the formation is finished for a distance of 1| miles, and another section of 1 mile is in. progress under contract. In addition to this there is also a further short length of formation undertaken by day labor to give work to the unemployed in Christchurch, and the Albury branch railway has been completed and opened for traffic to Fairlie Creek, namely to a point 36 miles from where it leaves the main line, and 39 miles from Timaru. OXFORD-MALVERN.

This section which connects the Malvern coalfields with North Canterbury has been finished. Waitaki-Bluff and branches railway on the Horwilburn branch line a further extension from Kelso to Heriot has been opened, thus completing a total length of 20 miles from Waipahi on the main line. On the Livingstone branch the formation works with the exception of the tunnels have been completed for some years, and during last year a further portion of the tunnelling has been in progress. Of the Palmerston branch a length of about 10 miles is completed for traffic, but is at present only used for bringing ballast to the main line. The remaining 8 miles to Waihemo is ready for plated laying. Of the Catlin’s River Branch between the main line and the Port Molyneux road, distance in all about 8 miles, about 5.4 miles is formed ready for platelaying, leaving about 2.| miles still to bo formed. On the Edendale-Toitois branch a distance of 4 miles from Edendale to Wyndham has been opened for traffic for some time, and a further distance of about 4 miles is ready for platelaying. On the Waimea-Switzers branch the formation is partly completed for a distance :)f about 7 miles from Riversdale. On the Seaward Bush branch the line is completed ■or a length of about 3 miles, and a further ength of about 24 miles s in progress. I

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY. The works in progress on this line extend over a distance of 32 miles, The formation of the Mnngatui section is finished ready for the rails, and a small quantity of work was dore on the Hindon section during the early part of the year by the unemployed. The Deep-stream contract, let in February, 1882, was abandoned by the contractors shortly afterwards, and the works have not yet been resumed. The formation of the Northern section, which is the last of the rough country, is progressing rapidly. In connection with this Otago Central Railway, I am of opinion that a groat mistake has been made in not forcing on the construction of the first portions of the line, especially the Mungatu Viaduet, so that the materials for the Deep-stream and Northern sections could be taken up by rail instead of being carted so far by road, which must materially increase the cost of construction. The Mungatiu Viaduct will take fully two years to complete, and until it is completed it will be a great bar to the progress of the works higher up the line.

THE INVERCARGILL - KINGSTON AND BRANCHES (including Western Railways). On the Mararoa branch the platelaying has been extended for a further distance of miles, making about 4 miles in all from its commencement, Beyond this point the line is formed for a further distance of about 2 miles. On the Orepuki branch railway a further length of about miles has been opened, and the platelaying is in progress on the remaining portion. This, with the exception of stations which are not let, will complete the whole of the line to Orepuki, a distance in all of about 18 miles. SURVEYS.

Good progress has been made with these in both Islands. In the North Island three lines have been examined as probable routes for the main trunk line between Wellington and Auckland, namely, one from Napier, by way of Taupo; one from Marton,tby a line west of the Rangatikei river, Ruapehu, and Taupo; and one from Stratford, by a line inland about 15 miles from the Coast. In addition to the reports already before hon. members on this subject further and fuller reports have since been prepared and supplied to the committee appointed to inquire into the question of the most suitable route to be adopted in the Middle Island. The principal surveys are those for the proposed East and West Coast railway. Four main routes have been surveyed in detail—the Cannibal Gorge, Hurunui Pass, Arthur’s Pass, and Lake Lyndon routes, and a reconnoissance survey has been made of a fifth by the Amuri Pass. Reports, with maps and sections, giving the result of these surveys, will be laid before Parliament. ADDITIONS TO OPENED RAILWAYS.

I shall now briefly refer to a few of the lines of railway which were open for traffic pieviously to tiie 31st March, 1883, outside ordinary repairs and renewals, to which I shall presently allude. And here I would wish to record my opinion that a very large

amount of the works executed on these lints has been done much earlier than there was any necessity for, and also that the unnecessarily increased accommodation given in some instances is causing very great pressure to be put upon the Government for similarly unnecessary expenditure. In other places. Kaipara and Waikato.—Various works have been executed on this line of railway with the view of improving the facilities for traffic at the different stations, and for providing belter accommodation for the repairs of rolling stock, etc. This latter will be accomplished by the erection of new workshops at Newmarket, which are now nearly completed, and the erection of the necessary machinery is in progress. Provision has also been made for increasing the convenience of the passenger traffic in Auckland, where a new passenger station and building is now in progress under contract opposite and parallel to Custom House street on the reclaimed land. WE STPORT-NG AK AW AU. On this railway some minor improvements have been carried out during the year, and also some additions to the plant and rolling stock. GREYMOUTH-BRUNNERTON. A few additions and improvements have been made on the open line, and an extension of 450 feet to the Greymouth wharf is under contract, and to be completed in about two months. HURUNUI WAITAKI AND BRANCHES. The works on the opened portions of these lines during the past year consist chiefly of numerous extentions and improvements at the workshops and station, and large additions to the rolling stock. Waitaki, Bluff, and branches, new stations, are in progress at Dunedin and Invercargill and the one at the Bluff has been rearranged and enlarged. Numerous extensions and improvements have been made at wayside stations and the rolling stock has been largely increased on the Inver-cargill-Kingstone branches, including the Western railways. On the west lines a considerable number of minor improvements have recently been effected, including several additions to stations. By reason of these and many similar additions made to the opened railways during the past few years, we have now got 1,404 miles of railway complete and equipped; not of a decription such as was proposed in 1870 when the scheme of public works was inaugurated by my colleague, Sir Julius Vogel, but lines of a much higher class, and of such a nature that a much higher speed can be run and much greater traffic than was then anticipated can be carried.

WORKING RAILWAYS. Without wishing to cast any reflections on the the present general manager of railways, I unhesitatingly express my opinion that the condition and management of our railways are in a very unsatisfactory state. My hon colleague the Colonial Treasurer recently said that in many of the railway systems not nearly so large as that of ours in New Zealand, it would be thought absurd to leave to one man the virtually irresponsible control and management, without anyone to consult on the many difficult points which arise from day to day. Yet such is the case here, and I fear no great change for the better can be expected till the whole system is altered. I have been of the opinion, ever since our first railways were opened, that such a system of management as now prevails could not produce satisfactory results, and as each year has passed by, that opinion has been strengthened ; and if anything was wanted, the short time I have held office has afforded ample proof that it cannot be made too soon. It is a matter of the deepest regret that, owing to the late period of the year, the Government has come to the conclusion that it will be impossible to carry through a Bill this session creating Boards of Management, which would bo responsible for the working of our railways ; and did I not feel ■convinced that the Government and the House were dete~mined to take this course at the earliest date possible, I should not have consented to take office. The House will understand in saying this I mean no disrespect. I feel bound to state these opinions, because otherwise I should accept a false position, whilst I believe that strong Boards are necessary to guide and control the management both in the Middle Island and the Auckland district, I find myself with multifarious other duties to preform, virtually standing in the position of the two Boards. I will do the best I can, but I must not pretend to think that unaided I can perform the railway system as it requires to be reformed, lion, members would be amazed if they knew all the powers vested in the General Manager by the late Government by Orders in Council and otherwise. Again, however, let me say that I have the highest opinion of the General Manager’s ability and zeal. It is as much due to him as to ourselves that he should not be placed in a false position. Honorable members are aware that two groat changes have been made during the year, the one being the alteration in the passenger rates, and the doing away with the ordinary return tickets, and the other a general rise in goods tariff. There has hardly been time enough to a certain the effect produced by the former, but the result of the enquiries I have made clearly points to the fact that the gr at bulk of the passenger traffic is confined to the two days in which the cheaper fares obtained, and indeed it would appear that the traffic is still being reduced on the other days of the week, when the higher rates are charged. I feel convinced that in many directions the passenger rates will have to be reduced to attract the traffic the railway ought to carry, and that such reductions if judiciously made

will result in increased receipts, With regard to the rise in the goods tariff, there is no doubt it has produced a large increase to the revenue. While this increase in the receipts has taken place, it is an undoubted fact that a great deal of the traffic has been diverted > from the railways in some parts of the country, and that the carriers on the roads are competing successfully with the railways. I am sure hon. members will agree with me that this state of things should not occur. Comparing the quantity of goods carried over the railways during the year 1888-84 with the year 1882-83 we find as follows:—Live stock, number J 882-83, 478,003 ; 1883-84, 686,287. Goods—tons—lBB2-83, 1,564,823; 1883-84, 1,700,040. From this it will be seen that there was an increase during the year 1883-84 but I consider the increase would have been much larger bad more determined efforts been made to attract traffic to the railways. The remedy, as I have already informed the House, lies in a thorough revision, not only of the rates charged, but in the classification of the goods, and while this revision is being made, every opportunity must be taken to make the rates press as lightly as possible on all local productions, and on all articles the reduction on which will help either the settlers through the country, or the local industries which are already established or are likely to succeed. ROADS NORTH OF AUCKLAND. The vote taken for these roads last year was L 45,000, but as there were liabilities existing at the end of the previous year amounting to L 12.200, the sum available for distribution was L 82.800 This amount was distributed amongst the various counties as follows:—Waitemata,Ls,7oo; Rodney, L 5,700; Hobson, L 5,000 ; Whangarei, L 5,400 ; Bay of Islands, L 4,300; Mongonui, L 4.300; Hokianga, L 2.400. Total, L 82.800. Of this amount about L 12.000 was for the construction of the Main North road, about L 3.000 for wharves and other special works, and the balance for ordinary County works, roads and bridges generally, including main roads and miscellaneous roads and bridges, in the North Island, south of Auckland. The principal work executed in the North Island has been the completion of a road leading from Cambridge to Ohinemutu, in all 55 miles in length ; but a large expenditure has always been incurred in keeping the main roads in repair.

MIDDLE ISLAND. The only important roads in the Middle Island on which the Government is doing much work are from Blenheim to Nelson, Nelson to the West Coast, and Hokitiki to Christchurch. The last section in the road from Blenheim to Nelson via the Rai Valley, is now in progress ; also a bridge over the Pelorus. Bridges have been built and other improvements effected on the Nelson West Coast road, in addition to the maintenance and general improvements. The bridging of Taipo and Smooth Wainihinihi, on the Hokitika-Christchurch road, is in hand. Bridges have also been completed, or are in progress, over the Wairau, Clarence, Waiau, Raikaia, and Taieri rivers. ROADS TO OPEN UP CROWN LANDS BEFORE SALE. The particulars'of the numerous works under this heading will be found in table 5 of the Appendices to this Statement, from which it will be seen that during the twelve months ending the 31st March last a sum of L 84.631 was expended. The importance of fencing Crown lands by pioneer roads previous to their sale need not be enlarged on, the question having been fully dealt with in the annual reports of the Land and Survey Department. By stating this lam not giving my own opinion whether the roads have been judiciously selected or not. Out of the sum of L 268,415 on the Estimates of 1883 84, of which L 205.000 was allocated out of the last loan of L 3,000,000, the sum of L 103.713, including liabilities, was on the 31st of March last available for the carrying on of the road lines already on the Estimates. With the large public estate still awaiting settlement the demands for the class of work may be said to be almost unlimited, but as only a certain amount of work can be executed in each year, it is proposed to ask the House for a further vote this year of L 20.595 to open up blocks of land in the several land districts, which have been surveyed but withheld from disposal by the Department pending their being opened up. RAILWAYS. The particulars of those proposed will appear in the estimates. BOADS. * Under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act—Main roads : One fourth of the cost of work to be provided or repaid in ten years by the local body, and the balance to ba found by the Government. Under this heading the total amount of the applications received on the 30th June, 1883, when reduced in accordance with the Act of 1883, come to £324,588. Of these applications those which wrere for bridges were granted in full, while, as regards those which were for road works, exclusive of bridges, the available fund only admitted of their being granted to the extent of one-fourth of the amounts applied for. The total amount thus distributed for bridges and road works together amounted to L 70.681. In addition to these ordinary applications there were also applications for repairs of extraordinary damages by flood, amounting to L 19.825 ; and grants were made on these to the extent of L 10,282. The total applied for on account of main roads was therefore L 244,413, and the total granted L 80.963 ; of which L 41,842 was for bridges and L 39,121 for other works. The amounts granted within each of the several provincial districts are to be found in the following table :—

Applica- Granted. District. tion. Bridges. Roads. Total. Auckland .. £73,188 £5,260 £16,177 £20,437 Hawke’s Bay .. 14,063 4,125 1,328 5,448 Taranaki .. 8,111 3,629 1,«19 5,148 Wellington .. 38,275 3,768 5,466 9,234 Nelson .. 5,018 2,079 442 2,521 Marlborough .. 4,766 281 876 1,157 Westland .. 0,977 5,000 747 5,747 Canterbury .. 21,240 7,566 2,218 9,784 Otago .. 69,757 10,234 11,253 21,487 Totals .. 244,413 41,842 39,121 81,963 DISTRICT ROADS AND RIVER WORKS, total amount granted to be repaid in fifteen years. On account of this class of works the total amount applied for during the year ending March last has been L 30,596. In pursuance of these applications loans have been granted to the extent of L 22,941. Of this sum, L 21.495 was for roads and L 1,446 for river works. The several amounts granted within . the various provincial districts are shown/ in the table below:— District. Application. Grants. Auckland .. £2,732 £2,732 Hawke’s Bay 1,270 1,270 Taranaki .. 2,000 1,200 Wolli gton 12,894 11,994 Mirlborough 1,446 1.446 Canterbury 1,500 1,200 Otago .. 4,754 3,099 Totals 30,596 22,941 GOLDFIELDS ROADS. Under the heading of goldfields roads, an expenditure of L 26.603 was incurred during the last financial year for the construction of roads on the goldfields and in subsidies granted to the County Councils for the opening out of tracts and other works in aid of prospecting, and the liabilities existing on these works at the end of March last amounted to L 17.197. The details of the various works undertaken will be found in table 206 of the appendix. WATER WORKS ON GOLDFIELDS. From table No 8 it will be seen that a sum of L1G,596 was expended during the year in the construction and extension of reservoT’s, water races, and drainage channels, and that liabilities amounting to L 7.383 were outstanding on account of these works at the end of March last. It may be we 1 hero to point out that this expenditure out of the loan is for entirley new works, and does not include the maintenance and repair of such works as the Kumara and Nasbey s'.udge channels and the large water races which are paid fur out of consolidated revenue. PURCHASE OF NATIVE LAND. North Island: — The areas of land the purchases of which were completed during the year ending 31st March last were as follows: in the Auckland provincial district, 77,721 acres ; in the Wellington provincial district, 120,861 acres; and the Taranaki provincial district, 10,281 acres; amounting in all to 228,862 acres. The total area of native land purchased under the Immigration and Public Works Acts up to the 31st March: last was 3,958,233 acres, at a cost of and a further area of 1,213,053 acres is under purcaase, on which L 920,827 has been paid.

Total disbursements up to the end of March last 1921,693 IMMIGRATION. As the House is aware the schedule to the Loan Act of 1882, provided a sum of £20,000 for immigration. Since that time assisted and free passages have been granted to 9,619 immigrants, who have arrived in the colony as follows, viz:—Between Ist April, 1882, and 30th June, 1883, 3205; between Ist July, 1883, and 30th June, 1884, 6267 ; since 30th June, 1884,147; total, 9619. In addition to these the Government have advices of 150 more immigrants (principally single women) having left Plymouth on the 31st August last. The total number of immigrants of all classes introduced by the Colonial Government since the inauguration of the immigration scheme is J 10,883. With the exception of a small number of single women whom the AgentGeneral caused to be specially selected, the whole of the immigrants who have arrived in the colony since April, 1882, have been nominated ; but since the 12th March last even nominated immigration (except for single women) has been suspended. A number of the persons, part of whose passages were provided by their friends, were suddenly told they could not be brought out. The hardship to which these persons were subjected has been so forcibly represented to the Government, and their right of complaint is so clear, that instructions have been given that in all cases where the nomination money has been already paid passages are to be provied for the persons nominated. TELEGRAPH EXTENSION. The work done towards extension of telegraph lines during the past year has consisted of 100 miles of new lines, with wire complete, and 89 miles of additional wire erected partly on the new lines and partly on lines previously existing. The total length of telegraph lines now existing in the Colony is 4,074 miles, carrying 10,037 miles of wire, and in addition to this the transmitting capacity of the wire is increased by 2,820 miles which is duplexed. The extensions at present contemplated amount to 242 miles of line. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. In the North Island the principal works which were in hand during the year were the new gaol at Auckland and the Convict Prison at Mount Cook, Wellington, at both of which good progress has been made. The Post and Telegraph offices in Wellington have also been completed and opened during the last year. In the Middle Island the principal buildings completed were the Lunatic Asylum at Sunnyside (Canterbury) and Seacliffe K. The total expenditure on public ?s in both Islands during the year amounted to L 164,376. The liabilities at the end of March last were £41,753. LIGHTHOUSES AND HARBOR WORKS. At Kaipara a lighthouse has been erected on the North Head, and is now very near completion. The training wall erected in the Korere river at Collingwood has been completed, and has fully answered the purpose intended. The French Pass lighthouse and the necessary buildings are now complete, and the Pass was lighted on the Ist October. At Jackson’s Head a substantial beacon has been erected on the reef lying nearest to the Head, which, it is expected, will prove to be of service in’ marking the width of the channel. At Westport the small river training wall, on the Northern side is well advanced. A survey is in progress of a line of railway to Cape Foul Wind, which has been suggested as a means of bringing stone to the breakwater, was continued at the usual rate of progress till May last, when the works were suspended in consequence of the vote being exhausted. As shown by the statements furnished by the engineers, the harbor works at Greymouth prove of great benefit to the port. When the Harbor Bill now before Parliament becomes law further provision for these harbors will be unnecessary.