PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2900, 12 July 1882, Page 2

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

[By Telegraph.]

Wellington, July 11

The Public Works Statement was made to-night by the Hon. W. Johnston. The Minister, after explaining the disadvantage he labored under in only having taken over the Public Works Department shortly before the session, began by stating generally the object of the Government in presenting the Statement. The moat important part of the Statement referred to RAILWAYS. Although the amount voted last session for the survey and construction of railways, including additions to opened lines, was £1,026,636, yet the amount spent was only £454,333, and the liabilities outstanding on the 31st March were £320,254. Of the expenditure, £166,086 was for additions and improvements to lines previously opened for traffic, and of the liabilities about £122,620 was on the same account. This . recent outlay of £288,606 had not fully completed and equipped the open lines. From one point of view this insufficiency of accommodation upon our open lines was a matter for congratulation, since it arose from the very large and rapidly increasing traffic, which is much greater than was provided for when the lines were built, and which has necessitated heavier rails, enlarged stations, increased rolling stock, more extensive workshops, and numerous improvements and stockyards at the smaller country stations. The length of railways in various stages of progress during the year was 234 miles, and of this length 46 miles were opened for traffic within the year, 23 miles in each island. The tots! length of rnilwsys opened for traffic on the 31st of March last was 1333 miles, there being open in the North Island 458 miles, and in the Middle Island 875 miles. He then went on to explain the progress which had been made with the different railway lines in the colony. The Kawakawa line, about eight miles in length, would be completed in September next. Thelast mile of the seven, comprising the Whangarei-Kamo line, with a wharf 714 ft. long was nearly completed. The last eleven miles of the 140 miles of the Kaipara-Waikato railway was completed and opened in July. The formation of the ■ Waikato-Tharaes railway from Hamilton: towards Te Aroha will shortly be completed. No further progress had made with the WellingtonWoodville line. When the New PJymouth.Foxton line—namely, the section of it between Manutahi and Waverley—is completed in December next there would only be a gap of mL between Hawera andManutahi. Ihe Wellmgton-Manawatu line would be constructed by a private company. A further length of three miles of the Nelson-Roundhill line from Foxton to Bell Grove was completed and opened-in July last. A section from Blenheim towards _ Awatere, of the PictonHurunm line, a length of about five arizes, was |et for contract in December last, and is now in progress. On the Hurunui-Bluff line the section through tb® ka Pass, from Waipara to Waikan had been constructed, and was opened for traffic shortly after the close of the financial year, A contract has been let for the formation from Waikiffi to Hurunuh Considerable progress had been made ia the construction of various branches. The expenditure, including liabilities on improvements to portions main line and branches previously opened for traffic, amounted to £208,020, the chief items being sums on account of new stations at Timaru, Duntroon, Port and Dunedin, for considerable additions to stations at Ashburton, Oamaru, Palmerston, Mosgiel, and Invercargill, and for the lengthening Of the Rakaia bridge about 100 feet. It "is estimated ' that over £280,000 additional, besides outstanding liabilities amounting to £98,000, will be required for further additions , and improvements to the opened lengths. Of this eum,' however, probably some £45,000 or £60,000 will not come in course of payment during the next three years. The expenditure on the Otago Central line last year was £21,268 and outstanding liabilities £II,OBO towards the carrying out :6f the work. The total expenditure, including was, on the 31st. March, £135,302, and to line the tunnels will cost £17,000 more. Six miles of the Riverton-Orepuki line are now open, and the formation towards Orepuki is now under contract. WORKING RAILWAYS. The working of the open lines during the past year shows good results, the increase in revenue being £55,592, against an increase of expenditure of only £1142, whilst the tonnage carried shows an increase of 50,931 tons, and the number of passengers 561,916 more than in the preceding year. .Whilst during the three years the increase of revenue is about 17 per cent, the decrease in the expenditure is about 10 percent, and this latter notwithstanding that there has been en extra length of 147 miles to work and maintain. The true measure of the improvement is, however, found in the statement of the work done, which shows that although the increase of revenue is only 17 per cent the tonnage moved has increased by abdut 30 per cent, and the parcels and live stock by about 80 per cent. These facts are a substantial indication that the department has been dealing liberally with the rates, and as a matter of fact the reductions made in the rates in all parts of the colony have been large, the concessions made in the grain rate alone being estimated to benefit the producer to the extent of about £15,000 during the current year. The goods traffic showed largely increased commercial activity, but the", passenger traffic has not ad yet recovered from the heavy fall which took place in 1880-81. The passenger traffic is not therefore as great as previous results might have led ns to expect, and this fact suggests that it is desirable to consider whether it might not he advantageous to reduce the fares, a subject which must certainly receive attention at an early, date. The total expenditure to tho 31st March last upon railways, including the cost of the provincial railways taken _ over, is £10,974,000. The cost of the lines open for traffic was therefore £9,443,000 and the surplus of receipts over expenditure, £369,000, gives a return of £3lßs 2d jior cent. TheTinos in the-North Island cost £3.194,000, and yield a net revenue of £68,000 or £2 2s 8d per cent. ! Those in tho Middle Island cost £6,249,000, and give a return of £301,000, or £4l6s 3d per cent, tho increases over the preceding year being for the North Island £IB,OOO, and £37,000 for the Middle Island, which upon tho total cost gives an average increase- of 10 per cent. This great difference between the traffic carried on tho lines in , each Island points unmistnkeably to tho advisability of completing the connections between the separate portions of the North Island. Fresh orders for carriage and wagon stock* are under execution for both Islands.

MISCELLANEOUS. Mr Johnston then referred at some length to the construction of roads in, the North and Middle Island. The total expenditure on roads in the North Island was £69,871, and the liabilities on the 31st march last £32,103, total, £101,974. In the Middle Island the expenditure was £28,896 and the liabilities £28,798, total, £57,694. The expenditure on harbor works altogether during the year from public works loans amounted to £23,565. The total expenditure on public buildings was £212,8 13. The portion of this expenditure, including liabilities devoted to the North Island, was £71,634, and to the Middle Island £141,179 ; and of these sums £36.272 in the North Island and £48,458 in the Middle Island were devoted to school buildings. In the North Island, exelusive of school buildings and the Asylum at the Whau, no railway or large work has been completed, and the only buildings of considerable magnitude commenced have been the Post and Telegraph Offices, and the prison at Mount Cook, Wellington. In the Middle Island, the Lunatic Asylums at Sunn'yside and Seacliffe are the principal works in progress. At Seaclilfe, the works, which., are of large magnitude’ are being gradually carried out. It is expected that these two Asylums, when completed, will compare favorably,both in appearance and utility, with the best institutions of a similar kind in England. The only other building of importance in progress is the new Courthouse at Oamaru. The total expenditure for the year on waterworks and goldfields was £19,938. • COALFIELDS.

The coal how used on the New Zealand railways is entirely raised in the colony. Thus, the Hurunui-Bluff section is supplied by contract from the following mines:—Springfield,. Glentunnel, Homebush, Shag Point, Kaitangata, Nightcaps, and Westport; and with the exception of a supply from the Waikato and Brunner mines, the remaining sections of railways obtain their supply mainly from the Westport Colliery, Company ? s mine. The- only New Zealand coal in the market of a description suitable for marine purposes is that of the Kawakawa coalfield the Kamo mine, and the coal of the West Coast of the South Island. The former is very largely used by the Union Steamship Company. During the past year the development of the New Zealand coalfields has chiefly consisted in the extension of those mines which were,already at work. Of these there is a notable improvement iu output from the Hauhury, or Westport Company’s mine, at Westport, due principally to the increased- facilities for transport, which have been provided by steamers ; and more steamers are in course of conotruction, which will tax the powers of the Company’s self, acting tramway to keep them constantly occupied. The Eiverton-Otautau lino has been instrumental in causing the Nightcaps coalfields to be .opened, up, and two seams are now being worked there, the Company having constructed a short line to connect with the Government railway. Mines are now opened in Southland, Otago, Canterbury and Auckland, which are capable of supplying the local wants of these districts; and the mines of Westport and Greymouth are 1 being further developed, yielding very superior gas and steam coal respectively. The quantity of coal raised in the colony during, the years 1878 to 1881 has steadily increased, while the quantity imported has steadily decreased. In view of these facts, and bearing in mind the increased facilities which are being r provided by railway for the transit of coal from the mines to the centres of population near the seaboard, it may reasonably be assumed that the consumption of local coal will become far more general than it is at present, and that the importation of this commodity will gradually cease. ‘ !

PROPOSALS FOR THE FUTURE. ‘ I now come to the proposals for the current year, which comprise the scheme of distribution of the loan, so far as it is available, for railway construction over such of the works authorised as the Government consider ‘should lie pushed on as rapidly as possible. We have a clear balance, after providing for all money liabilities actually incurred, of £384,000 for public works, but I have, already indicated that to complete and properly equip our open, lines will require a large sum, which is estimated at £376,000, during- the next three years ; and this expenditure is not only necessary, as I have shown, on account of the unexpected and large increase of traffic, but will also; materially faciliate the working of lines which it is expected will add to the net' revenue, so'that even without making provision for land purchases and without commencing any farther construction of works, the required additions and improvements to open lines will practically exhaust the whole ; sum of £384,000 in hand on the 31st March. The greater part of this expenditure is for works at Dunedin, Auckland, and Timaru, the remainder being required for additions to the workshops at Hillside and Addington. In considering what shall be the works to be recommended for prosecution, let us look in the first place at, the probable cost of completing the connection between Auckland and Wellington, and between Picton and Invercargill, and of other trunk lines. . This cost is estimated to be as follows:—From Te Awamutu southward, £1,100,000 ; to complete the lino from Napier to Wellington and connect with the New Plymouth and Foxton line, £670,000; to complete the New Plymouth and Foxton, line, £76,000; to connect Picton and Christchurch, £1,200,000; to connect Nelson and Greymouth, £1,200,000 ; to connect Helensville and Kawakawa,. £880,000; to construct the Otago Central, £1,000,000; tbtal, £6,125,006. When further we consider that to complete the branch lines now in course of construction will cost over £700,000, and that in addition there is a large annual expenditure upon public buildings, roads, immigration, harbors and lighthouses, goldfields; and telegraph extension besides some £200,000 required to complete our transations in native land, it will be Seen that a loan of ten millions to provide for all these objects would not have’ been excessive, but the Government believed that to increase our public debt to £1,000,000 per annum was as much as prudence would permit, and that it was inadvisable to take authority to raise this annual million for a period beyond the time for which this House is elected, with the' exception that ii is prepared to recommend the House to make special provisions for.thq construction of the line from Te Awamutu southwards. These considerations determined Government to limit the amount of the loan for immigration and general public works to three millions only as announced in the Financial Statement, despite the fact that this sum can only accomplish a part of what it desires to see accomplished; and it has decided to recommend the following apportionment of the loan [Railways—Kawakawa, to complete, £17,500.' ■ Whangarei and Kamo, to complete, £7500.

Hamilton and Cambridge,to complete, £50,000. Hamilton and Te Aroha, to complete, £92,000. . Thames, Te Aroha, Grahamstown to Kopua, £23,000. Main trunk line from Te Awamntn southwards, £IO,OOO. Napier and Woodville, to complete, £160,000. Wellington and Woodville extension from Masterton, £200,000. New Plymouth-Foxton, to complete lino of 195 miles, £75,000. Nelson-Roundell extension from Belgrove, £40,000. Groymouth-Eeefton extension towards Eeefton, £IOO,OOO. Main trunk line through South Island extension southwards from Blenheim, £90,000. Completion of Weka Pass and Horsley Downs sections, including bridge over Hurunui, £75,000. Main trunk line extension northwards, £IBO,OOO. Upper Ashburton branch extension, £15,000. Lincoln and Little Elver, to complete, £30,000. Albury Creek Branch extension to Burke’s Pass,-£35,000. Oxford to Sheffield, to complete, £12,000. Livingstone branch, to complete first section, £22,000. Palmerston and Waihemo, to complete, £IB,OOO. Gatlin’s River branch, to complete section from main lino to Port Molyneaux road, £22,000. Waipahi to Heriotburn, to complete section to Swift’s Creek, £12,000. Edendale-Toi Tois, to complete section to Mokoreta, £13,000. Otago central extension, £300,000. Lumsden and Marroa branch, to complete to Centre Hill, £35,000. Riverton-Orepuki,to complete,£l6,ooo Total, £1,650,000. Purchase of Native lands, £200,000. Public buildings, £300,000. Immigration, £200,000. Roads to open up Crown lands, £200,000. ' ■. V :' ' Eoads and bridges, £IOO, OOO, Eoads, wharves, and bridges north of Auckland, £IOO,OOO. Goldfields, £IOO,OOO. Harbors, £IOO,OOO. Telegraph extension, £600,000. Total, £11350,000. Grand total, £3,000,000.

If the proposals of the Government are adopted the main lines will be advanced so as to render their completion by the Parliament a certainty. Large as is the share of the three million loan dedicated to works, other than, railways, it is , less than has been the rule since the' Com* mencement of our Public works policy in the 1870 loan. Though for some years after its commencement the' amount expended on public buildings was very small, since 1870 the increase of the public’ d ebt, and the contributions in'aid of tho Public Works Fund amount' to over £19,000,000, only £9,863,000 of which hr.s been spent upon railways* The share of the three million loan to be allocated to each branch of expenditure other than railway construction has been carefully considered and limited, and in each case to as small a sum as possible. For public buildings, ' the amount sef aside is very small in comparison with the recent rate of expenditure. For example, last session the House voted for public buildings £194,106, and the amount spent .within the year was £128,356, with outstanding liabilities of £84,457. The Government has come to the conclusion that it will be unwise for us to continue to spend anually such a largo portion of our borrowed money upon public buildings, and, will therefore , next year make other provision frpm the. consolidated revenue for a considerable part of them. We way reasonably expect that not more than the £300,000 asked for will be required from the loan. The immigration proposed is solely a nominated immigration except for single women. The Minister for Immigration has in hand at the present moment more than 5000 nominations of persons whom their friends in the colony desire to bring out, and there is no doubt that when the Government advertises throughout the colony that _ they are prepared to receive nominations, this number will be largely increased. I need not say that the expenditure upon immigration is exceedingly profitable. We have spent upon it altogether Since 1870 rather less than, £2,000,000, or incurred an annual charge of about £IOO,OOO, and have introduced in all 101,214 persons; Since 1870 our population has increased from 248,400 to 504,900 ; whilst our revenue exclusive of revenue derived from; railways and - Grownjlanda has increased from £935,000 to £2,414,000, a sure indication that the introduction of this largo / body o* immigrants, besides being very' advantageous and profitable, has' © n * abled the immigrants themselves to attain to a condition -of ; comparative, comfort in their, new, borne. To the course which has been adopted during the past few years of opening up Crown lands before offering them for sale by, a systematic plan ofpioneer roads, bridges, arid drairiage works, tho Government attaches very great importance., Nearly halt a; million or acres of Crown lands will be surveyed and avail able for sale during the current year. Possibly the amount’set aside for roads and bridges may 'seem needlessly large seeing that the Government propose to make special provision for works of this class, but it must be remembered that owing to, the necessity which has existed of expending the balance i of our Pnblic Wprks Fund over the interval until w© oan borrow again, a considerable number of the works authorised last year have not been commenced. It is the intention of Government to afford no further assistance to local works otherwise than under the Bill proposed to be introduced, and it is hoped this class of expenditure will soon cease to be a charge upon our Public Works Fund, With regard to works on the goldfields, the proposals of the Government which have 'already been placed before the Housed in the ordinary Estimates, - involve the expenditure out of the Consolidated Fund of an amount double that which has hitherto been placed upon - tho Estimates and upon conditions which will cause the vote to bo - mote largly availed of than has been the case heretofore. In addition to tho above snm from the Consolidated Fund it is proposed to set aside £IOO,OOO out of the new loan, partly for the making of roads and partly for the construction of water-races to which. the Govern- > ment has been practically committed by the previous expenditure of sums, tho outlay upon which, would be thrown away unless the works were carried out. The harbor works which it is proposed to proceed, with out of the .£IOO,OOO allocated to this class, are principally the works at Greymouth and Hokitika. At Westport, to make the river serviceable for ships of considerable tonnage, a very large expenditure would be required, which Sir John Goode estimated at £488,776 for the two outer breakwaters alone, and even if these, breakwaters are built to only Imlfa tide height, as has been suggested, their construction will still require a very large sum, which it will bo difficult to provide for one locality, The

Government, therefore, are disposed to consider the possibility of making some concession to the Coal Companies, in consideration of which they would contract : to expend within a limited ' period upon approved harbor works, a corn to be agreed upon. This class, of expenditure also, it is confidently hoped wifi disappear from the schedule of future Loan Bills. Generally it will be the effort of the Government to make to a much greater extent than has hitherto been the case all farther loans to be loans for railway construction. There can be no doubt the enormous .benefits which have accrued to the colony from its railways, as against the. difference of a little over one per cent between not earning and interest upon the cost of construction, the colonies have gained a 1 cheaper, safer and rapid haulage of goods, reaching last year to 1,437,714 tons, besides facilitating the travelling of passengers, increasing to 2,911,477. During the same period the annual saving to the people thus obtained must of itself amount to a considerable part of tbe whole expenditure upon railways, in addition to the value of property being increased by the railway system. Moreover, the burden of the maintenance of along length of roadway was relieved by the diversion of the traffic to the railway. The colony, has also gained by the promotion , of settlement and by greatly increased prices obtained in some . . cases for Crown lands, as for instance, on the Waimate Plains. I may be permitted to express here my regret that the State did not from the commence* ment of the Public Works Policy take possession at the then value of considerable areas of land in suitable localities in the vicinity of the proposed railway lines, in order to cut them up or sell them in small homesteads. This course would not merely have largely ditnin-, ished the cost of rail ways,-but would have added to their earnings, and the direct taxation which this additional population would have contri- . bated to the Treasury might have made made it possible to alleviate to some extent taxation generally. ,Xt is almost superfluous for me to add, ~ in conclusion, that the Government is thoroughly convinced of the advisability of completing our railway system; that it is an essential part of its policy to complete the construction as rapidly as possible of the main trunk,lines in both Islands, and of desirable branch lines as Boon as circumstances will permit; .and that it will gladly see private enterprise supplement tne work undertaken .by , the colony by taking advantage of the “Bailway Construction Act*’ of last year and of the “District Railways Act.” With this policy the colony will continue to make the progress and enjoy the prosperity which we now happily experience, and if the policy is carried , out with prudence, there is no reason to doubt that the prosperity will be enduring. •