POLITICAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 55, 21 October 1914, Page 3

POLITICAL.

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. Wellington, October 20. The Public Works Statement was delivered in the House to-night by the Hon. William Fraser, Minister for Public Works, who said:—

Mr Speaker,—ln one respect at least the Statement which I have the honoi to submit to the House this evening is unique, in that it is the first time in the history of the Dominion that a Public Works Statement has been delivered during the currency of a war involving nearly all the great Powers of Europe. My colleague the Minister of Finance announced in his Budget that it was proposed to provide largely increased ways and , means for public works purposes this year, but that statement was penned prior to the outbreak of hostilities and when tin money riiarket was favourable. t events that have happened since havt rendered it doubtful whether monc > '» can now be borrowed on advantageou, terms, and on the satisfactory deter initiation of that question must, o. course, depend the carrying out of air extensive public works proposals. Th. Statement and estimates submitted t. the House this evening have bee. prepared on the assumption that tin requisite funds will be procurable whei needed; but if> unfortunately, tha proves to be erroneous, then, of course the programme will necessarily have ti be curtailed so as to keep our expendi ture within our means. In my las year’s Statement 1 said that the pub lie works expenditure of the year 1912 13 was the largest of any single yea. for over thirty years, and I am now able to state that the expenditure o. i. 913-14 was v even greater, having amounted to no less than £2,949,992 viz., £2,824,526 out of the Publi. Works Fund and allied special ac counts, and £125,466 out of the Consolidated Fund.

WAYS AND MEANS. On the Ist April, 1913, the available tva.ys and means for public works purposes were £626,741, and further fund; were received as under:—Under tin Aid to Public Works and Land Settle merit Act, 1911, £100,000; under tin Aid to Public Works and Land Settle menb Act, 1912, £893,674; under tin Aid to Public Works and Land Settle merit Act, 1913, £1,532,222; under tin Immigration and Public Works Loa; Act, 1870; £113,224; under the Nev Zealand Loans Act, 1908, 96,238; pro nium oh gale of 4 per cent, stock, 1929. £SOO •; transfer from revenue, £675, ■W.O; ‘bther receipts, £32,242, making i-gross total of £4,069,841. The ordinary expenditure of the yeai mounted to £2,421,807, charges anc expenses in respect of raising loan; £105,450, and redemption of debentures £364,000, thus bringing the to tal disbursements up to £2,891,257 ind leaving a credit balance at the 3nd of the year of £1,178,584. For the current year it is proposed to orovide additional funds as under:— Balance of authorised loan moneys 2227,628; transfer from Consolidated Fund, £350,000; proposed new loan, £3,000,000.

The above, with the balance.brought forward, gives a gross total of £4,756,212. The estimated expenditure p or public works for the current year (excluding separate accounts having hbnir own ways and means) amounts to £3,402,758, leaving an estimated balance of £1,353,454 to be carried forward to next year (1915-16). In addition to the above we have authority to raise, outside the Public Works Fund, the undermentioned sums:—Under the Aid to Water-power Works Act, 1910, £285,000; under the Irrigation and Water-supply Act, 1913, £65,000; under the Waihou and Chinemini Rivers Improvement Act, 1910. £50,000. RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. The total expenditure on railway construction and improvement work during last financial year amounted U £1,144,458, as under:—Construction of new lines, £606,448; additions to open lines, £498,448; railways improvement account, £39,563. STR ATFORD-M AIN TRUNK. Another important section of this railway—from Pohokura to Whangamonibna—6 miles 13 chains in length, including a tunnel through the Whangamomona Ridge, was completed and opened for traffic on Ist July last. Beyond the new terminus earthworks are completed and rails laid for a distance of four miles to a station site at Kohuratahi, and formation, principally heavy cuttings and banks, is in hand o|er a further length of three miles. Fliere are tAvo tunnels just beyond Kohuratahi, one of which (23 chains, long) is approaching completion, and the second is just opened out. Ballast is not obtainable in this locality and has to be hauled all the Avay from Mount Egmont. It is expected that the section to Kohuratahi will be completed during the coming summer. From Fahora a nesv route for the line has been adopted, folloAving the Raekohua stream, crossing the Tangarakau beloav its gorge, then across some rough country to the Haoo Valley. By this route some difficult and costly Avorks on the original location through the Tangarakau Gorge will be avoided. At the eastern end of this line there has been increased activity during the year, and formation Avork is in progress over a length of six miles from the junction Avith the Main .Trunk line at Okahukura. Included in this length is the Okahu tunnel now being excavated under contract, and due for completion in July, 1916. The tunnel contract covers tAvo miles and a half of the railway—namely, one mile and a half of formation in addition to the tunnel itself. Six small contracts are in hand besides, and several co-operative parties are also employed on raihvay and

service road formation. As suitable \ material is not obtainable in this locality, the Department is installing a plant for the manufacture on a large scale of bricks to be used in tunnels and culverts on the railways. The expenditure on this line during the past financial year was £67,432 at the western end, and £21,443 at the eastern end, or a total of £88,875. For the

current year a vote of £IOO,OOO is proposed. mount egmont branch. The quarry site has been finally fixed on a ride to the south of the Mangamawhete creek, where there is a mass of rock sufficient to provide nearly 2,000,000 cubic yards of metal. Formation work extending over 60 chains was completed during the year, and some culverts put in. There still remains to be done some alteration of grades at the selected quarry-site, and the installation of the machinery for quarrying and crushing the rock and ‘transporting it down the mountain side to the railway. During the last financial year £5,933 was expended on this line, and for the current year a vote of £7,500 is proposed. It is also proposed to construct a short branch line from the main line near Marton to a point in the Rangitikei river bed, whence a very considerable quantity of excellent road metal can be obtained. It is confidently expected that the South Taranaki and other intervening districts where metal is scarce can be supplied from this proposed new source with this very necessary material at quite a moderate cost. Provision for the authorisation of this branch line will be made in the Railway Authorisation Bill, and an amount of £7500 is provided on the estimates to enable its construction to be proceeded with.

OPUNAKE BRANCH. Surveys along alternative suggested routes between the main lino and Opuuake were completed during the year, and after full consideration a route was adopted from Te Roti, along section boundaries north of Skeet Road, past Kapuni, Auroa, and Pihama, to a station site near Opunake. It is proposed to commence construction work on this line forthwith, and a tender has already been accepted for the first section. The survey of the Manaia Branch is proceeding, and work will be commenced thereon as soon as it is warranted by the progress made on the Opunake line. The expenditure during the past financial year in connection with the sufveys amounted to £B2B, and for the current year a vote of £40,000 is proposed. ROADS AND BRIDGES. The total amount provided lor mad and bridge purposes on last year’s appropriations under all votes and accounts (including the Consolidated Fund vote for maintenance) was £785,000. The amount authorised for expenditure during the year added to the balance of authorities unexpended at 31st March, 1913, totalled £962,811. The expenditure for the twelve months amounted to £493,638, leaving an unexpended balance of authorities at 31s March last of £469,173. Between Ist April and 30th September a further £301,719 was authorised for expenditure, and a further £316,713 brought to charge, making the total expenditure between Ist April, 1913, and 30th September 1914, £810,351. Honorable members are aware' that owing to the unsettled condition of the money-market after the close of last session it was not considered advisable to float the loan for publicworks purposes until the end. of January. Prudence dictated that the authorisation of expenditure of new money should in the interim be restricted to urgent works, until such time as further loan-moneys were available. Between the passing of the public-works appropriations and the rising of the loan, therefore, only metalling and other urgent works were authorised. This did not, however, moan that any very great rfestriction was placed upon expenditure, as there was a very large sum indeed in the hands of local bodies in the shape of authorities previously issued but unexpended. The prudence then exercised lias resulted in our being able at the present juncture to keep public works going, and so relieve “unemployed” difficulties arising as a result of the European war. I have on previous occasions referred to disabilities imposed by the present system of making grants for road and bridge works, and trust that the Local Grants and Subsidies Bill now before Parliament will afford machinery resulting in greater efficiency and progress in providing that essential factor in successful settlement of the land—good roads and bridges. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The total expenditure on public buildings during the last financial year amounted to £611,041, made up as follows: New buildings (class XVIII, Public Works Fund) £369,600; Maintenanceworks (class V, Consolidated fund)

£78,877; maintenance works, schools (class XV, Consolidated Fund)' £97,407. Total £545,884. For the current year the following appropriations are proposed : —New buildings (Public Works fund) £538,000; maintenance works (Consolidated fund) £69,600; maintenance works, schools (Consolidated fund) £103,156. Total, £710,756. POST AND TELEGRAPH.

The expenditure on buildings for Post and Telegraph purposes has been heavy for some years past, and last year was no exception to the rule. The disbursements under the Public Works Fund amounted to £78,815, and under the Consolidated Fund to £17,260, or a total for-the year of £96,075. SCHOOL BUILDINGS. * The expenditure out of the IPublic Works Fund on school buildings during the past year amounted to £121,954. Of this amount nearly £IOB,OOO was paid in grants to the respective governing bodies to provide for new buildings, additions, equipment, and sites for public schools and residences, training colleges, technical and secondly schools and University colleges. WORKERS’ DWELLINGS. The expenditure under this head during the past year amounted to £41,. 741, as - compared with £46,455 expended during the preceding year. The demand for dwellings is increasing, and in order to meet the requirements an authorisation of £IOO,OOO, and a vote on account of same of .£92,000, is proposed for the acquisition of land, road formation and erection of dwellings.

TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS

The expenditure under this heading for the year amounted to £14,989, the principal part being used in the erection and furnishing of the new hostel at the Hermitage, Mount Cook. There was a moderate expenditure at Rotorua on works and improvements, and smaller sums were absorbed in improvements at Waitnmo Caves and in the development of the Helensville Hot Springs. GROSS TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS. In addition to the votes already specially mentioned, the estimates make provision for the undermentioned services:— Departmental, £93,500; Immigration £36,000; Contingent defence, £50,000; lands improvement, £19,900, thus bringing the total amount of the proposed appropriations, including special accounts, up to £3,734,758, as against £3.478,731 voted and £2,719,053 actually expended last year. It will perhaps be observed that the, amount under the heading “Departmental” is a good deal in excess of last year’s appropriation for the same purpose, the reason being that under the public service classification scheme a number of officers’ salaries are now provided under the heading of “Departmental” which were previously provided for out of the yotes for individual works'. CONCLUSION. The programme outlined in the Statement and provided for in the estimates is a fairly extensive one and gives promise of a busy year. All the expenditure proposed is, however, absolutely necessary, and more could be spent to advantage; but sufficient work is to be undertaken to fully occupy all the labor that is likely to be available, and to propose to undertake more than this would only lead us into difficulty. Every effort has been made to allocate the funds available fairly amongst the different districts, and I think this will readily be realised by the House, aml I therefore, with every confidence, commend the proposals to the careful consideration of honorable members.