PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 91, 19 July 1916, Page 3

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

NO FRESH BORROWING. "Wellington, July 18. Per Press Association. In the House to-night, the Hon. W. T. Fraser, Minister of Public Works, delivered the Public Works Statement as follows : Wlie-n the Public Works Statement of 1915-16 was being discussed by the House, 1 made it quite clear that I had no intention of expending during the financial year the whole of the moneys I was asking Parliament to entrust to me. On lie convary, I expressed my determination to endeavor to distribute the expenditure of these moneys over a period of two years instead of over ono year. That I have succeeded in this endeavor is proved by the fact that alter expending (inclusive of the cost.of raising loan) £2,344,944 out of the Public Works Fund, I have still to the credit of that Fund on 31st March, 1916, the sum of £1,838,201, viz., cash £1,293,101, and balance of authorised loan money still to he raised £545,100. I feel confident that ■ I am expressing the opinion of the whole community that this sum should suffice for the needs of the current year as far as public works are concerned, and the estimates are framed on the basis to ensure this result. The estimates for roads and bridges for 1916-17 will consist only of the unexpended votes on the estimates for 1915-16.

To jirovont misapprehension let me li.dl'G state that the public works loan of £1,000,000 authorised under the Finance Bill now before the House is not intended to provide any further money for roads, bridges, railways, etc., during the current year, but some portion of it will be available, if necessary, to continue expenditure m. such works from 31st March, 1917, until Parliament meets again, by which time we all hope ' and trust that peace will have been proclaimed. The provision I am for roads and bridges is only about £4600 less than what I expended last year, but the provision for railway expenditure has had in consequence to be roduccd by £200,000. Owing to ' the foregoing reasons I havo been unable to make any provision oh the Estimates for applications for new grants for roads and bridges. I propose, howover, to partially overcome this difficulty in the following manner:—l am taking power in the Appropriation Act to transfer the sums■ ;•,. jiow allocated on this year's . Estimates for such roads and' bridges Which a local body may deem to.be of minor importance to other nioro urgently needed works, which do not appear on the said Estimates, but a'ro situated in the same county, thus, in voalily, providing money for new works. This will, I feel confident help to meet tho views of many local bodies. TOTAL EXPENDITURE.

The expenditure for the financial year ended 31st March last was as follows: Railways— £, Additions to open lines ... '4O2 5 ,252 New Construction 662,919 Roads 12t,19! Public Buildings 335,771 Immigration ... ... 10,0.10 Purchase of Native Lands nil Lighthouse, harbour works and harbor defences ... 13,673 Tourist and health resorts 5167 Telegraph Extension ... 219,551 Development of mining ... 6602 Defence works (general) ... 37,619 Departmental 111,489

Lands Improvement ... 5936. Plant, material and stores 71,418

Cost and discount, raising i loans, etc. 5037 Total out or Public Works Fund ...2,314,914 EXPENDITURE. i Wellington-llutt railway and J road ' ... 142 Railway improvement ... 139,751 i Roads to open up Crown ; Lands 47,974 Roads, endowment lands ... 13,341 i .Aid to water power works 55,410 Irrigation and water supply 29,874 | Waihou and Ohinemuri rivl ers improvement ... ~. 9225 Total expenditure all acj counts ... ... 2,640,663 , WAYS AND MEANS. On the Ist April, 19J5, the available ways and means for public works purposes woiv £095,762, and further funds were received as under:—

Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Act, 1915 929.900 Under Finance Act, 1915 2,000,000 Under the Finance to Cover Expenses of raising ... 5030 Other receipts and recoveries 735-3 Making a gross total of 3,638,045 The ordinary expenditure of the year amounted to £2,339,907, plus the expenses of raising loan £5037, thus bringing the total disbursements up to £2,314,944. This leaves.a balance to the credit of the Ways and Means account at the end of the year of £1,293,101. CURRENT YEAR EXPENDITURE, For the current year it is proposed to provide additional funds as under :

Balance of authorised loan money still to be raised £515,100, making the total ways and means for 1916-17 £1,838,201. " i

Tho estimated, expenditure for P 111 )- lic works for the current year (excluding separate accounts having their own ways and means) amounts to £1,838,000,' leaving an estimated balance of £2Ol to be carried forward to next year (1917-18).

In addition to the ai.noun' s' described above we have authority to raise outside the Public Works Fund the following sums:—Under the Aid to Water. Power Act, 1910, £191,000; under the Waihou and Ohinemuri River Improvement Act, 1910, £50,000. NEW RAILWAYS. Two lengths of railway were opened for regular".'traffic during the 'financial year, namely, Huntly to Awaroa, and Ward to Wharauui, The total expenditure on railway construction and improvement work during the year was £1,204,921.--New lines £662,919; addition to open lines, £-102,252; railways improvement accounts, £139,750. During the year construction work was completed on the Huntly-Awaroa line; i Work was suspended on Kaihu Valley extension at Kaikuhe-Kinko-puni,' Motu, Westport-liiangahua, Waimate extension and Waiau-Onwia sections. Works are stilt in progress at sixteen points. Important bridge works on several linos are delayed owing to the impossibility of obtaining steel material from England. PUBLIC BUILDIXOS.

Expenditure during 'the past iinancial year was £335,77.1. The appropriation proposed for the current year is £361,000. Principal items of expenditure were on new Parliament Buildings, police headquarters, and Government Printing Office, Wellington. DEVELOPMENT OF WATER POWER. The Lake Coleridge power scheme is now in operation, and lias attained results beyond anticipations. Three units of the generating'.power, capable of an output of 6000 horse-power,

were originally installed. The demand lor current warrants the installation of two further units, which will bring the output to 10,003 horsopower. Arrangements are.in train for utilising the current lor tramway traction, the operation of machinery m meat works, Hour mills, tanneries, dairy factories and other established industries in and aroltnd ChristchUrch. The total expenditure to 3ist Match was £329,719. Surveys and investigation for a comprehensive scheme 'to serve the North Island have been in progress. There are several schemes showing promise. Irrigation works to serve the Ida. Valley, Central Otago, have been 'advanced considerably, and will lie continued.

Dredging work for the improvement of the Waihou and Ohinemuri rivers is being effectively carried out by the Government dredge. Two new contracts for stopbank construction have been let, and much more of this class of work remains to be done before the improvement scheme is carried to completion. CONCLUDING REMARKS.

In conclusion, the Minister expresses his great regret at the necessity 'that exists during the continuance of the war to curtail expenditure on roads, bridges and railways. Much has been done in the past in regard to reading, but much more still requires to bo done in order to enable the produce of the land to be brought to market, especially as settlement is progressing so rapidly. New Zealand is incurring enormous responsibilities in connection with the war, and the only way in which the consequent burden of taxation can be borne will be by increasing the quantity of our products from- the land and the facilities for transport of same to ports of shipment. This will have to be the chief consideration after peace has been proclaimed. Meantime everything must give way to the imperative necessity of assisting the Empire to emerge victorious from tho present gigantic struggle to maintain our freedom, untrammelled by German domination.

ESTIMATES. Last This year year ■-•-£ £ Departmental 111,422 111,000 Hallway construction 1,065,171 800,000 Public buildings" 335,771 361,000 Lighthouses, Harbor Wo,rks and Defences 13,673 14,000 Tourist and Health ItobortK 516 ~ 5000 Immigration 10,010 15,000 Roads and Bridges 424,191 420,000 Development of Mining 6602 6000 Telegraph Extension 219,551 300,600 Contingent Defence 37,619 30,00 p Lands Improvement 5936 10,000 Irrigation and water supply 40,000 Plant, Material and stores 74,418 20,000 i Total votes for current yoar,£i,B3S--000. J Other proposed votes out of separate (accounts are: — I £ 'Railway Improvement ... 2(10,060 Aid to Water Power works 55,000 Irrigation and water supply 4715 Waihou and Ohinemuri rivers improvements 20,000 Lands for Settlement,' roads 100,000 National Endowment, roads 30,000 THE RAILWAY VOTE. Details of vote for railways construction for the current year are: — | .£ | Kaihu railway Extensian ... 1000 Kawakawa-Hokianga ... 10,000 .;Xorth' Auckland Main Trunk 1000 i'Kaiwaka northwards 30,000 .'iWhangarei, North Auckland 50.000 ' Waipu branch 1000 Waiuku branch 15,000 Huntly-Awaroa 2000 Waihu-Tauranga 10,000 Tauranga-Te Maunga 10,000 Maunganui-Taneatua 25,000 Motu 6000 Xapier-Oisborno-Wairoa ... 20.000 ;Wairoa-Gisborne 10,000 Wairoa-Napier 1000 Napier-Wairoa 2000 Mount Egmont branch ... 100 Opunake branch '25,000 Stratford Maiu Trunk east end 50,000 West end 20,000 Raetihi Main Trunk 15,000 Stone Qunrrv Line Rangitikei ... ' lf>r>

Fcatberston-Martinboroußli 100 South I'stand Main Trunk ... 10,000 Midland, Nelson end ... 8000 Reef ton end ..' 100 Ofcira-Bealey 1000 Broken River-Beaky ... 1000 Westport-Tnangahu ... ... 200 Greymontli-Point Elizabeth ... 100 Cwlverden-Wairau 20.000 Wairr<+- "-» o i, Jfcctenwtm ... ?000 T TwrP"o«-'Rnxl)urßh 500 o<—n CVntrnl 15.000 T',' Tnonelco HfVnitli 9 °o Win' Extension ... 1900 Land Claims 1000 c, <•' --,-v V:,!-. ... L>oo Pevmnncnl War Materials ... 70,200