THE PUBLIC WORKS. Wellington, December 14.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 233, 17 December 1887, Page 5

THE PUBLIC WORKS. Wellington, December 14.

The Hon. lE. Mrtchelson delivered the Public Works Statement in the House of Repre. g entafcives last evening. -The summary we gave yesterday, however, enumerated its more important features. -We give in greater detail .below the points most inter' esting to Auckland.

New Zealand Railways. The total length of railways opened on the 31sb Maich last was: In the North Island 632 miles, and in the South Island 1,090 miles : total, 1,722 miles. On tsie 31st of October last there were opea for traffic 1,734 nailes, of which 632 wens in the North Island and 1,102 in the South Inland. 7here,wore also at that date 176 a:rile3 of railway in course of construction, t of which 87 were in the North Island andvB9 in the South Island. The total expenditure on railways, including cost of provincial lines and purchase of district railways, up to 31st March last, was £14,082,711, and the liabilities on the 31st March were £-386,376, making in ail ,-C14, 569,087.

North Aucfcfrui-fi Railway. On the railway from Helensville north- ( wards, a contract is in progress for the for.unation of 4 miles, and as <expected to be finished during the present .month. Until >xhe line is completed to Kaukapakapa, a distance of 7 miles from Hcleusville, it will not carry much traffic, and it is therefore proposed to complete it to that extent as soon as practicable : but ifc is not intended to put a terminal station at Itaukapakapa as a biancb from Helensville until further extended. The funds already provided, with the addition of -€25,000 now proposed, will complete the railway for traffic for seven miles up to Kaukapakapa, and will also enable the foimation to be extended fora further distance of eight miles. The rate of exp jnditaro proposed is £10,000 for this year, and .£27,000, £20,000. and 1*17,761 for the three following years ; total, to the end of March, ISSI, £74,761.

Auckland to Pearose Doubling Line. For the Auckland to Penrose doubling' line an allocation was made under the loan of 18S6, but as it would have gone only a short way towaids the completion of what was requited, none of the necessary works have as yet been put in hand ; and a? the balance necessary to complete the works, some £77,000, cannot conveniently be piovided out of the money now proposed to be borrowed, it is not intended at present to I take any further steps in the matter. j

Grahamstown-Te Arona. On theGrahomstown-TcAroha railway the rails are laid iiom Grahamstown to Kaiuteranya, about 5 miles, and the formation, without bridges, is complete between Kauaeranga and Hikutaia, about 8 miles and in projjrc^s, from thence to near Ohine-u-.viri, about 6 miles. Ifc is expected that the latter section will be finished in Jaly next. Fiom Ohinemuri to To Aroha, 13 miles, the contiact suivey is complete,, but the works have not yet been put in hand. Total lengUi from CSrahamfetown to Te Aioha, 32 mile?. The fund?alieady pio\ided will conij)lete the line to OhinGinuii, 20 miles fiom UraluunsLown, and it is proposed to put the remainder of the bi idling and platela} ing siill lequircd , ior this section in liand thin year. The rate of ex pemh tuie pioposed is for tliis year i'lo,ooo, and for the three following years i.15,CC0, (10,000, and i"6,y21 i expect ively. Total, i' 41,921.

Putariiru to Eotoruf. On ihe Putaruru-ilofcoi-na railway a contract has been lebfortormation, platelaying, and -ttitioua from I'utarnru to Ngatira, eight j milet, and the weeks are progressing &atisfactoiily, and are expected to be finished in June next. At the Rotorua end, live miles between Itotorua and Ngongolaha, have been set aside ior Maori piecework, and a consideiable extent of founafcion hasahcady been done by the natives in a satisfactory manner. The intervening distance between Ngatira and Ngongotaha, about nineteen miles, has been sun eyed for contract, but the works have not yet been put in hand. The total length fiom Putaruru to Rotorua is thh ty-two mile-. The funds already provided, with the addition of £18, 000 (including £9, 000 f0r rails) now proposed to beallocated, will complete the railway for ti attic from Putaruru to the Okohiiiki Saddle, a length of 18 miles, that being Ihe shortest distance that can be opened with any real advantage, arid will also enable communication to be established by roadfroir that point to Ohinemutu, a distance about 14 miles. The late of expenditure proposed, exclusive of amount required for rails, is £40,000 for this year, and £25,000, £25,000, and £7,377 for the three following years ; total to end of March, 1891, £97,377. Coming now to the North Island Trunk Railway, I find with very much regret that the original estimate of this Hue was altogether misleading ; the cost originally indicated having been £1,360,000, whereas the present estimate, exclusive of the probable cost and charges of raising loan, and the amount allocated to purchase of native lands, is £2,085,000. If to thiB amount there is added say £100,000 for raising loans, and also the £100,000 already allocated for native lands, it brings the total to £2,285,000, and taking the £1,000,000 already authorised from this, shows £1,285,000 as still required to be authorised in order to complete the whole line from Te Awamutu Jbo Marton. If the works are to go on under the altered circumstances now disclosed, then the proposals which I have shown on table C attached to this Statement, and which I shall presently describe, would, I think, be suitable for adoption, in so far as regards the amount of money which might reasonably be expended during the present and three following years at each end of the railway. But before any further work is undertaken I think the House should have an opportunity of expressing its opinion on the new aspect which the matter has assumed, and in atiy case I do not propose to put any new contract in hand until after next session. With regard to the alternative route proposed for this railway, I find that the original estimate for the line from Stratford to Te Awamutu was £1,036,000, and at first sight therefore this project might appear to have a great advantage as compared with completing the railway from Marton to Te Awamutu, but excepting that the estimated rate per mile was much higher than that for the Central line, we have no guarantee that this estimate is any more accurate than that for the Central route, and it would therefore be premature to express an opinion on the subject until a trustworthy estimate of this line is completed for comparison with the revised estimate now made of the Central line. It would, therefore, I think, be desirable that a survey should be made of the T&ranaki route of a more accurate character than those which have hitherto been made, in order that something like a correct estimate may be formed of the probable cost of a railway in that direction. The cost of this survey would not be lost, even if the railway is not made, as the information gained could be utilised in the location of a road which imist foe made in the future, in the event of no

railway being made. The best point) to diverge from *he Main Trunk Railway, in order to reach Taranaki, wpuld be at a point near Maramaiumiboub 65 miles from Te Awamutu, and the cost of construction of a railway, com plefeet&nd equipped for traffic, from Te Awamutu to this point, including due proportion of cost of raising a loan, and departmental and other expenditure of every kind, isiestimated at £500,000. This is inclusive of about £250,000 for expenditure and liabilities already incurred. The only doubt, therefore, as regards the probable cost of a irailway from Te Awamutu to Taranaki is to tike cost of the link between Maramataand Stratford, or wherever might bethebest place ifcojoin theexisting Taranaki railway. The present estimate of the connection is £800,000, but as there is no trustworthy data on wihich such an estimate can be based it cannot be relied upon as being even approximately accurate. In connection with this pha*e of the subject it should also be stated thatt'he expenditure and the liabilities (with a reasonable margin for con- ' tingencies) on account of works already undertaken between Mavamata and Marton, including surveys, £60,000, roads, £40,000, native lands purchase, £100,000, and a due proportion of departmental expenditure and costsand chai'gesof raieingloan, willamount to within a trifle of £300,000, and if any further contracts are let at the south end of the line this amount will, of course, bo increased. Having thus dealt with the subject generally, 1 will now proceed to jstate the present condition of the line, and ilie rate of expenditiue per annum which could reasonably be undertaken upon it if it is decided to be carried on. and also the points to which that expenditure would pvoibably carry the railway at each end by the end of the financial year 1890-91.

North End. At the north end the 1 ail way is completed and ready for tiatiic fiom Te Awamutu to Te Kuifci, a distance of 25^ miles, and fiom TelvuititotheUpperMokau Valley, alength of 9 miles, a contract for formation and platelayiug is in progiess, and expected to be completed in December, 1888. From the Upper Mokau Valley to the Pon>o-Tarao range, 11 miles, the contract suivcy is complete.i, but the woiks have not yet been put; in hand. Through the Foro-o-Tarao saddle, a contract of 11$ miles, is in progicss, including a tunnel of 53 chains ; total length from Te Awamutu to the end of the tunnel, 45 miles. South of the tunnel a survey contract has been made for about 8 miles, vihich is the extent of the programme which I have sketched out so far. It is proposed that the line shall bo carried on steadily from Te Kuiti to near Maramata, in *tho Ongahuo Valley, about 55 miles from To Awarautu, this being the point at which a line could diverge to Taranaki, and the rate of expenditure indicated i« £70,000 for this year, and £75,000, £75,000, and £80,000 for the three following ycaid ; tolal to end of March, 1891, £300,000.

Soutli End. At the south end of the railway the section from Mai ton to Iluntcn-ille, 19 miles, is nearly completed, and will be ready for opening abont Christmas. From ffunterville for about 25 miles to a point about 5 miles up the Hautapu Valley the contract survey is completed, and a contract forabout 8 miles of it is prepared, but the works have not yet been put in hand, The contract survey is also in progress for a fuithcr distance of about 19 miles to the end of the rough country at Tiuangarere, north head of the Hautapu Gorge, 63 miles from Marton. As in the case of the works at the north end of the line, the proposal indicated in table C is to carry on steadily from Marfcon for the four years ending 31&b March, 1891, by which time it is anticipated that the railway will have reached to Powhakava, near the month of the Hautapu Valley, a distance of about 32 miles from Mar ton, and the rate of expenditure '-ugprestcd is i"26,C00 for this year, and £35,000, £40,000, and £42.000 for "the three following 1 years : total to end of March, 1891, £143,000, After carrying out these proposals at botli the north and south ends of Uic line, it is estimated that there will be a balance of loan still available for further works to the extent of about £54,000.

Further Works and Surveys. Tho preliminary surveys liave been made for the railway to the extent of about 12 miles afc various places between Waimarino Plains and the Upper Wanganui Valley, and service roads and tracks in connection with the railway have been made in whole or in part from Hunlerville to Turangarere, 24 miles ; Upper Rangitikei to Turangarere, 4 miles ; Pipiriki to Okahune, 25 miles ; Murimotu to Upper Wanganui Valley, 50 miles ; and Te Koura to Waimiha, 14 miles. The Wanganui River has also been cleared of snags and otherwise improved from Wanganui to near Pipiriki, about 26 miles. The expenditure and liabilities on these roads and river works up to 30th September last was £39,239.

Purchase of Native Lands. Of the £100,000 allocated for the purchase of native lands under the loan for the North Island Trunk railway, about ,€70,300 was expended last year, leaving about £29,700 for expenditure during the present) year. The work done up to 30th November ult. consisted of the purchase of 490,000 acres, at a cost of £54,100, and there is now under negotiation the purchase of blocks aggregating about 750,000 acres, on which £33,000 has already been paid. The lands purchased and under negotiation are situated mainly around Ruapehu and Tongariro, with the Wanganui River as their boundary on the west. The surveyed line of railway intersects the purchased land for 45 miles, and* that under negotiation for about 15 miles, or 60 miles in all out of the total 216 mile 3 between Marton and Te Awamutu.

Roads North of Auckland. In the formation of main roads, miscellaneous roads, and bridges, and grants in aid of roads North of Auckland, the expenditure for the year ending the 31st of March last was £30,738, and from the end of March to the end of September there was a further expenditure of £2,957, leaving a balance then available out of the amounts provided for this class of works to the extent of only £913. Of this sum £420 is due to the counties under grants already made, so that there is only £493 remaining for any further undertakings. A further allocation for this class of work would be very desirable, but the area of country requiring development is so great, and the counties requiring aid are so numerous, that nothing short of £50,000 or £60,000 would be sufficient to attain any material benefit, and the Government has not seen its way to making an allocation to anything like that extent.

Thermal Springs. The expenditure on Thermal Springs last year was £7,814, and the amount required for this year is £3,200, and for, next year £300. This is principally for the completion of the water supply afc Rotorua, and the planting and improvements of the baths and grounds, and as it is not intended to undertake any further works than those at present in hand no further funds have been allocated beyond the £3,500 for this and next year.

Immigration. As regards the important) question of immigration, I find thati for , the jperiod between Ist May, 1886, a,nd 30th November, 1887, l,46o,nomina ted Immigrants have arrived 1 in the colony, towards 'the cosfc,Of;

wfoose passages the sum of £12,161 lias been contributed by their friends in the colony. Daring the above period 80 farmers have arrived, who satisfied the Agent-General that they were possessed of requisite capital, amounting to £34,405 in all, as required by the regulations of 28th September, 1885. The total number ot immigrants, exclusive of small farmers, introduced since the inaaguration of the scheme by the* colonial Government is 113,953. The expenditure on immigration during the last four years has been respectively in round numbers £107,000, £57,000, £12,000, and £12,000, and for this and three following yeara the expenditure proposed is respectively £16,720, £20,000, £20,000, and £14,000, being a total allocation for immigration purposes out of funds in hand, and now proposed* amounting to £70,720

Working Railways. Coming now to working railways, I find that the receipts for the year ending 31bt March last were £998,768, and the expenditure £699,072, the net profit being £299,696, or £2 6s per cent, on the outlay. The rates of profit on the different sections have varied from €5 10s 2d on the Greymouth section to lid on the Picton section. In considering this profit it should be borne in mind that the railways do a large amount of free wot k for other departments, probably to the extent of about £35,000 per annum. The mileage open at the end of the year was 1,722 miles, 114 miles having been opened or purchased during ihe year. The tables attached to the report of the General Manager, which ha-, c already been laid before the House, f how in what respect the trailic has iluctuated. It will be seen that in merchandise, timber, and grain there is a less tonnnge, while live stock, wool, and mineials have considerably increased. Ron. members will find it \eiy interesting to study the tablet, as there is no belter index to the busincbS of the colony than what we have disclosed in the laihvay returns. "Revenue i«, of course, laigely affected by the rates which are charged ; but the tonnage very clearly indicates Ihe volume of bu:rinc%9 in the colony. Thus, in the ca*e of the farming interest, the tonnage of grain being much smaller than in pievious ye.u'ss, and being iudeed lc c s than in any year <-iuce 1879-80." while tho trailic in live stock and wool has largely increased, shows clearly that greater attention i.*> being paid to sheep and cattle, and that tho aiea of country underthe Crown has been reduced. Again, as regards the building tiade, the timber tonnage on railways having been very much less, shows that the trade during the* year ending March List must have been in a depressed state. During the year ending March last a large amount of additional rolling stock, which has been almost er.tiiely built in the colony, has been supplied, and impiovements of vraions kinds at stations and on the vaiiou-s lines of railway have been cairied out, whereby public accommodation has been increased or woi king facilitated. None of the engines which are being manufactuicd in the colony have yet been completed, but the deli\ cry of some ol them is expected about the end of the year. The lesnlt of the woiking dining the picsont financial year v.p to the pciiod ending the sth October is thai the re\enue for tho 28 weeks of this year is nearly C 20,000 in excess of that for the coi responding pciiod la^t year, while tho expenditure is slightly less

Proposed Expenditure on liallways Of the loan for the Noitb Iblnnd Main Trunk Railway, we had unexpended on 31st March last the <»urn oi £674,315. On fcho 30fch September this was reduced to £615,253, -with liabilities amounting to £137,474. Starting with a balance at the end of the year, mz., -0671,315, the expendi ture sugge&ted by the Engineer-in-Chief to go on from both ends dining the present and next three years is £619,800, which would leave a balance unexpended on Zl>ti Match, IS9I, of £54,515. Under Pare 3 of the Public "Works we had unexpended on 31st March Kst the sum of ■£672,235, and by 50th September last this was reduced to £536,645, with liabilities amounting to £304,004. The net amount available for further undertakings on the 30th September was therefore only £252,641, and as this amount is quite inadequate for carrying most of the railways in hand to points at which they would be even moderately reproductive, it was decided to ask for further authority to raise a loan of C 500.000, which it is proposed be allocated as follows : jfi. Helensville North wards 25,000 Putavuvu-Rotorua 3C,000 Woodvlllc-Palmerston 120,000 Blenheim-Awatere .. . .. . 9,000 Greymouth Hokitika 22,000 Mount Son' ers 7,000 Livingstone .. .. 1,000 Otago Central 105,000 Seaward Bush 10,000 Additions to opened lines 122,000 Surveys . . . . . 6,000 Charges and expenses of raising portion of loan allocated to railways . . . . 30,000 Departmental engineering and supervision 40.000 Grand total for railways .. .. 500,000 Adding this sum of £500,000 to the £769, 235' bef0re alluded to as existing at 31st March last, will give a total of £1,269,235 expenditure, of which, including expenditure which has already taken place, we propose to spread over the present and next three years at the following rate, viz. : — 1887-88, £332,500 ; 1888-89, £437,403 ; 188990, £298,917 ; and 1890-91, £67,444, giving a total for the four years of £1,246,264, which will leave £22,971 unexpended at the end of the term.

Conclusion. Finally, sir, I would wish to state that in approaching this task of dealing with the public works expenditui'e of the colony, the Government was convinced that however much the construction of public works may have tended to develop the country generally, and also to meet the demands of growing settlement, it was nevertheless evident that our rate of expenditure in the past has been more than the colony could well afford, and that the time has come when we must materially curtail it. With th.it object in view, we piepared the proposals which I have now had the honour of laying before this House, and I may say that throughout the whole of this allocation onr object has been to do justice to all concerned, and to endeavour whex'e practicable, within the limit 3 of the funds at our disposal, to avoid stopping ruthlessly any works on which the expenditure already incurred would be altogether thrown away, or which would yield a reasonable percentage on their cost if completed as hitherto intended. To the best of our belief these objects have been attained by the allocation which I have described, and we now therefore lay it before Parliament in the full confidence that hon. members will aid us in. carrying these proposals out in the interest of the colony as a whole, at, whatever sacrifice it may be to their individual jnterest. Taken as a whole, thechief feature in our proposals is to steadily reduce expenditureunder loan from, in round, numbers,, £1,100,000 per annum for this year to £300,000 per annum for the third, year 'from March next, and we believe that ' in this way the loan expenditure may be, gradually brought to an end after March, 1891, witjbou£,on the one, hand increasing our burdens (over, much, or on the other nand, putting too* sudden a check on the progress ,of cojonial industries. X would also wish to say, sir, in conclusion tliat throughput the

whole of the investigation necessary to frame the proposals calculated to bring about this result, and which I confess I have found to be a very difficult task, I have received the most cordial assistance from all the chief officers of the departments over which I have the honour to preside.