PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81870, 20 October 1906, Page 2

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

£2,484,858 ASKED FOR. TARANAKI WORKS. (By Telegrapli.) In the I louse on Friday evening the lion. W. I lall-Juiv-'s, Minister for Public Works, submitted his eleventh Public Works Statement, together with the Estimates of amounts required for the effective prosecutions of works during the current year. Despite the unfavourableS weather, and scarcity of labour during the summer months, good progress has been made with works in hand. The report proceeds : I am pleased to say that we art nearing a time when the expenditure can be concentrated upon the mos urgent w-orks, thus insuring greatei expedition in completion than whet , a large number of works arc undei construction and the money availabl' is limited. The expenditure during last finan eial year was considerably in exce s of that of the previous 'year. Thi total expenditure from the inaugura tioD of the Public Works policv t 31st December, 1890, was £26,898, 145. The total expenditure betwoe Ist January, 1891, and 31st Marcl: tqoO, amounted to £15,895,720, show ing the gross public works expendi ture to 31st March last to be £42 793,865. The expenditure for h late financial year was £1,730,687, c which Railways (new construction £661,360; additions to open line; £351,044; roads, £351,204; publi buildings, £165,3,42; immigraiior £8753; purchase of native land; £'3,777; lighthouses, harbour worl and harbour defences, £4946; tou; ist and health resorts, £15,887; teh graph extension, £77.186; develoi menl of goldfields, £18,533; defenc work, (general)- £35,569; depar mental, £13,517. WAYS AND MEANS. At tlio 31st March, 1905, the avai able balance of Ways and Means It Public: Works purposes was £861,671 and iuuhcr tunds were received ; under: P,alance of £1,000,000 rai: ed under the Act of 1904, amount raised under the Act ot 190 £817,914; 10 provide ior clebeiuui\ tailing- due, £265,300; transform Ironi revenue, £500,000; misectlan ous receipts, £2679; making a gro; total of £2,480,500. the ordinary expenditure of tli year amounted to £1,722,590. in ai diuon to this debentures to tl amount of £116,300 pere paid oti others to tlio amount of £149,01. were renewed, and net changes an expenses in connection with hnancin amounted to £3ll, thus bringing tl total disbursements up to £1 984,20 leaving a credit balance at the end 1 the year of £492,299 for the cunei ) ear. it is proposed to provide additio; al funds as under:—Balance of iyc loan, £182,086; new loan of 190 £1,000,000; transfers from Consoi dated iund, £775,000. This w. give a total available Wavs ar . Moans (;f £2,449,385. 1 he estimated expenditure for pu . lie Works for the current year (e , c.uding separate accounts havir , their own ways and means) amoun I C> £2,284,558, thus leaving a balan , £164,827 to be carried forward , next year. RAILWAYS. The expenditure on new railw; - works amounted to £670,221, whi 1 is the largest amount expended 1 1 works of that class during any ye 1 since 1881. The grand total expent 1 ture on railway works during t f year was £1,074,570. f During the year 31J miles of ra , way were opened for traffic. - LINES UNDER CONSTRUCTIC j 1 will now refer more in detail } | the ditt'eront lines that have been hand and the proposals ol the C p venment with regard to oach for t current year:— Kawakawa-Grahamtown At t I northern end of this raJiway ileal eight miles of lines are laid. Ft ination works are in hand for abo another three miles. The cxpeni lure last year amounted 10 £9513. 1 voU) of £20,000 is provided on t r Estimates for the current year. f lelensvillc-Nonlnvards The < • pcndituro during the year was co - siderablv more than double that 1 the previous year. Last year t 1 expenditure amounted to £24,31 - and during the current year a lar 1 expenditure is proposed, i am thei 3 fore asking for a vote of £50.000 f the work. Gisborne-Rotorua Last yeai 1 expenditure amountedto£i6,7ii. F r the current year a vote of £20,000 . proposed., | TARANAKI RAILWAY WORKS New Plymouth-Sentry HiJi devi t 1 ; to improve the grade near New PI I moujii. The deviation leaves Itl existing line immediately west of 'I Waiwaikaiho River, crosses the H n nui stream near its mouth, ai jj runs thence between Buller ai Molesworth streets to tho reclaim land 011 the foreshore east of Nt Plymouth station, and joins the e 'Sting line at the platform. No e i, penditure came to charge against la |( l 'year's vote, but a considerable su [r has already been spent this year, ai a vote of £30,000 is asked for ,|_ Stratford-Ongarue The form j r tion works on the Huir°a scctii have been steadily proceeded wit and have been finished for mure tin half the length, and the remainii: portion, which includes some hca\ work, is now well advanced. Ti necessary bridges have also been c j ected and the formation of a sialic ( situ at lluiroa commenced. Tl ~ laying of the permanent way will 1 started shortly. The expenditu It ' ast )' car was £10,896, a material ai s> vaneo on the previous year's rat I- or the current year a vote of £2c ln 000 is proposed. t Mount Egmont Section—The fir rs section of this line is six miles tw chains long, and the whole of tl formation on this -length has bee completed, the rails laid and a po ;, lion of the ballasting done. The r jy mainder of the ballasting will stall - over until crushed stone is availabl lt The sii c for the stone crushing hi , B been cleared of bush, also a site fi ihe houses for employees and cxct valion for the lines of sidings ai completed. The foundations for tl' 5. stone crushers are commenced, an the stone crushers dcUvered on tli siie. The stone crushing plant . is in be operated by water power, an a large amount of work in connectio in witli this has also been done, such a r. the Construction of a .dam in th ;r Manganui River, sand trap inicl an le mulct, tunnels to the latter, and th jr excavation of a pipe line from th 1;. sand trap to the crushing lyard. / 1. contract has been lei for the suppl i e of 3000 ft of steel pipe, 22 inches i , s diameter, and the whole of this ha ( | now been delivered. An engine-shed lr water tanks, and coal store, and fiv J cottages for employees have now bee : . built at Waipukii. where the brand joins tho main line. It is expecto ■j l that tho railway and stone crushin; '' plant will be available for regula t' working early next year, when ope it rations will be commenced by deal >f ing' with the large quantity of boul 1. (lets to be found ill the Manganu .« River and adjacent thereto. 'l'hi s source of suppMy is not, however, ex e ported in prove a permanent one, sli thai when further stone is needed i „ will be necc-isarv to undertake tin c eonstiuoion of the upper sections o] liie !;r°- wl'ith lias already been stir [ [ veyed. The exponciuuiv "" _ railway last year was £10.248, and lor tlio current year a vote of £15,00;: , is asked for. Opunake Branch— Strong tept'1 sonta'iions having been made to tV '* Government in favour of the con- : ruction of a brunch line to o. mori t' Oounake wiili ihe main line between 1 Wellington and New Plymouth, a < t nal survey was put j n hand in ihe 1 eerly parf of le>t year, ns constderr ablf- dilletenee of opinion existed as to Ihe best pninf for the branrh io join the main 'line. Three different routes have been surveyed, which has prolonged' the work considerably. . The stuveys are finished, and th" p'ans prepared., but the engineer's 1 hvoo't an:! c-iimatc of cost have not ■ cot been rootived. The I-»n;ii . " ■ | tie.- |in<» varies according (•> |iv> roupedopted, ranging- front rather less than 22 mill's to a little more 'han miles, One factor that must cany weight in determining thq

route is that a railway reserve exists between Kltham and Opunake, "o that if thai route is adopted no compensation for land \\\X require to be paid. Full information on the mattor not being available at present, no decision can yet be come to, and in any case, in view of the large expenditure which is at present taking place in connection with the Main Trunk and other railways, the Goveinmetu is unable to see its way to recommend PailiamciK to t.ake in hand the construction of this railway at present. THE MAIN TRUNK. Noith Island Main Tiunk —A large amount of work has been done on tn,'iis railway during Jne ( pa*ic year the expendiiuie, /,220,515, having been neai',y double that of the previous year, and a record for any ytar since the works were commenced. More work still would have been done but for the exceptionally bad weather experienced in the interior during last summer. The quite un usual rainfall had the eltect of keeping the road in almost impassab'c cundition, and greatly retarded the progress of the work. At the north end the rail-head was advanced to Oio, and platelaying is now in progress between thai point and Raurimu, igßi mAes from Auckland. The formation work including the excavation of two tunnels between Raurimu and Makatohe, is being vigorously proceeded with, nearly a thousand men being'employed upon this section, and substantial progress bong made. The contract for the Makatote viaduct, let in June,, 1905, stipulated for the completion of the structure being 15th June, 1007. Considerable work has also been done 011 the foundations and the manufacture of site.work on the spot. More than half the contract time has expired, however, and much less than half the work lias been done. Arrangements are being made so that formation work as far as the viaduct may be finished by the time the structure i s completed, and also a mile of line between Makatoe and Manganuioieo, so that as soon as it is practicable to lay rails across the Makatote ravine the railheads can be advanced to Manganui, 214 miles from Auckland and 212 from Wellington. A contract for the Manganui-Oteo viaduct and some other work was lee to Messrs J. and A. Anderson in July last, 1110 amount being and the stipu lated date for completion 2nd February 008. In Octobe, 1905., arrangements were made to commence work on a central section with Mr J. J. Hay, M'.A., as resident engineer m charge of the same; and stationed at Oiiakune. A good deal of work on this length has sinco been done, the whole of the bush having been felled and a good start maac wi'ui uatthworl;. Much more would have been done but for unfavourable weather that has been experienced, this section having been particularly affected by weather conditions, owing 10 being inland and approachable only by road. The number of men employed 011 the section is now over six hundred and arrangements are being made to materially increase the number. At the southern end, a sectiin between Taihape and • Mataroa has been opened for goods traffic and station buildings at the Matter township being completed, also Mataroa tunnel. The formation has been completed between Mataroa and Turangarere, including Turangarere tunnel and liautapu bridge No. 2, and the rails now extend to Turangarere, 177 miles from Wellington. As a consequence we are now independent of the Taihape-Turangarere toad, the maintenance of which owing to bad weather, has been a troublesome matter. AH supplies for the section beyond Turangarere can now be raAcd up to that point, and as the road from there onwards has less local traffic as well as having been partially metalled, it is in bet ter condition and more easy to maintain than the Taihape-Turangarere road, so that better progress should be made in future, even if weather is unfavourable. The formation works between Turangarere and the commencemeni of the central section are very actively in hand, nine hundred men being employed at the southern end of tiie line. Tlu- piesent position of works may be summed up thus: Tota'i distance, Auckland to Wellington, 42G miles; already constructed and .open for daily passenger and goods traffic, 335 miles; rails laid on a further 37 miles; formation practically completed on a further miles, and in hand on a further 33 miles; untouched (except that Hie bush has been fcAed) 13 miles: total 426 miles. Most of the untouched portion is left untouched, merely because the works upon it are of an easy and unimportant character, and can readily be finished by the time the heavier work in hand can bj done. Probably all earth work will be finished as soon as tho large viaducts are read y, so that-on the completion of these structures really depends the date of opening the rai'» ; way for through traffic. The con--1 tract time for tho completion of the ■ last of the viaducts expires in FebruI ary. 1908, so that I can confirm my 1 previous prediction that the rails be- ! tween Auckland and Wellington will he connected by the end of that year. ■ Besides operations on the railway, a ■ very large amount of work has been done in connection with roads giving 1 access thereto, as without these lat- ' ter the formation works on tho line could not havo been proceeded with. • In addition to branch roads connect--1 ing with main roads, wliero such <?x----1 isted. a service road has been con--1 structed alongside the 'lino as nearly a-, possible, for practically its entire ' length. Every effort is being made ' 1.) put this Toad between the rail ■ heads into practicable order for the ' summer coach traffic. Tho railheads are now about 54 miles apart, ; hut. the distance is decreasing month ' by month, and will be materially re, ■ duced before next winter. The expenditure on the line last ■ year, exclusive of the value of permanent way material supplied was ' £220,519, or including the latter ma ) ierials £243.694. A vote of £300,- ■' uoo is proposed for the current year. 1 Blenheim-Waipara —At the south- - ern end, between Scargill and l'.thc- - ten nine miles in length was opened I for traffic on Ist November last, and ' a further section to Tormore, three > miles long is now available for goods " traffic. The section between Tor- ■ more and Domtet will 1 hope, be > available for traffic early in the new ' year. Last year's expenditure 1 amounted to £34,55=. and for the : current year £45-000 is asked for. j MIDLAND. 1 At the Nelson end, the section to i l'admor, 10 miic's 29 cnains, was i opened on 7111 August last. 011 the | Kcelton-lnaugahua • seclicn, earth . works arc nearly completed lor sovon . miles and 1 ails laid lor half this dis- , u,ni.v. Oil the Otila section good ■ piugreis has been made with the 1 Goat Cicek and RoAeston br.dgc. ; ami b',1,1 aie nearing com pie. ioji. , Considerable progrcf,» lias ai'o been made wiih eaithworks 011 this st'etion. 1 lenders lor the constitiction of tne Summit tunnel at Arthur's l'a;s, 5 ! miles 24 chains in length, were 111- ; vi.cd in April last in t.ueat JSiitam, Aiuerc.a, Australia, and this e.y.ny, - hut 110 satifcfitcitxy iesponse was re- . eeived. As it was consider.! t-tat . litis 11 suit might perhaps be due to shortness of imie lor sending' 111 ten- , dels fresh offers are now being invit ed, allowing' sufficient time lot ten--1 d'-'i't'n outside the colony to either send thei'r own lcpreseiitalivcsi io make Socal inquii ies or communicate 1 with local agents. The fresh n-nd-fis aie due in Maxell next. On the Canterbury side of the range, good 1 ---. p uij'ks progress nas oeci, » between Spiingrield and Broken River being just about completed. The laioc steel viaduct over Staircase Oully is finished, and the smaller viaduct our Broken Iviver is so near coiuple1. i t 1 iai til" i ails have laid over it. Anangemunts are being mad-' to establish a t ne-dav through sciVtre by eutlaii and r,',\ bete, e 11 (Plymouth and Chriwcliurc-h. The total expenditure 011 the several setiwis of rlio Midland railwav last vear amounted to £119,212, and for ilie current year a vote of £IOO,OOO is l)r, posed. \\estpori-lnangahua The expenditure was ,/,2'!?<jG, and for the. current year a vole of £IO,OOO is proP"SC(f. Ngahere Blackball Las! expenditure amounted to £<),-\v", and l"i' 'lie current year a vote of £10.00,1 is prop scd. liokitika-Koss The expenditure

(luring- h. year was £17.074, and for the current year a vote of £20,000 is asked for. OTAGO CENTRAL. I hope to have this railway completed to Clyde by about the end of the financial year. The expenditure on the line during the year amounted to £56,724, and for the current year a vote of £50.,000 is propose The Catlins-Waihahaka, Gore-Wai-kaka. Lawronc|-Roseburgh, liciiot extension, Rivcrsdale-Switzers and Orepuki-Waiau are also dealt wMi. TOTAL RAILWAYS APPROPRIATION. In addition to the items already mentioned, a vote of £130,000 is pro posed for permanent way materials, £3OOO for surveys of new lines, £IOOO for land claims and other old liabilities. These items bring the total appropriations proposed for railway construction purposes up to £884,025. OTHER RAILWAY WORKS. Practically the whole of our rolling Stock is now built in the colony. For the current year a vote of £3OO ■ 000 is proposed. The expenditure on the flutt railway and road amounted to £44,739, and for the current year an appropriation o1 £50,00 is asked for. The Railways Improvements Authorisation Act " ] 1904 authorised the duplication oi the lines between Auckland and Pen rose, Addington and Roi'ieston, anc Dunedin and Mosgiel. The expen diture last year amounted to £8566 and for the current year a vote 0 £IOO,OOO is provided on the Esti males. UTILISATION OF WATER . POWER. The expenditure under this heat amounted to £982, but as it is hopei to make a start with some of th works this year, a vote of £53,000 i now asked for. (Details of thes schemes are held over for publicatiol to-morrow.) PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The total expenditure on Publi Buildings out of votes under the con rol of the Minister of Public Work amounted last year to £187,094. Fo the current year, votes totalling t' £39,437 under the Consolidated Fum and £248,500 under the Public Work 1' und are proposed, the increase ii the Consolidated Fund vote beinj due principally to the fact alread announced in the Financial State ment that larger items of expenditur under the head of maintennace an renovations of public buildings, hith erto borne on the Public Work I' und, are now to be transferred t the Consolidated Fund. In futun therefore, all items for mainlenanc and repairs wiAt be charged directl to revenue. CENERAL. The expenditure undor this hea amounted to £2303, none of the iton being of any magnitude. For th current year a voie of £IB,OOO is pri posed. This vote provides for mal mg commencement!! with propiose additions to Parliament Building for additions to Departmental buHi nigs at Napier now in progress, an for proposed new offices at New PI; mouth fur the Deeds, Registratioj Agriculture, and Roads Departments for making a commmencemant wil new offices and laboraior yfor Geol gical and Health Departments : Wellington, and new offices at Hok tika for the Lands and other D partments. It aW provides fi making a start with additions to D partmental buildings at Aucklan> and for a number of other mini works. JUDICIAL. GAOLS. . The vole for the current year pr . vides for carrying on work at Aue land; for new gaols at Gisborne ai Invcrcargill; for substantial ad< . tiens at Wellington, and for wardei 1 cottages at Auckland, Napier, Ni . Plymouth, Wanganui, Wellingo . Lyttelton, and Invercargi'lf. POLICE STATIONS. : The current year vote provides f completion of work at Christchurc ' and for new stations at flelensvil Birkenhead, Newmarket, Av<|ndal 1 Karangah'ake, Raglan, Kihikil 1 Taumarunui, Taupo, Tolaga Ba • Masterton, Carterton, Collingwoo, " Timaru, Kaiapoi, Kingsland, A ' dington, Mcthven, Waimate, Ham ' den, and Gore. ! POST AND TELEGRAPH. : A large number of buildings f - the Postal Deparment were in hai - during the year. The principal e ' penditure took p'iaee in connectii 1 with onew post offices at Paine 1 Whakarewarewa, Tauranga, Waipi J Bay , New Plymouth, Pungareh | MENTAL HOSPITALS. The expenditure on buildings - this kind was rather less than durir - the previous year. For the curte year, a substantial amount of woi - is contemplated in Auckland,, POl i rua, Sunnyside, and Seacliff, wi' - less important additions at We'tlinj ! ton, Nelson, Richmond and Waita' - In addition to this provision has I he made for considerable alteratioi . and additions to "The Camp," Dui 1 edin, which has been acquired ft 1 the accommodation of special case ; also for reception houses proposed 1 - be established in conneetin with tl i> institutions at Auckland, W'eliingtoi . and Christchurch. tijriOOLS. Last year's expenditure totalk .. Aj'-ijioju, of u,ilea &7j,1>28 was 0 „ uiteu to revenue and £,69,223 to Pui a tic Works Fund. l-'ur the curte! j jear, in addition 10 the vote unO' E Llie Consolidated Fund, an appiopi . ation of £IOO,OOO is asked for out 1 ihe i'ui, I .ic Works 1' und to provide ft school buildings generally, als . buildings for Native and mdustn; scnoois, reformatories, and sciioo t lor deaf mutes, etc., also grants ft . providing tor technical and trainin 5 schools, etc. HOSPITALS. Under the head of general hosp ■ tals, an expenditure of £4736 too p'ttiee. The Estimates provide for j total authorisation £22,245 £c ' the cuireut year, on account of whic a vote of £15,000 is proposec ; Amongst the items being Sua s lord. ~ AGRICULTURAL. f Not much was done under thi 5 head last year, the expenditure hai ; ing amounted to £3404. For th current year a vote nf £4500. is pre posedPUBLIC HEALTH. 1 Under tthis! head £t|io(< wrjs ex 1 pended. For the current year a ; appropriation of £15,000 is aske for, of which again by far the large 1 portion is for grants for infectiou ~ diseases hospitals and annexes fo ' consumptives. ROADS BRIDGES, ETC. Of the total amount provided fo 1 expenditure on works under tin ■ Road" Department, the sum expend ■ ed was £364,559. If 10 this be add > ed liabilities incurred and outstand - ing in respect of uncompleted work , at the 31st March, 1.906/ the acuta , value of the woik undertaken durint - the year was £480,257. The outdoo t work undertaken and completed dui > ing the year may be summarised a: - follows:—Engineering surveys 63. miles; dray roads constructed; 53' - utiles; brict'ic roads constructed, 46 miles; bridges over 30ft span (162) > totalling 16,083 ft; dray roads im : proved (including metalling), 68t. miles; bridle roads improved, 161 ' miles; dray roads maintained, 244* miles; bridle roads maintained, 138!' ■ miles. The appropriations proposes! are as underßoads Department, ■ 418,830; roads generally, £396 807 ; tourist l'oads, /Jjo.Syfi; Government Loans to Lochfi Bodies Act roads, £50000: total, £4q6>533- already announced in the Financial Statement. it is proposed to transfer to lh.' Consolidated Fund the charge ft.r the maintenance of main roads, so that no vote under that head appears 011 Public Works Estimates this year. ■ DEVELOPMENT OF GOLDFIELDS AND MINING. The export of gold this year was (lie highest for thirty-five years and ..lie output of coal also conilnue.s to increase, and new leases are being :iivplied tor on the West Coast of the '.Midd'e Is and'. For year 1005 there was export?:) f:om tbvoilony 520.455 ounces of gold, of a value of £2,093,' 936, and it is confidciu'iy anticipated

:hat the export {or this year will exTI - ( -l I ' l a 1 of last year. The amount -•xpended last financial year on wt r!« Inr duv-'.'lopninit of goldficlds was 0&53, wiiiie liabilities at tire close of the .year amounted to £2886. It is proposed to take a vote of ,£40,000 for :hc current year. TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS. The expenditure under this lwad (Luring the past year amounted to 115.438, For the current yoar, in order 10 meet the liabilities i n connection wnh Rotorua new bath buildings and waterworks, the amount required under these heads are increas. i to .£14.000 and .615,000 respectively- . Ihe gross authorisation asked 10 f « ,651,840, 011 account of which a vote of £40,000 is proposed. TELEGRAPH EXTENSION, i he expenditure on telegraph and telcpnonc services ou t 0 f this vota during the year amounted to hi iM less than , s « „ nea 01 wtio in hand during the year. In addition to uie usual activity i n the I telephone Exchange extension, oilices were opened in IQS townships, special attention having - been naif J tn oifering better facilitief to isolated B et°t.ements, known under the general terms of ",l,e backblocks." ,lre 15,3 33 subscribes in the colony, in connection wlth tß i eg:ra h ej[te £ »ion I may remark that the amount expended on extension of the telegraph since the advent of the die Tm t Pany to ,. power has exceeded lie total expenditure on the same lichyhouses. For the current year a vote of £2IOO is proposed, £ ot harbour works. during the yeafTgooTS"n. tara Kiverf r ° Vemen ' 3 in ** VV^ito ' miscellaneous, tio r ned ad C h^ i0 V t -° V ° tCS alread y menuoned, the Estimates include the fo'SZnf f S: Pulj ' iic Works De-/loom-'p ? l5 °°' Emigration, An ' P H rchaM °f Native Lands ' 10,000; Kales on Naiivo t j f ooo; Contingent De^c 1 ;^^: Lands Improvement, .£2,200Xs ningmg the total amount of proposed appropriations up to .62,484,858 as against £2/102,156 last year 5 I CONCLUSION. 5 h jS yCar in dealin ff with . and determining the merits of innurnerable applications for grants which - been received has ten no ]es! t ? n ? r °us than m previous years It ' alUndl? 1 ; 16 '' 0 the demands of " , inevitable, therefore, that 1 muTk? e amoUn ' ° f di «PP°in«nient " vnrl, e i'perieneed that particular ' but hon 4 ™ been P rovided for, ' thai- in ' I ? lem !? ers may rest assured 1 at in allocating amounts provided ■ faW tMU " r rkS and P r °P° sed ' 1 , V- c . linSl l atK)]i ant ) careful at- - te " tlon bas been devoted to the re- - l uiremc nts of the different parts of 1 1 e colon y- My chief endeavour haa 'Ml* 11 , aU fairly and in acMrd- , ?," c Wlth , ' hc necessities so far as , VVays and Means will permit, while a ' I\ C sa f m , e tlme ® ervin fr the Best in, e ts of the people as a wholtf.