PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 186, 16 November 1910, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

YUIORUUS POLICY OUTLINED. VOTE OF NEARLY THREE MILLIONS PKOPO.?Ei,\ £ Ilk), 000 FOR STRATFORD LINE. NO MENTION OF OI'UNAKE LINE. (By Telegraph.—Government Memo.) Wellington, Last Night. The Minister for Public Works (Hon. R. Melvenzie) delivered the Public Works Statement in the house of Representatives last evening. He said, inter alia:— The total expenditure on all works and services borne upon the Public Works Estimates last year amounted to £2,218,9(5. For the current year, with the balance brought forward, £3,812,306 is proposed. The estimated expenditure for public works for the current year is £2,855,000, thus leaving a balance of £957,366 to be carried- forward next year. The proposed transfer from the Consolidated Fund (viz., £800,000) is larger than anticipated when the Budget was brought down, but the great improvement in the revenue that has taken place has enabled the Minister of 1' inance to provide a larger measure of assistance than was originally considered possible. RAILWAYS CONSTRUCTION. - The sections of railways opened to traffic during the last financial year or since its close total 61 miles 6 chains. The total expenditure on railway works amounted to £1,283,932. - East Coast railway—Having in view the great importance of completing the railway connection between Auckland and Wellington by the East Coast route, it is proposed to provide a Railways Authorisations Bill during the present session for the construction of the first portion of the Napier-Gisborne section of the line. The votes proposed on the current year's Estimates for different sections are as follows:—Tauranga-Paenga-roa, £25,000; Gisborne-Motu, £80,000; Napier-Gisborne, £5000; total, £IIO,OOO. Stratford-Main Trunk—A very large amount of work lias been carried out on this railway during the year. The section between Huiroa and Te Wera, about seven miles in length, was handed over to the Railway Department for regular working in June last, and a further section to Pohokura, rather over nine miles, is approaching completion, rails having been laid over the whole length, and ballasting being in progress. It is expected that this section will be ready to be handed over for regular traffic in January next. The section between Pohokura and Whangamomona is in hand, and is progressing very satisfactorily. Last year's expenditure constituted a record, viz,, £93,235. For the current year a vote of £IOO,OOO is proposed. Mount Egmont Branch.—Very little work has been done on this railway during the past'year, the expenditure having amounted to £405 only. The necessary surveys for the completion of the line arp nearly finished. So that construction workman be resumed almost immediately. The vote proposed for the, current year is £15,000. North Island Main Trunk—Last year, £27,648. , „ South Island Main Trunk.-The new section from Ward to Mirza has been commenced, and is making satisfactory prowess. It is proposed in the current year's Authorisation Bill to provide for a further extension of about three miles and three-quarters. It is desirable that provision should be made this year for further extension of the Mina-Leader Vallev line, and the Railways Authorisation Bill to be introduced shortly will accordingly provide for a further section of about six miles in length up the valley of river Leader. Last year's expenditure amounted to £49,021, and for the current year votes -totalling £50,000 are asked for. Midland Railway—Nelson end, last year £27,627, this year £31,000; Westland end, last year £20,434, this year £20,000. Otira Tunnel—Steady progress continues to be made with the Arthur s Pass tunnel on the Canterbury-Westland section of the line. The bottom heading has now been excavated for a total distance of on? mile 16 chains, enlarging to the full size, 64 chains, and the concrete lining 51 chains. The work that is being performed by the contractors is of a very satisfactory character, but I regret that' the progress is not more rapid. Tlie contract time expires in August, 1912, and it is becoming tolerably evident that there is very little prospect of the work being completed by that date. The contractors are being urged to accelerate the rate of progress to the utmost possible extent. The expenditure last year amounted to £66,000, and for the current year a vote of £90,000 is proposed. At the Canterbury end of the railway considerable progress has been made, with the result that a long section between Broken River and the Cass, 15 miles 12 chains in length, is now practically completed, and will be opened for regular traffic at the end of the present month. A large amount of work has been taken in hand on the section between the Cass and the Bealey, and the rails have been laid over a part of the distance. The expenditure on this end of the line amounted to £59,760, and an appropriation of £50,000 is provided for the current year.

Westport-Tnangahtia. —Last year's vote £ls, 782; this year, £30,000. Xgahere-Blackball.—Last year, £27.127; this year, £II,OOO. Greymouth - Point Elizabeth. Last year, £53,603; thisVear. £50,000. Lawrence-Roxburgh Last year, £24,005; this year, £15.000. Catlins River and Hoipapa —Last year, £04,413; this year, £BO,OOO. Riversdale-Switzers. —Last year, £lB,480; this year, £3OOO. Orepuki-Waiau.—Last year, £11,322; this year, £2OOO.

In addition to the votes already mentioned the sum of £IOO,OOO is provided in the Estimates for permanent way materials for all lines; also £2500 to meet land claims and other contingent items, thus bringing the total of the proposed vote for railway construction purposes up to £1.000,000. Duplication Works.—The expenditure for the last financial year was £143,531, made up as follows: —Wellington-Hutt, £30,814; new Hutt road (including land for same), £2S.4GS; Auckland-Penrose, £5470; Addington-Rolleston, £250; Dun-edin-Mosgiel, £00,517. For the current vear provision for the duplication works has been made to the extent of £135,000. Additions to open lines—The amount proposed to be voted for the current year for additions to open lines is £350,000. IRRIGATION AND WATER SUPPLY.

A verv considerable amount of survey and exploration work in this connection was carried out in Central Otago during last year. A commencement will be made with the work at an earlv date. It is proposed to begin with the Ida Valley block, containing 05,200 acres. Last year's vote amounted to £SOOO, of which £2435 was expended, mostlv on surveys. The vote provided on the Estimates for the current year is £IO,OOO, and it is proposed, to commence construction works during the coming summer. Other proposed irrigation schemes are being investigated and proposals in reference t,o some of them will be submitted next session. . • J ;

PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The total expenditure oil public buildings lust year amounted lo £335,114. For tile current year votes totalling £43,100 are proposed. Provision is made for the completion of the new (Government House and a substantial item on account of the erection of the proposed new Parliament Building.-: also for departmental buildings at Hamilton, borne. New Plymouth, Stratford, W'anganui. Masterton, Christchuveh and Invercargill. Gaols. —The total expenditure on gaol buildings amounted to .4.4231. Post and Telegraphs.—An extensive building programme is in hand for the Post and Telegraph Department. Last year the expenditure was £08,574. The expansion and the work of the Post and Telegraph Department is so great that heavy expenditure for buildings must be looked for in the near future. A large amount on account of buildings for wireless telegraphy will also be required. Mental Hospitals. The expenditure during the year has been £19,838. Schools. —The sum of £08,103 was ex-' pended out of the Public Works Fund last year on school buildings. This year a vote of £IIO,OOO is asked for. Hospitals.—Last year, £7259; this year, £IO,OOO. Agriculture.—Last year, £5595; this year, £5500. ROADS AND BRIDGES. A comparison of the distribution of expenditure between the North and South Islands is largely in favor of the North Island, the actual figures being: North £•271,406, South £110,498, total £381,904. In pursuance of the previously expressed intention of the Government to entrust local bodies with the expenditure of the major portion of the votes, £183,444 was either authorised or offered to various county councils and road boards for expenditure. This year it is proposed to invite the local authorities to submit their proposals for the expenditure of the sums available forthwith, and if reasonable expedition is exercised in doing this there should be no difficulty in the formal grants being in their hands and available for expenditure within a few days of the actual passing of the appropriations by Parliament. While dealing with road matters, I should like again to emphasise one point which I drew attention to last year, namely, that while the construction of new roads to open up backblocks is a work that may properly be regarded as devolving upon the Government and that while the Government may reasonably be expected to assist in the improvement and metalling of roads that were originally constructed as bridle tracks or were left unmetalled, the mere maintenance of roads and bridges, except in very special cases, is a work that should and must devolve upon the local authority of the district. Amongst the numerous applications that have been received for grants for road works during the current year quite an appreciable percentage are for works of repair and maintenance, which should undoubtedly be provided for by local rating. During the financial year 1908-9 the Government of the Dominion undertook the maintenance of no less than 3352 miles of dray road and 2017 miles of bridle road, or a gross total of 5369 miles of road. ' During last year the figures were much smaller, namely, 2597 miles of dray roads and 1246 miles of bridle road, or a gross total of 3843 miles of road. The provision submitted for the current year is as under: —Roads, etc., £270,480; backbloek roads £229,520; roads on goldfields, £50,000; Loans to Local Bodies Account, £100,000; National Endowment Account, £15,935; Land for Settlement Account (say), £17,000; maintenance or roads (Consolidated Fund), £30,000; total, £710,935. . DEVELOPMENT OF GOLDFIELDS. j The goldmining industry maintains its position, the returns for last year being in excess of those for the previous year. The amount expended last financial year on the development of our goldfields was £18,598, and a vote of £25,000 is proposed for the current year. Tourist and Health Resorts. —The net expenditure on works and services under the above heading for the year 1909-10 amounted to £14,507. The works provided for on this year's vote total £22.860, on account of which a vote of £12,500 is required. TELEGRAPH EXTENSION. During the year, £123,422 was expended on telegraphs and telephone extension. The mileage of extensions and trunk circuits erected was 497 miles of line and 2134 miles of wire, and of the telephone exchange circuits 103 miles of line and 5037 miles of wire. WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. Owing to the great importance of wireless telegraph for defence, naval and mercantile marine purposes, the Government decided to call for tenders for two highpower stations in the neighborhood of Doubtless Bay and Bluff and three medium power stations in the neighborhood of Gisborne, Cape Farewell and Sumner. The high-power stations will have a range of 1250 nautical miles, which will enable communication to be kept up with stations to be erected at Sydney and Fiji, and with warships or mercantile vessels at any point within range. The medium-power stations will be sufficiently equipped to command ships at sea for 500 miles. It is expected that ■several, if not all, of the stations will be in full working order before the end of 1911. This year's proposals total £151,000, including £SOOO on account of wireless telegraphy stations, the actual votsubmitted for approval being' £140,000. THE TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS. The total amount of the proposed appropriations, including special accounts, is £3.105.935. against £2,624,480 voted and £2.218,975 actually expended last year.