The Public Works Statement.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2055, 5 August 1875, Page 3

The Public Works Statement.

:'^:?V;-v'wELLWGTONv : -: ' - . , . , „-:: ■• ." .Tuesday night. -The fstalemenfcconcludes as^- follows :— •■'•' Duringy/the past year the expenditure V-on-;roa&s^-'lias?bee6:-£123; r&sSrl:sa Bd, in addition to' a total expenditure to the 30th ..-. June i874,:0f £508^87 16i4dV On railwajp tlie; expenditures .for -'tlie- year has been ;£1,997,1'65 !3s Qd;: in addition to' £1,094,256 ; 108^ 5d previously, and on wate^-raijesVthere has been £113,335 18s 2d. expended,, m;addition.. to £101,353 18s 3d.'The total expenditure to 30tb. June'last for-each; of. the above class ■■■'-•. of woi-lts. "being roads, £623,746 12s; on-railways-£3,991,421,14s 2d, and water traces £21^i6S$ 16s sd,~giviDS a total cxr^n#arelof £i 838,857 t 2s: 7d. The on these respective"worlis were, at the same' date-roads, £23,132 2s 7d ; -railways, £1,620,365 ,5 s. lOd ; and watertaces, £137,072 :.6s 'Id; making a total liability on those works of £1,780,570 14s 6d, and of .expenditure and liabilities, £6,619,42717s Id. . I.shoukl add that the greater portion of the expenditure of the liabilities above-mentioned, together with ' the amount;of; the new services I have laid before you-this evening, will; be distributed, as stated in "my-honorable colleague's jPinanciar Statamerit, over a period; of two;-yearsi: Butvwe have not only the expenditure side of. the question before us to-night/,weliaT.o"alsor the be- ; ginning of the return-.which the large I portion of the expenditurefon railways will : produce. I have stated that'On all the .lines opened for traffic a very gratifying :■ profit has been received; more especially when the .fragmentary character of some of -those ■ lines ■ is; taken into accbunti Now, sir, with the working of those short lengths before us, I think there is no room for any -gloomy forebodings as" to. the financial success of the railway system adopted by th.c colony. -\ ;Even at present eftsyi>f ad certain >. communication^ " $he J' railways afford has greatly^ assisted * settlement :;in•••v'tho count t'f' districts, and- this; constantly growing ■■//element of little populations must 1 furnish a -cdrrespbnding'increase of traffic, ■-.''.'■. as the lines^in^ course of comply tip^-open ;:/-iiJ? country hitbertocut o£F' from a market

by reason* of ■ cos fc or diflicul ty • iii conimunicating therewith. If further evidence of the probable paying results of our - railway expenditure^,should be needed, I to the table appended hereto; as repriiiittd from the annuaVreport bf^the:GommijS|ioner of Bailways in Victoria-|br \ thievyear^l ß%& % I have had:that table re,pvin|;ed, becaus^C think it is/calciilated'tolinspire great confidence in tho'minds of : h6noura.ble..members. It vshows(^ajfi^jliff;year?lß7^there j were open: in :Jho^ colony of Victoria 441 j I miles of :railway^ ; the total- cbst:'of^which I \v&s £f1.^55^i484:;;: tite per j mile Y?teloffij%% j'ihe | from all^mrc(?s-v '^ere: the. i workingj'exp^ses'wbrje^374^lsrandthe | i|etuibbopes£476;437>" being :ih|erbst^at' Ipi||^BLtet:ofJ.;:4J; pier/centiv.bu#fi^^J|t;: cap^fe^o^::;?ir>^e:Uni,]|^^ i shaikh^vtf'99i"Tmiles of railwayfor ar tbtal: Cost of £6,091,981,-.-or at the rate of about £6,000 per, mile.:, Aft^r. : making -full allowance "for'Siff^renee in tlie population of tlie $#s\cbl6iiies,- and i'the extraeiipetie.. involved in'workingy by bur •havj'ng jthreb.t or four centres of'traffic, instead of; one, ssin-^iptbria, I j;c&nnbt; ; s»aib;;tliinfc| that ' 'honourable members wiil'; agree with; me in 'believing that cornpafative; difference in cost, which is!more than at the-rate. ?6f £20,000' per mile incftivdr-of New.'Zealand, leaves such a margin as will-.insure ;very satisfactory 'results to railways in this. colony. The House will have: already judged from What I have, saidtiiat :tho.-.p q]icy"o'f:'the Government;'is"' to complete all the lines now iii, hand, and get them into thorough working order.; It will theii'be seen where 1 extensions are most Wanted to further open up country. Meanwhile, large as the liability is which has already been incurred for railway construction, I am sure that if the railways, are but prudently nianaged, the resultcwillvbe. s.uch as to make it very easy for succeeding Governments- to raise Whatever further sums may be required for any railways it can be shown will help the settlj?ment ?b;f the coiintryii the one main object which has been 'kept in vifw sinco^fhfe^ i cptomencemen't;.■..bf-' iw.liat htis beeri-styled the Public Works and'lmmif "gra'tibn policy. ! Sir, 1 T have- trespas9ed;oii the time of the House very largely oii two similar; occasions in years, and I am;"sure t;have; to-night sorely triedl: :yburi ;patieiide &nd jtthoib H-fif^-ioni members^'bufr ■:jthe;:--imsortancei-.,^|/:-t|hLe occasion is^suj?h.;^s warrant; me* Yin:^ tending; my.remarlcs'toithe ieng'thillhavie donei IfFnbw only 'femainf Hfor"Jm'^ tito thank you, sir, and...the House, foi* tfie consideration.,you have shown me. . •:.;r i ;