THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 38, 6 October 1896, Page 4

THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Tin: early hour on Saturday morning at which the statement reached us precluded our giving more than 0113 or two heads. We now propose giving a digest, of the principal heads set forth by ill" Hall-J ones. a Tuvrr.osiT.cT. Piior to the Liberal party coming into office in ISOI, it had become customiry for Parliament to pass loan hills fairly regularly, at intervals of two or three years, thus providing large sums of money for the purpose of carrying on the public works of the colony. The several loans authorised for tci vices chargeable on the PubPc Works Fund from the initiation of the Public Works Policy until 1888 amounted to T,27,254,457 7s lid. Since 1888 no loan has been raised for Public Works purposes, but notwithstanding this, considerable progress has been mai'c with all classes of Public WorVs. FUNDS. He had tikcn charge of the Public Works department at a time when the fund was at a lower ebb than if hid ever been since its initiation. The amount to the credit of part 1 of the fund on the 31st March. 150."., was Iv2(iS,.V2ii. During the year L 1")0,000 was transtc red from the Consolidated Fund and sundry credits also came to book to the am unit of L2,'27'2, bringing the tctal of thif part of the fund up to U 20.705. The expenditure amounted to LSsSJ),G4S, leavi ig a credit balance at the end of the year of L 51,150 only. On part 2 the balance at 31st March, 189,"), was L2fi,(iol and 1,10,000 (being receipts in respect of land purchased out of the North Ls'and Main Trunk Railway Loan) was transferred to credit, thus bringing the total up to L:S(S,GOL The expenditure amounted to 1/22,081, leaving a balance on the 31st March last of L 13.023 or a total balance available on the whole Public Works Find of L 45.073. There was also L 31,420 to the credit of the Lands Improvement Account and L 5920 to the credit of the Native Lands Purchase Account, and in addition to these amounts there was authority for the creation of further debentures of L 21.200 en the former, and L 30,500 on the latter, so that the gross totals of ways and means available amounted to L 134.418. It was clear to all that additional fueds would be required, the only doubtful point being whether the Government would ask Parliament for a large sum sullitient to complete the North Island Trunk, the Otago Central, the Midland, the ThamesTo Aroha, AVoodvil'e-Ekctahi.na, and other railways, or whether they would merely ask for aid to a limited aniouat so as to permit the several works to be proceeded with for the present with the existing rates of expenditure. All doubts Merc set at rest when the Colonial Treasurer brought down the Financial Statement, in which only one million was recommended. It was disappointing to find opposition to the loan required for works authorised o»-for their continuance. Provision is now made for carrying on the works embraced in the Public Works policy. The following additional sums will Lc made available, namely :—For railways, L-250,000 ; for development of goldfields, L'200,000 ; for development of thermal springs and natural scenery, L 50,0000 ; for the lands improvement account, L2.")0,000 ; for the intive lands purchase account, L 250.000 ; total, L 1,000,000. It is al-o proposed to transfer from revenue to the credit of the Public Works Fund LK.0.000, and al out 1,20,000 will also probably come to end t from other sources. Adding to th -e amounts, the balances n mainiiiL' o'i the 31st Match last, namely, [,134,418, there will be a total sum avai'able of L 1,304,415. ' 'J he liabilities on the 31st March lust were L320,(i36. After providing for'lis same there is left the sum of LOS.'!,'JS2, being the lage.t sum available for Public Works during th.last five years. The Government, w vcr thcless, have no intention to largely increase expenditure on Publb Works On the contrary, when the llketahnnu Railway is finished, and pressing works in connection with the lands impiovement, roads to promote settlement, drainage of Rotorna, development of thermal springs and goldfields, and making of our natural scenery accessible. It is desirable in the interests of the colony that the expenditure should tc reduced. TIIK CO-OPEKATIYK SYSTKJt. Practically all the construction works arc now carried out under the co-opera-tive system, and a good ninny of the buildings and repairs also. Ti 1 recently wc have not attempted iron bridge construction under this .system, but when the tenders for the North Island Main Trunk Railway were received and the lowest was found to l.e several :ho is.mis in excess of the Kngincers' estimate the Government deluded to cirry out thwork by co-operation. Ariun/iineiit.s are accordingly being made for the supply of cement and the unmanufactured iron and steel, and it is proposed to 'ct co-operative contracts to suitable skilled workmen for building of concrete piers and foundations and the preparation and erection of the iron and steel work. '1 he co-operative sys'em has now been in operation for five years. He give some facts and figures with lvgsud to that method of carrying out public works. During the five years ended .'!l-t March last the total expenditure on cooperative works amounted to L!)2!),!)62, and a total sum of no less than L(iIO,3H was paid direct to workers as the va'neof labour. The length of railways con Structccl, or partially constructed, under the system was 172 miles, al-o 1180 miles of roads, besides various public . buildings. The number ot men employed so far has been 4,1 111, or an average lit 1,(j.V2. The earnings of the men have, of course, varied, caused by different degrees of capacity and ly eliffereut climatic and other conditions, nut on the whole the results may be regarded as satisfactory both to the Slate and to the employer. Full returns are attached to the Statement givina particulars during the financial year. They show is isuits on different railways and buildings. The average earnings per day in the dill', rent callings have been :—Navvies, 7s 2d : contractors, 7s 3d ; fencer-., 7s "id ; bushmen, 7s (id ; laboureis, 7s SU ; platelayers and ballasters, 7s lOd ; carpenters on buildings, Ss Id ; painters, Ss 3d ; carpenters on railways, 8s sd ; tunnel men, 0s lOd ; slaters, 10s 3d ; masons, lOsSd ; biicklayers, 10s Sd ; plumbers, ]os lOd ; plasterers, 12s. An accompanying table showed the mileage cost of each section of railway tint, has been constructed under this system and the cost of other sections of the same railways carried on under the contract system, LIGHT UAII.WAVS. The Government Inn considered the subject of lijjjit railways. The result of the inquiries will be laid hefoic Parliament next session. Tlioie would .-e m to be abundance of scope for the construction ot light cheaply worked r.'.iiWiiys in this col,my. The co.-t is not materially in excess of the cost of constructing a good road, and there aie many districts where such railways could, if const'ueted, earn a good rate. Jt would have been better for the colony if some of our railways in sparccly settled districts had beta constiueteil to a. narrow gauge. nuLWAVs fxiiicn rriNSTitfcrinN. The following a 1 c brief particulars of the principal worksutidi rtiiUenon scvcuil lines of railway during the U-i year, and ■what is proposed to bo don: dining the cm rent year. Kamo-Kawakawa : The sect'on of this line between Hikiirangi and Whakapar.i is now practiei'ly completed, and goods traffic established. ] The station buildings arc now I i

Icing erected, and when these arc o nplcted tlie line will l.c handed over 'o the Railway Department. The expenditure on this line List your amoun'ed to L 7375, out of it voty) of 1 SOCK). Tlrs vcar \vc ask for a vote of L7OOO.

Kaihu Valley Railway : The section of this line has been completed to a point on the Kaihu River, where timber booms and skids have been constructed by private enterprise. The vote last yeir was J.:!i)0i), but scarcely any exj emliture came to charge before' Mist March list. A sinrhr vote is proposed for the current y cil! '- . .

Ilelcnsvillo northwr.rds : TlicMakurau contract is still unlinished. The Miikuriiu Tunnel was complete.l in September, ISO."), but some heavy slips have occurred since in the cutting at the north end of the funnel, which have seriously delayed the completion of the contrnet. However, it Is hoped that this may be competed by about Christmas next. This will enable the Tahekeroa section to be put in hand. It is proposed to construct the line on the cooperative principle, and a vote for LBOOO is provided for.

Orahatmtown - To Aioha : The rectionofthis nidwny between To A'oiri sr:d l'aeioa was opened just before Christmas last. At that date it was not entirely completed, and a good deal of finishing work has been go ng on since. The vofe taken last year was for L7OOO, but L73SI was expended, and a e >nsideraLla further sum Ins been sj cut since the close of the finaiie'nl yeir. The vote proposed for the current, ye.ir is LIO.OOO. This will cover expenditure since the ."Ist Match, and p.ovide for S'luc rather largo- kir.d com penpal ion claims s! ill outst Hiding, and for the work to lc undertaken on the rev section between Piscina and Puriri. The activity thiougheut the Thame:; gohltield renders it (bsirable to complete this railway as rapidly as possible. 'J he bulk of the formation is already done, but as the work was executed several years ago it has Buffered injury from the went!.or and other causes, and will need some little expenditure to bring it up to standard. This work will be taken in hand shortly. Contracts for the timber for several of the bridges I ave already been let, and arrangements are being made for the early supply of rails and sleepers.

North LUiud Main Trunk Railway : The rail laying and ballasting en the Mokau section at the northern end of this railway have now been completed, and when some inexpensive station buildings have been erected the line wi 1 be ready for traffic No great amount of tiallic is anticipated at present, however, as the line will not ba of any mate ial use to the settlers, until it is completed to Kawakawa, where it joins the Stratforel-Onearuhe road, which connects the Auckland and Taranaki districts, and which is nearly finished. It is proposed to take in hand the formation of the section eallc-l ilia Ohinemoa section next month, and to proceed with the work as rapidly as the means at disposal will allow. At the south end of the line cous'dvrablo progress hasbeen made. Operations have extended nearly as far as the township of Kaikoura. In February last tenders were invited for the construction of the viaduct over the Makohinc ravine. Four tenders were received. As the lowest was largely in excess of the Government estimate, arrangements have been made for doing the work on the co-operative principle. Tiie sites for the piers have already been cleared, and the excavation of the foundations ami the building of the concrete bases for the piers will be started immediately. Ail order for the requisite iryn and st' el materials is being prepared. On the arrival of the material it is proposed to let the completion of the manufacture of the pier.-; and girders to suitable skilled mechanics, ami to have the Structure erected under the direct supervision i f the Government engineers, assisted by a bridge foreman thoroughly experienced in the erection of iron and steel bridges. The Kngiiieer-in-Chief advi.-es that the erection of the viaduct in this manner, including al. necessary plant ami materials, will not cost mote than the amount of the lowest tender for the work, and the Government will have th■> plant on hand and available for ntc in the creethm of the Mangawoka viaduct and any other similar work on this r.r any other railway. The survey of the portion of the line not previously located proceeded fairly during last summer. The survey party was rather late in taking the lii Id owing to the services of the surveyor being required for some little time, on the Belgrove section of the Midland Railway. It is hoped that the balince of the su-vey will be completed during the coming Spring. The cxpeiidit'.nc en this railway, including surveys during the last vcar, amounted to L2O SSL', and this year the votes cmount to L 31,92- namely, LIS.OOO under pail 1 and 1.13,023 under part 2, the latter amount being the whole am .-unt of the way.; and means to the ercd.t of that part of the fund. Kkctahunn-Woodvirc : The vote taken for this laihvay last, year was I 2"o000, and thi! whole of this an mint would have been expeii l< d if the Mangatamoka bridge i.ad been completed within contr.ict time. The a-tual expenditure within the ye r ;.nio:inted to I 20,.'>7 7. 'JLhe Government iceognises the nee-.issity of completing this line through to Wood\ille at. the earliest possible date. This year a vote of h 32,000 is asked for. [the particulars if the .Southern lines have no pal ticular intirest fer this distiictj. Wi I.KINi: RAILWAYS. The Railway Statement, which has already been laid before Parliament, has deall fully with the Sllbj ct of opened lines, so that it will n<>t be necessary tor further remark on the matter. The vote for additions to linelas; year was L-10,000, an I 1.34,817 was expended. 'lbis year the amount was 1,01,412 and the whole of that amount could be very advantageously expended in additions to c\vu railways, that demands fir other pressing works do i.ot. admit of so large a turn being allocated. 'J'he vote proposed is LtiO',ooo, which .-hows an appreciable increase over Ipsa year's vole. Th" expenditure ill additions to open lines during 1803 01 was I,SOL:; .luring ISO I 00, 1,28,30'J : ISOo - Hi. 1,."«5,4.57 ; and as now proposed for 180(1-07, L(i(),('(K). The total appropriations proposed for railway works, including additions to open lines, surveys, permanent way materials and rolling stock, and also the Midland ltailway is L2(i3,023. Last vcar the amount was L2b),.)00, which was by far the .s Dullest on record. Ko.W'.'S COSTKOI.LKII nV MIMSTI-K (IF LAN IS. The amounts voted and expended during lSor>-0(i was respectively 1,327,2-14 and L2-l."),170. The work done under this heading may be summarised into 3 classes, Main Loads, Listrici Roads and Improved harm Settlements. The length of main roads maintained ilurini! the year was 1,31 S miles at a next cost of L27,D0!). District reads are o! two kinds, dray mads and horse roads, (it the former 34"> miles were constructed and ut the kitter 3(iS.' ! miles tog< thcr wiih 101 bridges i.il an agjrivjMlo si'an ofS, i !•_! feet. There were also 33 I miles of district dray roads maintained or im; roved and .":.' miles of horse roads. Fngineering surveys to enable contracts to he car- !

rieil out were made of •"'/:: miles. The I maintenance and expendit ore on the roads was 1,2-17,107, less revenues. Total net expenditure on roads leading toj or passing through Clown lands (ir lauds lceeut.'y alienated was 1,203,02-1 and 1,383,880 acres of land have been made partially lit for set I lenient by this expenditure. Fur the current year ihc fo! lowing appropriations are asked fur viz., Main' Roads. 1.1,20!) . Mi-eell.uioons Holds, I 2l,(iOI : Local bodies, l,|ij., ; development of Thermal Sprinirs and Natural Scenery, L41,71.">: Land Improvement Account, 1,21)0.0vi ; Gove nnient Loans tj Local Bodies Account,

LoO.OOO: Native Lands Purchase Account, !,1<>2,27(>. Total, 1,408,13(5. UOAIIS ON IidLDFIKMis (MINKS III'.I'AKTMKNT). The vote for ma da and Lacks last year amounted to l/P.0.11, while the expenditure was L21,.">13, with liabilities to the amount of nUbcr more than the balance of the vote. The vote proposed for tic current year is LSi.'Jfw. 'the total sum expended last } ear on woiks under the head of development of g ,ldfields was LiKUo. The desirab'.cm as of expanding tlic mining industry gcncially by ussi-fcmg in the eotntiv.etion of loads, prospco'ing ttaek-', water races, ator.ig.! icsirvoir?, and general pro-pecting thromjlumt the colony, as well as at the deeper levels r.e letsitatos provision being made for work' of this diss. For the oil'rent year a vole of i'ilS,!).")() is re.mired. DKvr.I.MI'MKNT or TIIKiIMAI, SI'BJXfH AND .V.UTKAI. ! IV-N 1 liV. Ail anioitnt of [,.">(),COD is provided for work* coining under this head. The Government will, theie.'ore, be enabled to take more active steps I > develop and turn to account out thermal and scenic resources than in the p.u t. r J'he ir.ost imr-or-rant wo;k to be pro.id. d for is drainage of the township of llotonm, with regard to which the Government is already arranging for i-.ui'ablo expert advice. Inipiovemcuts .and additions are also required in, the' bathing establishments at both the Rotorna and Hanmcr Springs. Improved means of access are needed to much of our choicest scenci y. SATIVI-: I.AXU«:. The area of nat vo lands acquired during tiie year ended Mist March last was f>7o'.<)()o acres, which is greatly in excess of the results of any one year for many years past. The lands acquired north of Auckland are reported upon by the Purveyor - General as being on the whole wc'l suited for .settlement, a- d their value fi'ill be considerably enhanced by the completion during the current year of the puchaso of other lands ahcady pur'aily acquired in the Thames ard Coreimandel districts. Pure'aasis in tin; Rotornu and "Bay of Plenty d'striets include three-fourths of the Thermal Springs in the Whakarcwarcwa Block, the Hama.rani Springs on the Rotoruii Lake and the Alum Caves at Orakeikokaln. Large areas have also been acqmrc.l or partially acquired in the King Country, adj iccr.t to the Main Trunk Railway, ami a'so in the Uawke's Ray and Wellington districts. •'• The niliount voted under the native land purchase account last year was LI IS,Sill and L)(i3,401, including L.">(i,i) !7, for roads and surveys was expended. Thi:; year a '. ote of L 162,276 is asked. TfcLKCill.M It KXTKXSIOX. Tlie sum voted last year was L 30,000 and the expenditure for the year was 1,3.">,.">3S (including expenditure of LS,'2(j.'l on new telephone exchanges and addilions to existing Exchanges). The vote proposed for the current year is LlD,.~>ili), which provides for some new Telephone Kxchangcs ard the liabilities on the Slat March were L 4,000. rrmic mni.uiN'iis. The expenditure on public buddings continues heavy. The amount voted for services under this head last year was LH3,<>S5, and LI If), (Kill wis expended. The appropriations pioposcd for tiie current year amount to Ll'_'!). 1 15, namely, LS7,(iir> under the Public Works Furid and L41,."i00 under the Comolidat d Fund. POSTAL AND Tl- I.KCUAI'It. The principal expenditure under this head la-.i year occurred on the ofliccs at Ilawira, Ma,tings, ttratlord, Ci cviot, and ( v >ui:e n.-town, but smaller amounts were expended on several other dikes. I.IWATK! apvu:.ms. The jrir.eqal expenditure in eonrection with lunatic r.syhinis list you* took place atSunnyside (Christchurch), Auckland ami Sea-slide (Otago). The. total ainctint expended on Luildings of this class was Ml) illi."). This year a vote of L2O 100 is asked lor. school urn.discs. "h- total amount voted under this had last yeir was Lie.(Kit), and the v. hole amount was expended. This year L2(i,000 is provided [mm the Consolidated Fund, and from the Public Works Fund L-22,800 is asked for. ooNci.rsioN. In conclusion, Mr Hall Jones drew attention to tho duty we owe to the colony of seeing that due provision is made for opening up the country by providing f t settlers reasonable facilities for carrying their produce to market. The ttal up; ropt iatcd in the Iv-titna'.es and accompanying this Stat-.men . amounts to 1,1,11.'!,P(!I, ;s compared with 1,702,.>7(i voted last year. The amounts under the several accounts a-e as follows : Public Works Fund, part I, 1.077,071) ; I'ublic Works Fund, part '2, 1,13 023 : lands impiovement account, 1,200,08(5 ; Covcrntm nt loans to local lodic* acouiit. L.i0.000 : total. LI, I Li/ail. it may !«• that some work Ins been emitted 'which should have been provided for, or it may be c mi lered that the votc-i foi s' ine works aie insulii(dent, but the best ha 1 been done with tie funds fit. disposal.