PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 487, 14 September 1899, Page 4

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

(BY telegraph.) Tub following statement was made by the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones, on Tuesday, in the House of Representatives : Mr .Speaker,—ln laying before hon. members the Public Works Statement for the year, it is my pleasing duty to agaiu report that satisfactory progress has been made with the various works in hand. The Thames-Paeroa and Seaward Bush and Forest Hill railways have beeu opened lor traffic and should materially increase the earning power of the lines with_which they are connected. The due progress of settlement and profitable utilisation of valuable timber that have followed, the construction of our present railways have manifested the necessity for making further extension of certain Hues. Some of the proposed lines are urgently required in the interests of settlement, and also give promise of earning tho interest upon the cost of construction from the moment of openA large borrowing policy for the completion of our railways irrespective of the results likely to be derived therefrom, is to be deprecated, at the same time it should not be forgotten that, as a question of colonial policy, the completion of tho main trunk lines from Auckland to the Bluff, within a reasonable time, is much to be desired. In regard to other lineß, it will also be necessary iu order to meet the requirements of our industries and to develop tho resources of the country to keep pace with the settlement and so assist our settlers in getting their products expeditiously and cheaply to tho markets and ports of shipment. Iu my statement of December, 1897, 1 included a table showing the mileages of the different sections of railways completed, and opened for traffic since the 24th January, 1881, the total length within the period referred to being no less than 224 miles 5 chains. Since that statement was delivered several additional lines have been opened. On 31st March, 189 S, the available balance of ways and means for public works was £326,492, further funds were provided last session as follows :- Under the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Acts Amendment Act £500,000 was transferred from the consolidated fund £425,000 sinking funds realesed, £43,360 ; miscellaneous receipts, £2330, thus making a gross total of available ways and means of £1,297,182. The expenditure amounted to £916,327 which left a balance of £380,855 at the . end of the year. Against this there were liabilities amounting to £446,283. lb is now proposed to raise additional funds as uiader: For railway construction, £300,000; additions to open railways, £225,000; for roads to Crown and native lands, and main roads, £150,000; for roads to backblock settlements, £15,000 ; for permanent works on gold fields, £50,000; for public and technical school buildings. £50,000 ; for purchase of native lauds, £50,000 ; for contingent harbour defences, £25,000. Total, £1,000,000. It is also proposed to transfer from the Consolidated Fund a further sum of £350,000, making altogether a gross total of available ways and means of £1,830,853. The estimates of expenditure for the current'>ear total £1,355,098, of which £1,308,025 will be a charge against the Public Works Fund, and the balance against tho Government loauß to local bodies account, leaving an unallocated balance of Ways and Means for Public Works purposes of £522,830. It roust, however, be borne in mind that the date of the appropriations will probably limit the actual expenditure to about the same amount as last year, and the balance available next year will, therefore, be greater than the £522,830 unallocated. It is also hoped that there will be a surplus on the Consolidated Fund this year, out of which another grant can be made to tha Public Works Fund, which, together with tho unexpended balance available uuder the latter fund, will be sufficient to meet the

actual expenditure under that fund to 31at March, 1901.

What steps should then be taken to obtain farther ways and moans for public works purposes must be left for the next Parliament to consider. PROPOSALS FOB THE CORRENT YEAS. The amount of work in hand on the Kawakawa line last year was not as

great as anticipated when the Estimates were prepared. Ihe Estimates of last year provided for the extension of the line from VVaiotu to Hukerenui, but as - the Railways Authorisation Bill which was to have authorised the work did not pass it was impossible to go on with it. It was unforseen when this line was . first started that Hukerenui would be the most suitable position for the principal station for that district. As, however, a large area of kauri forest can be conveniently tapped from this point, it is very desirable that the line should be extended there as soon as possible. The Hue was open for traffic to Waiotu on '2lst December, 1898. The expenditure during the year amounted to £3932. It is now proposed to continue the line from Kawakawa southwards, a distance of about six miles. This extension will open up a large area of marketable timber, and when the timber has been cleared the land, which is of good quality, will be available for settlement. It is also proposed to again make provision for the extension from Waiotu to Hukerenui and to put the work in hand directly the necessary Authorisation Bill has been passed. Owing to the shallowness of the water at the present terminus at the Whangarci end of this railway only vessels of small tonnage can gain access to the line at present HELENSVILLB NORTHWARDS. The formation of the Tahekeroa section of this railway is proceeding as vigourously a 3 the appropriation for the service will admit of ; indeed, the vote obtained last session was exceeded on March 3lst last by £1092. The_ work is Btill proceeding and making satisfactory progress, two miles of the line bGicg almost ready for platclaying. It is proposed to lay the rails on this length shortly to facilitate the transport of material for the operations beyond. It is desirable to do this, us the only other access to the works is by a rough bush road. I propose to ask the House in the Railways Authorisation Bill to sanction the construction of the line to the Kaipara Flats. The vote for last year was £9009, while the expenditure amounted to £10,092. This year a vote of £12,000 isproposed, which will admit of con struction operations being proceeded with expeditiously. THAMES-IE AKOHA. The last suction of this railway from I'aeroa to the Thau.es was opcued for traffic iihottly before Christinas, as promised in last year's Statement. The line was not completed at the date of opening, however, and a great deal of work has been done on it since the construction, men having only recently been withdrawn. The vote for this railway last year was £25,000, and the expenditure amountod to £24,391. A vote of £7OOO is now proposed to clear off all liabilities on the construction account. PASEOA-wAnn.

I mentioned in my Statement last year that a detailed survey had been made for a branch railway between Paeroaand Waihi. The great development of mining in this district and the larg« increase of population resulting therefrom have induced private persons to offer to undertake this work. As thert is every indication of a further development of the district, and that the mining works will be of a permanent character, or will at any rate last for many years to come, the Uovernmen.t considers it would not be advisable to allow a private company to make this railway, especially as it •romUea to give a handsome return upou

the cost of construction. In view of this, the House will be asked to make provision for a commencement being made with the work. A vote of £6OOO has accordingly been placed on the Estimates, and the liu* will be included m the schedule of the Railways Authonsation Bill.

(HSBORNK-KARAKA. The isolated position of Gishornc and the difficulties the sattlers in this part of the colony have to contend with, owing to want of proper communication with the port and the outside world, make it a matter of simple justice to establish railway communication between Gisborue, Onnond and Karaka The incut and dairy industries have assumed large proportions, and close settlement is going on apucc ; the roads in winter time are unable to bear the traffic, and the construction of the line of railway first to Oimond and thence to Karnka would provide a long-felt want. With the increase of settlement and the remarkable development of the almost unlimited resources of the district which is taking place, there is little doubt that the earnings of the line would be more than sufficient to meet the interest on the cost of construction. A vote of £6OOO has been placed on the Estimates to make a commencement, and Parliament will be asked to authorise the construction of the line. NORTH ISLAND KAIN TRUNK. The construction of the Ohinemoa section at the north end of this line has proceeded throughout tl.e year, but some of the cuttings where the ground was of a treacherous nature had to be allowed to re3t during tho worst of the winter weather. The work on the other portions of this section that have been iu hand during the year has progressed satisfactorily, and about four miles of the line will be ready for platlaying as soon as the cuttings above icferred to are completed. Additional formation has also been taken in hand on the lower part of the section, so that construction works now extend as far as the Ougaruhe Valley, a distance of 44 miles from To Awamutu and 154 miles from Auckland, and the line to the junction with the East Koad at Kawakawa should be completed within two years. At the southern cud of the line the grading now extends to Taihape, a distance of 22 miles from the terminus of the open line at Mangaonoho, and 44 miles from the junction with the main West Coast lino at Marton, and the felling and cleariug is in hand for a further distance of five miles. The formation on this length is of a particularly heavy character, but good progress has been made with it Simultaneously with the construction of the Makohine" viaduct platelaying will be proceeded with to Mangaweka, thus euabling the line on the completion of the viaduct to be opened to that township. The preparation of the ironwork for the Makohine viaduct has been proceeded with as vigorously as possible throughout the year. During the long days of last summer the machinery was kept going for 16 hours a day, and when the days commenced to shorten the electric light was installed iu the workshop, since which time three shifts have been employed, aud tho drilling and other operations kept going continuously. The preparation of the ironwork .for the structure is now well advanced, and a start will shortly be made with the erection. Last year a vote of £50,000 wa3 granted for this railway. This year we propose a vote of £70,000.