PUBLIC WORKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 September 1939, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS

f STATEMENT PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT HUGE EXPENDITURE FIGURES. HON R. SEMPLE’S SURVEY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. ; Gross expenditure by the Public Works Department last year totalled ■ £21,091,543, of which £5,741,009 was : expended by other departments. Ali lowing for recoveries in expenditure, : the net expenditure was £16,921,888, ; of which £4,479,023 was expended by • other departments. This was disclosed J in the annual report of the department ' tabled in the House of Representatives • yesterday by the Minister in Charge, ■ ! Mr Semple. ;; It is proposed this year to spend | £22,781,000, of which £12,634,200 ! comes under the summary of votes un- . der the control of the Minister. An ad- [; ditional £9,814,000 will be expended i! within the Public Works Fund, but >! under the control of other Ministers, and £332,800 for permanent appropriaJ tions under highways. ;i Special attention had been given to i’ agricultural and pastoral requirements in the way of providing better roading . facilities, said Mr Semple. The reconi struction and improvement of the principal roading system of the Dominion had been advanced by a vigorous pol- . icy in respect to main highways, giving i better transport facilities for primary t industries and commercial activities. / Progress had also been made toward ; the completion of several major rail- . way connections in both islands which ; would serve large areas of settled land > hitherto handicapped by inadequate I means of transport. The. development of hydro-electric schemes had enabled the State to ; augment its bulk supply to meet in- . creasing demands for power, and had ■ also enabled reticulation to be extend- . ed in many areas. To increase produc- . tion in districts without sufficient rainfall, major irrigation works were in progess. The steadily increasing commercial air services and the requirements of defence had necessitated the construction and improvement of civil and military aerodromes. The erection of public buildings of all kinds had proceeded, and much-needed accommodation had been and was being provided . for various Departments of State. The , mechanisation of construction works ' had done much to expedite progress, I and enable important and urgent works to be carried out at economic costs. NET EXPENDITURE. ’ “The estimated net expenditure uni der the General Purposes Account for the current financial year is £13,161,- • 000, and arrangements are being made ■ .with the Minister of Finance to prp--1 vide the necessary funds,” said Mr < Semple. “This is the amount shown 5 on the Public Works estimates, which - also show an estimated net expendii ture’of £1,840,000 .from the Electric i Supply Account and £5,267,200 from . the Main Highways Account, a total i for all these accounts of £20,268,200. For the current financial year 193940 a sum of £750,000 will be provided 1 from the Consolidated Fund for expenf diture on maintenance of public works l and services. The expenditure on main ; highways from revenue is estimated . to reach £2,787,000, and from loan J moneys £2,480,200. It is estimated that f approximately £141,486 revenue from ) the Electric Supply Account will be I available after providing for sinking fund, interest and operating expenses I for expenditure on construction works, 1 the balance of the year’s construction programme under this heading £l,273,600—wi1l be raised by way of loans.” i In the Budget an additional £1,136,1 000 was shown under the heading of ’ “Financial Programme” for the follow- ’ ing works and services not included ■ above: Land for settlement, £260,000; ! State forests, £650,000; State coal ; mines, £45,000; and iron and steel in- ’ dustry, £lBl,OOO.