PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2773, 13 December 1887, Page 2

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

J The following is the Public'. Works \ Statement as delivered by the Minis- : tor of Public Works, the Hon. Edward Mitchelson:—. 12th December 1887. Mr Speaker.—ln the Statement which I am about to make this evening I shall not attempt, in describing the various works, to go into minute details, as I rind that all essential particulars regards progress .of construction of railways and other works are more completely given in reports of engineers which have already been laid on the table of the House, than I could hope to give them in any Statement of reasonable length. In the case of several railways which I shall have to treat upon, therefore, I shall merely endeavor to state shortly the possible present condition of the various lines, the funds already available now proposed to be provided for,them, rate which we propose to expend these funds, the condition into which several railways will probably be brought when these funds are expended, railways in the coure of construction, and proposed, including addition to opened railways. To commence therefore with railways. I find that the total length of railways opened on 81st March last was in North Island G32 miles, in the South Island 1090 miles Total 1722 miles. On 81st October last, there were opened for traffic 1784 miles, of which 632 were in the North Island, and 1102 in the South Island. There were also at that date 176 miles of railway in the course of construction, of which 87 were in the North Island, and 89 in the South Island. Tho total expenditure on railways, including the cost of provincial lines and purchase of District Railways up to 31st March last was £14,082,711 and liabilities on 31st March were £486,376, making in all £14,569,087. Holonsville northwards—On the railway from Helensville uorthwards there is a contract in progress for the formation of four miles, and is expected to be finished during the present month. Until the line is completed to Kaukapakapa, a distance of seven miles from Helonsville, it will not carry much traffic, and it is proposed, therefore, to complete it to that extent as soon as practicable; but it is not intended to put a terminal station at Kaukapakapa, as it can be worked as a branch of Helensville until further extended. The funds already provided, in addition to the £25,000 now proposed, will complete the railway for traffic for seven miles up to Kaukapakapa, and will also enable the formation' to be extended for a • further distance of eight miles. The rate of expenditure proposed is 110,000 for tins year, and £27,000, £20,000, ai )d £17,761 for tho three years following. The total to the end of March, 1891, will be £74,761. Auckland to Penrose doubling lino.— For the Auekland'to Penrose doubling, an allocation was made under the loan of 1886, but it would only have gone a short way towards the completion of what was required, None of the necessary works have as yet been put in hand, as the balance necessary to complete the work—some £77,000 cannot GQiiygnjenfJy be provided on the money now proposed to be borrowed. It is not intended at present totakeaiiyfurtlici'stepsin the matter. Grahamstowii-Te Aroha-In the Graliarastowii—Te A roharailway, rails are laid from Grahamstowm to Kaneranga, about five miles, arid the formation, -without bridges—js complete betweeir Kanerauga and Hikut'eua, about eight mjlgs, and it is in progress from thenco to Wanemuri, about six miles, and it is expected the latter will be finished in July next from Ohinemuri to Te Aroha. Thirteen miles contract survey is complete, but the works have not yet been put in hand. Total length from Grahamstown to Te Aroha, 32 miles. The funds already provided will complete the line to Ohinemuri, 20 miles from Grahamstown, It is proposed to put tho remainder of the bridging and platelaying still required for this section in hand this year. The rate of expenditure proposed for this year is £IO,OOO, and for the three following years £15,000, £IO,OOO, and £6,921 respectively; total £41,921. A contract lias been let for formation, platelaying, and stations from Putararu to Ngatira, 8 miles." The works are progressing satisfactorily and are expected to be finished in June next. At the Kotorua end, 5 miles between Eotoraa and Ngongotaha have been set aside for Maori piecework, A considerable extent of formation ha.s already been done by natives hi a satisfactory manner, The intervening distance between Ngatira and Ngongotaha, 19 miles, has been surveyed for contract, but the works have not been put jn hand. The funds already with tho addition of £IB,OOO (inoluding £9,000 for railways) now proposed to be allotted will complete the railway for traffic from Putararu to Okohiriki saddle, a length of 18 miles, that being the shortest distance that can 1)6 opened"jy(th any real advantage, and will enabjo pQnninuucatio«iol}| established by road frgm that pohjt tp Qhinemiilu, a distance of 1| miles. The rate of expenditure pposodj exclusive of the amount required for railways, is £40,000 for this year,' and ' £25,000, £85,000, and £7,877 for three : following years. i

North Island Trunk Railway.— Coming now to the North Island Trunk railway, I find with very much re'gre.t thaj; the'original estimate of this line-is altogether misleading, the phjibjp sst'• orjginallf iridicated having been W.WO.OiJO,'- whereaVijifj. present estimate, exolueive of probable' .contracts and charges of raising loan, and the amount.allowed to purchase Native lands is £2,085,000, If to this .amount there is added say £IOO,OOO for raising loans, also £IOO,OOQ already : allocated for Native' lauds, it 'brings the 'total to £2,285,000, and taking £1,000,000 already authorised 'from this, show £1,285,000 still required to he authorised jn prdpr to complete'the whole line from Te' Awam'utu. Jo ■ -Marion, If s'q wprk'go kiM tfe altered circumstances now then the proposals which I jjave f%raj on table C.wta.oM to this stfttil#

: (which I shall presently describe) would, I think, be available for adoption in. so. far as. regards on the amount of money which might reasonably be expected in the present and three succeeding years at each end of the railway; but before any further work is undertaken I think the House should have an opportunity of expressing its opinion on the new aspect which the matter has assumed. In any case I do not propose to put any new contracts in hand until after next session. With regard to the alternative route, proposed for this railway, I find that the original estimate for the line from Stratford to To Awamutu was £1,036,000, and at first sight, therefore, this project might appear to have great advantages as compared with completing the railway froin Marton to Te Awamutu, but excepting that the estimated rate per mile was much' higher than that for the Central line, we have no guarantee that this estimate is any more accurate than that for the central route. It would, therefore, be premature to express an opinion on the subject until a trustworthy estimate of this line is completed for comparison with the revised estimate now made of the Central line. It would, therefore, I think, be desirable that a survey should be made of the Taranaki route of' a more accurate character than those which have hitherto been made, in order that something like a correct estimate may be formed of the probable cost of the railway.' In that direction the cost of this survey would not be lost even if the railway is not made, as the information gained could be used in locating a road which must be made in the future. In the event of a railway being made, the best point to diverge from the main trunk railway in order to reach Taranaki would be at a point near Maramata, about 55 miles from Te Awamutu, and the cost of the construction of the railway complete, and equipped for traffic, from Te Awamutu to this point including due proportion of cost of raising loan and departmental and other expenditure of every kind is estimated at £500.000, this is exclusive of about £250,000 for expenditure and liabilities already incurred, Theonly doubt, therefore, as regards the probable cost of the railway from Te Awamutu to Taranaki, is as to the cost of the link between Maramata and Stratford, or wherever might be the best place to 1 join the existing Taranaki railway. Tlio present estimate of this connection is £BOO,OOO, but as there is no trustworthy data on which such an estimate can be based, it cannot be relied upon as being even approximately accurate. In connection with this phase of subject it should also be stated that expenditure and liabilities (with a reasonable margin for contingencies) on account works already undertaken between Maramata and Marton, including surveys £16,000, roads, £40,000, native land purchase, £IOO,OOO, and a due proportion of departmental expenditure "and costs, and charges of raising loan, will amount to within a trifle of £360,000, and if any further contracts are let on the South End Line thisamountwill be increased. Having thus dealt with this subject generally, I will now proceed to- state the present condition of the line and the rate of expenditure per annum which could reasonably be undertaken upon it, if cteled to be carried on, and also the points to which that expenditure would probably carry the railway at each end, by the end of the financial year, 1890-01. tf orth Eud.-At the uorth end the railway is completed, and ready for traftjcfrQm Te A\varaututo Te |{uiti, a distance of miles, and from Te Kuit'j to {Jnper. Mokau Valley nine miles in length,' A contract for the formation and plate-laying is now m progress, and is expected to be completed in December, 1888. From the Upper Mokau Valley to PoroOtora range, 11 miles contract.—The survey is completed, but the works have not yet been put in hand through the Poro-Utareio saddle. A contract of U miles is in progress, including a tunnel of 53 chains, the total length from Te Awamutu to the end of thp tunnel contract being four miles south of the tunnel. A contract survey has been made for about oight miles to Maramata junction, during the four years ending 31st March, 1891, which is tlie extent of the programme that I have sketched out so far! It is proposed that the line shall be carried on steadily from To l(uiti to new Maramata in the Ongaruko Valley, about 55 miles from Te Awamutu, this being the point where the line could, diverge to Taranaki, and thereat the expenditure js fay th(s' year, and. £75,000, 175,000, and |BQ,QQO fop the three following years. Total at the end of March. 1891, would be £300,000. Souib'M-Attlio south endofthg railway the section from. Mar-tip to Huntervjile, 19 miles, ig nearly completed and avjU be ready for opening about Christinas, fm Hunterville for about 25 miles to a point about five miles up Hantapu Valley the contract survey is complete, and the contract for about eight miles of it is now prepared, but the wcr|p have, not vej beei] put jn'ipd. Tlie cojitrafii' Wyej V also'iii p#sssg for a further distance of about 19 miles £p the pijii of the rough country at rpr. tlie h§ad. of {lie Hantapu Mar-tori, as in the ease of works at the North end of the line. The proposal indicated in Table 0 is to carry on steadily from Marton for the four years ending 31st March.' 1891, by which time it is anticipated thai the railway will have reached Powhakaroa at the mouth of the Hantapu Valley, | distance of 8§ mjjes from Jfartpn, ana the rate of expenditure 'suggested is £26,000 for this year, and £85,000 140,000 and £42,000 for the three following years, total at the end of March, 1891, £148,000. After carrying out these proposals at both ends of the line, it is estimated there will be a balance on the loaii available for works to the extent of £54,000. Further works and' surveys.—Eurtli of prelimnary'surveys hive heeri'made ■for an extent of 'l2 Vrhiles at'various places between' Munm'afu' anf'lVaimarinq miles between Waimapno Eiain :aiuT Upper Waiiganui yalley, arjd seryjee road'B'iinf Mobs' in coanectiou- M%

the railway have been made in whole or in part from Hunterville to Turangarere, 24 miles, Upper Rangitaeki to Turangarere 4 miles, Papiriki to Ohapuke'2s miles, Murimotu to Upper Wanganni Valley 50 miles, and Te Koiira to_ Wamiha 14 miles. The' Wanganni river has also been cleared of snags, and otherwise improved from Wanganui to near Pipiriki,' about 56 miles. The expenditure and liabilities on these roads and river works up to 30th September last was £89,289. Purchase of Native lands.—Of £IOO,OOO allocated for the purchase of Native lands under the loan for the North Island. Trunk Railway; about £70,800 was expendedhstyear, leaving about £29,700 for expenditure during the present year. The work done up to 30th November ult. consisted of the purchase of 490,000 acres at a cost of £54,000, and there is now under negotiation purchase of blocks aggregating about 750,000 acres on which £83,000 has already been paid. The lands purchased, and under negotiation are situated mainly around Ruapehu and Tongariro, with the Wanganui river as their boundary, on the west the surveyed line of railway intersects purchased laud for forty-five miles, and that under negotiation for about 15 mtles, or 60 miles in all, out of a total 21G miles between Morton. and To Awamutu. Napier Palmers, ton.—The Napier to Palmerston railway was completed.and opeued for traffic to Woodville (97 miles from Napier Spit) in March last, and now only remains to be completed from Woodville to Palmerston, a distance of about 15 miles. Of this distance, four miles in the Manawatu Gorge is under contract for formation and bridges, exclusive of tunnels, and is expected to be finished in October 1888 from Woodville to the upper end of the Gorge, 8 miles, and from the lower end of the Gorge to Palmerston 8 miles,. The contract survey has been completed but works have not yet been put in hand. To complete this very important link in the railway system of the Colony, an addition to existing funds is required to the extent of £120,000 (which includes £22,000 for railways, and this sum is proposed to be allocated to it accordingly and it is hoped that the work will be completed by March, 1890. In order to get it done by that time it will be necessary to proceed at once with the tunnels in the Manawatu Gorge, and let a contract for Pohangina bridge as soon as practicable. The rate of expenditure proposed, exclusive of the amount required for rails/ is £40,000 for this year, and £50,000 and £70,818 respectively for the two following years. Total to end of March, 1890, £160,813. The Wellington-Woodville railway is completed and open for traffic from Wellington to Mangamalioe, a distance of 82 miles, and a combined road and railway bridge has been constructed over the Manawatu river at Awapuraa .near Woodville. Prom Mangamalioe to Eketahuna, 6 miles, a oontract for formation and platelaying is progressing satisfactorily, and is expected to be completed in August, 1888; total distance from Wellington to Eketahuna 88 miles; from Eketahuna to Woodville 27 miles. The contract survey'is completed, but works have not yet been put in hand. Total length from Wellington to Woodville 115 miles. The balance of the old loan will finish the line to Eketahuna and complete some protective works, which are requisite at the Awapurua bridge. It is not proposed to provide for anytUing .further- at present. The rate of expenditure proposed is £37,000 for this year and for- next year, total to end of Marali,lßß9, M,421. Li relation to the distance ju.st stated from Wellington to Woodville by the Rimutaka route llSmjles, it may be interesting to lion, members to know also the distance by Palmerston route, which is 105 miles.

i Working railways.—The receipts i for the year ending 81st March. last were £998,708, and the expenditure i £099,072; the net profit being , £299,090, or £2 6s per cent on the outlay of £18,017,567, which the lines i open for traffic had oosfc up to end of March last. The r-atps of profit on the different sections had varied from £s los 2d on the Greymouth section to lid on the Picton section, In considering this profit it should he borne jn mind that the railways do a large amouufc of free work for other departments, probably to the extent of about .185,000 per annum. The mileage open at the end of the year was 1722 miles, 114 having been opened or-purchased during the year, Wjth W»eot to traffio it would be seen tliat in merchandise, timber, and grain there was a less tonnage, while live stock, wool, and minerals have considerably iuoreased. The tonnage of grain being muoh smaller ttiau in previous years, and less than in any year since 1879-80, while the traffic iu live, stock, and wool hat] largely in. oveasfid, showed dearly that greater attention was being paid to sheen and cattle, and that the area of country under crop had been reduced. Again, as regarded the building trade the timber-tonnage on railways having been very nwcj} less, tj]'a| this trade/ during the year, ending %mh last, must have been in a depressed state. -During the year a large amount of additional rolling slflii lvllioli has been almost entirely built in the colony, had been supplied. None of the engines being manufactured in the colony had yet been completed, but delivery of some of thorn was expected about the end of the year. - The result of the working during the present financial year, up to the period ending 15th October, was that the revenue for the 28 weeks of thjs year was nearly £20,000 ill excels of that for the corresponding' period last year, while the expenditure was slightly less. Seductions were being made wherever practicable, and lie looked forward, to further economies, even with the inc.pse,d trade antici-' pated. The" Mmisterx!oiiQiijded| 'his remaps on' thislj'ead' by pointing qiit thedifhcultyof econqmy;where''cp.nvenierice is 'concerned'by .referring to. -the propp&f : tp jjaj}d''tlie to Vb!o'ar.d;'and by-paying a fonujjjj; ■:Subsidies tp local; .hodies—jiie sta'tgraept of the Colonial Treasurer on ttife subjeot m related, and it waa-

added that further, provision-would be made under, the Public Works, Fund ■; for half the subsidies dtie next year, in ' the event of its not being practicable to throw them entirely on the. Con- V solidated fund before that date, but. in \

any case'thoy would cease to be acharge on the Public Works Fund after March, 1890.: Conclusion,—ln conclusion the Minister said: Finally, Sir'i Ipuldwish to state that, in approacLing this: task of dealing with the Public Wjjjjkl expenditure of the Colony, theGotoS!* me'nt was convinced that, however; much the construction of public work?! may have tended to develop 'thecouh*'" try generally, and also to meet the - demands of growing settlement, it was nevertheless evident that our rate of expenditurein the past has been.more that the Colony could well afford, land that the time must come when- we must materially curtail it. With that object in view we prepared the proposals which I have now had the, honor of laying before this House, .and I may say that throughout the whole • of this allocation our object has been to do justice to all concerned, and to endeavor, where practicable, .within the limits of the funds at our disposal, to. avoid stopping ruthlessly any works on which the expenditure already incurred would be altogether thrown away,, or which would yield a reasonable percentage on their cost if. completed as hitherto intended. To the best of our belief these objects have been attained - by the allocation which I have described, and we now lay it before Parliament hoping that hon members will aid us in carrying these proposals out. in the interests of the. Colony as a whole, at whatever sacrifice it may be to their individual districts. Taken as a whole, the chief feature in our proposals is to steadily reduce expenditure in loan form, in rouud numbers, £1,100,000 per annum for this year, to £300,000 per annum for the third year from March next, and we believe in this way the loan expenditure may be brought to an end, after March, 1891,' without increasing our burdens" too much, or putting too sudden a check on the progress of colonial industries. I would also wish to say,. Sir, in conclusion, that throughout the whole of the investigations necessary to frame proposals calculated to bring about this result—and I cpnfess I have found it to be a very difficult task—l have received the most cordial assistance from all the chief officers of the departments over which I have the honor to preside. •