PARLIAMENTARY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4849, 12 October 1894, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Mtiili6s6i : isj; • The Public Works Statement" was delivered last ■'night, from' which; the following is taken:—" The Colonial Treasurer has already mentioned, in the Financial Statement, the proposal to again transfer a sum of L 250.000 from the Consolidated, Fund for genoiHl public works purposes, an amount of L 54,681 will also be available from released sinking funds, Under our loan conversion operations, a further sum of L 250,000 will bo available for roads and bridges, and the preparation of lands for settlement and ; for assistance to settlers, to enable them to make improvements under, the Lands Improvement and Native Lands Acquisition Act, and a further similar sum' for the purchase and,.reading of native lands under the > same Act. The total ways and means available for public works purposes this year will therefore bo as follows:—Public Works Fund, part 1., balance remaining on 31st March, 1894, L263 ; 738; transfer from consolidated funds, L 250.000; released sinking funds, L 54.681; total, L 568.419. Public Works Fund, pail; 11,, balance remaining on 31st March, 1894, L 79.197: -total, public works fund, L 647,616; lands (improvements account), L 250,000; native lands purchase account, L 250,000; gross total of ways and means, L 1,147,616, AI'I'IIOPRIATIOXS l'ltOrOSKl). ■ : The appropriations proposed under these several heads are nsfollows :tPublic Works Fund pt. I, L 564.980; Public Works Fund,partll, L 75.183; total Public Works Fund, L 640.163; under the lands improvmenfc account £150,000; under the Nativo Lands purchase account, L 150.000; gross total appropriations proposed L 940,163. This will leave unappropriated balance of L 7,453 to be cardied forward to next year, besides LIOO.OOC each on land improvement' 1 and Native lands purchase accounts, or a total unappropriated balance L 207,453. The votes proposed under I part two nearly absorb the balance of ways and means standing to the credit of that part of the fund, which' nieans that on their expenditure the one million specially raised > for the North Island Main Trunk Railway! will be practically exhausted. Hon. members will doubtless desire to know how this amount has been expended. The figures areas follows: North Island Main Trunk Railway loan :-Amouut of loan L 1,000,000 ; receipts from laiulspui-clmsed L 7,580; total L 1,007,680. Expenditure :- Survey and construction of North Island Main ■ Trunk Railway L 548,911; purchase native lands L220,000j roads to give access to railway L 164,095; charges and expenses of raising loan L 51.788 ; departmental expenditure L 18,772; balance unappropriated L 4,014. This expenditure has given, or will give us 59 miles "of finished railway; 121 miles additional on which the formation works will be completed and rails in process being laid; nine miles on which formation works will bo in an advanced condition; 70 miles of line permanently surveyed; and 65 miles of preliminary survey. It will also give good coach roads affording access to the railway at both ends and leading through-the centre of North Island. About 40 miles of that road is still to he made besides many miles of minor roads. It has also provided us with an estate of 1,137,377 acres of freehold, and 129,148 acres of leasehold, land, besides other large areas which have been partially, acquired,

KKKTAHUXATOWOODYIMi:, The early completion of this railway is very desirable, ns when completed it promises to bo one of the paying lines in the Colony. Durhipf the year the work lias made considerable progress.Gtho bulk- of earth work being now completed. The concrete piers of the Makakahi bridge have also been built, andiron girders—for which a contract was let some months ago—will shortly be placed in position. A contract has also been let for a largo bridge over tho Mangatainoka river, and plate laying to the site of the bridge is about to be commenced. Tho expenditure on this line during tho last year amounted to L] 6,716, while liabilities oxisted at tho close of last year to the amount of 1/7,887, and further liabilities to the amount of 1/22,160 have since been incurred, We ask this year a vote of L 40,000, which will cover the large liabilities existing and provido for the completion of nearly all formation works on the line, as well as for plate-lay-ing as far as the Maiigatainoka Bridge. KOADS,

The roads controlled bytheMiuister of Lands, under the head of of main roads cost last year, 122,235 with liabitities at end of year for 19,242. I'or miscellaneous roads, and roads to open up Crown Lauds, L 148.287 was authorised, ineluding 1/30,000 from the Government Loans to Local Bodies account, and 188,042 spent, while liabilities amounting 'to 188,381 were out standing at the end of the yoar, For grants in aid, L 11.663 was voted,a«d 18,951 spent with liabilities at the end of the year of 13,389. Tho cost of constructing and maintaining main roads during tho pastyeav was about 110,000 more thai) in the preions year.and for the currcntyear the expenditure is estimated at a still higher rate. It must be evident to those who have travelled over the principal main roads and bridges of the colony which arc wholly or partly maintained at the expense of Comity Councils, that they are fast falling into disrepair, and as it would be false economy to permit such works constructed at great expense to get into such a state as to require further large expenditure to restore them, it is prqposed in some cases to entirely takeover the cpntrol, and in pther cases to assist the Counties as it is abundantly ovident that many of the local authorities ancially unable to bear the burden of the cost of maintaining such roads as cany the through traffic of the colony, especially in parts where no rates can bo collected for main roads., ■

GRAMS. Under the heading of gifints-in-aitj thevp are items which call for sqme notice, These are (1) cooperative works for unemployed, 15000 i (2), improved farm settlements, L 20.000 j and (3) ail, vances to co-operative workmen L 500; The first is intended to meet unforseon demands for employment and 'for: works,; the necossity.fori I which may arise during the year, The' second is to provide means to pay for the felling, grassing of Crown lands in moderate areas'suitable for working men of small nieiuiß,and in this way a start will be given to the farmer, and the Government will receive interest in W way of rent oi the, improv' .-

Valae of; tfie Viand.;; :-TK%ffiJj|||Sffl iß.to ; enatle;the'Gpv^ stntill;jt<dyaTlces .^'cidtop.eiati^ejrork^^^a men-employed oritbe construction readß;;iliro'ugh enable ■•them to bring on.i.to; the -lyorks, aiid ont; ol the' 1 «|| cities, where'tliey. are The edvances will be refundable out fc *f"i| of- the men's earnings, ; It posed to lease to mon who desire it," < 3 a small area around each,dwelling,, <■ 7 kl The roads which it is constvucfe ont of the, land account will probably absorb abbuiiSfS L 40,000. ;.'-..The: made by the Lands ImproYementi|§l and: Native Lands Acquisition this' ■ session,' for the* pShlse- of;l|flf native land must result"in a niensiirate impetus to bona fide 'stsssM fleinent in the North Island. •.' .-'/^-■ &'o>