TELEGRAPHIC From the Daily Southern Cross. PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 49, 22 August 1872, Page 3

TELEGRAPHIC From the Daily Southern Cross. PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

PUBLIC WORKS. ME. ORMOND'S STATEMENT. The Hon. J. D. Ormond delivered his Public Works Statement to-day. After rerniriding the House that the Ministry IVad really only had seven months to carry tlie pnlicv out, he reviewed in detail all the \vbrks vrhieh had been executed. With regard to the ironteacts Avith AIK Brogden, he stated 'that, the Parliamentary estimate had. in all cases, been

exceeded, owixg l to the rise in the price of materials, but all tho contract.? had been entered into after carcful consideration, and the best: of professional advice. Complete, without rolling" stock, the avot'Age cost would only be nbont' h i,SO!) rhile. The tola amount that had been placed to the credit of tho pnbifc workv fvoconnf; sinco the initiation; of the policy was L-SO 1,023, of which only L 750,000 was from (he loan, the balance be. ing taken chiefly from the revenue arising from stamp duties. This sum had been reduced by charges and discount t0'L39,2J2; interest and sinking'-fund, L 33,750 ; building and English agency, L804<1; leaving onlyJj7 10,9-57 available "for* public works. Of this L121,80S had been spent in making roads in the North Island, for which 550 mile"? of road had been opened, besides upwards of 200 miles in progress; L 23,330 had been . spent in tho Middle Island-in opening 27 miles of road, with 42 miles in progress on thn West Coast Gohlfiekß On railways, L 252,257 had been ex pernio;], for wliicli they had to show 12 miles of railway open» at a oosfe of L 19.212, of which 254 miles were contracted for, and npwards of 50 miles in course of construction, for which about LI 0333S had been already paid, and L 10,537 paid for railway plant and the Waitaki Bridge, making a total of L2I2,2>S?V, In the North Island had beon spent in the purchase of 403,815 acres of native land, besidss providing advances'upon bloeks still under negotiation. Eight hundred and one miles of telegraph had beon opened at a cost of L 58'"297. (if tho Road Board grant, L 15,1.00 had under resolution of the hvt session been given to the provinces, and Li> 1,000 direct to the Road Boards, the whole of which i would no doubt bo spent on objects identical | with the policy of public works, L-10,050 [had been spent on immigration? L 21,000 of which was refund to tho provinces The Grey mouth protective works, goldfiehls water supply, development of coalfields, and refund of stamp duties absorbed LGSII; and departmental expenses, including L7lB i for salaries and expenses- of engineers employed on the i various lines of rail way and.roads throughout the colony, amounted to L 10,010, making 1 a | total expenditure in carrying out the policy of J/)44,273, leaving a bnlance in hand on the 30th of June last of 1(78,031. The Government did not intend to propose any new works of magnitude during the present year, | Those already sanctioned were as large as it would be prudent to undertake under the circumstances, and tho Government desired to devote their attention to carrying them out cfleotually and economically.

From the (lie 'New Zealand JTerald. Wellington, Monday. Arrived. Taranaki and Keera from tho North. ! The first sod of tho Wellington and Hufcfc mil way was turned to-day by the Governor with great eclat. Lady Bowen vvns present, and 1500 peeple, including , the Executive, the Superintendent, the Mayor, most members of both Houses, and a groat many ladies. J Broaden read an address to the Governor, i who replied. McLean addressed the Governor in a few words on behalf-of the native members. All the Volunteers and the Fire Brigade tudncd out. The weather was fine. Grevillo's telegram regarding Te Ivoeti with 800 men at White Ciiffa is utterly untrue. ■ .. Dnnedin, Monday. A Freight Association is being formed, ! with a view of inducing-competition at lower rates. Henry Howarth ts a candidate to represent Onvcrsham. Vessels can now unload at the Port Chalmers railway pier. At a meeting of members of the Jewish persuasion, to establish a branch of the An- j g!o-Jewish Association, a committee was appointed to confer with the congregations in New Zealand cities.