PUBLIC WORKS-MR. ORMOND'S STATEMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 51, 27 August 1872, Page 3

PUBLIC WORKS-MR. ORMOND'S STATEMENT.

From tht ])ti'il>] S'uuf/icni ('r.iv*. The ll<>u. D. Ormon.l delivered his L'ublie WorksStatement on Tuesd.i.y Last. Alter retain.ling the House that the Ministry had really only seven j m;mihs to carry the policy out, ho reviewed in detail ft 11 the works winch had been executed. Wilh j regard to the contracts with Mr. Hrogden lie stated i tnat tlie L'cirliainonfc estimate had, in all cases, boon \ exceeded, owing to the rise in the pri \>. of. material, ! iU all the contracts hi I liu-ji; einerud into after | careful consideration, an I the nest of professional i jiil vice. (Jo.nplete, without rollinn- stock, etc., the ' average cost would only l>e per mile. Tlio total aniount tha,t had hcen pi iced to the credit of the public works account since the initiation of the policy was 8.)],0'2.5'. of which only 7.~>0,{);)•!)/ was from the loan, the balance b.'ing taken chiefly from j the revenue arising from stamp duties. This sum j had bowl reduce 1 by clnrge-i and discount to j •l').'J7-V ; iiUercsf; and sinking fun 1, :!."!.7. r )!)/ ; build- j iuys and l']n:,dish agency, S.O-il 7 ; leaving only { 71'>.!).-.7/ available fo<; 'piibli- works. Of thi's ' I'Jl.SoS.' had li.jgii stvjnt in making roads in the- i North Islauj. for which .">;"<() miles of road havche.Mi ! opened, besides upwards of' il-)i) miles in pi ogres.* ; i ■Jo.ool)/ had lioun spent in the Middle Island in :

. ,' oiH.'iiiii'., r up -7 niiiysiif rna.l, wr'vh 42 in p.-n.'nws on , t!io Wi'.db (.'oast Gollfidils. On rail\v:ws J li.i'l her 1 !; cx'jtcultiil, for whu'li they h:ul to s'khv 12 ■ i miles of railway npoa a cost of about ■[i>,2;)o/ ; ■ i .'Mi iiiilos of railwjiy .s'.irvovt-il and prepared for ; I contract; ab a cost of 19.21 "J/, uf Avhich '2.1-i miles , ! were cfmbr.iot.eil for. mi.l \ip\v;ir<ls of 50 miTes in ; course of construction, for whioU alioafc ] O."J,;).'J<S/ li-i.cl ! : liec'ii already paid, and 4'),">.'J7/ paid for railwav* ■ j plant and the Wait/iki miking a total of 1 -2l'2,?.SJf. In the N'orhh Island 4:),b'(i4/ liad been j spent in tlni purcluso of -i'J.'-i.Hl.*» acres of native i land, I.H'.sidea providing adva-noes np:>:i blocks J still under Eight hundred and I one milo.s of telegraph li;>d been opened at a cost of ! r>6.2011. Of the " Koa.l Ti..ard g.-ant, 4."),4i)!)/ hal, I under resolution ras'-, sejj.siun, been to ' th.! nroviners, and 54.00 iV direct to the Road Boards, : tlio whole i>f which woul.l no doul>t be spent on obj iiUntiefvl Avith tiit> policy of public works ; j 4 ; ),(>"))/ had bcHn spoilt, in immigration, '21,000/ of : wln'oM av;is r'?bufnod to the provinces. The (Ireyi moiitli ]>üblic works, trolifields water supply, de- ! vartment of cvillields. and refund of stamp duties I alxsori>i j d (>oll/: an 1 di'p.'ftmentn! expenses, inobi:'- ; iiv.: 718-1' for salaries nn.l of engineers etnj p'oyed on the \";ir;:);i.s 'i <,{ railwav and roads ; throughout the colony amouniod t<) lti,GiO/, miking ; a total expenditure m o,l t tlio policv of : (i<54.270! , , leaving a balance iti hand on the .'Wbh of j .1 uue last of The (ioveruinent did not inj tend to propose any n-nv \vori;s of magnitude during ! the present, year. Tiio?e already snnotioned were I as laru'e as it would be prudent to undertake under ! i the circumstances, and the Uovevnin-jub desired to ! devote their attention to carrying then out ciicotu- •■ ally and economically. j I _ !