PARLIAMENTARY. Per Anglo-Australian Telegraph Agency. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. WELLINGTON. Friday.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 344, 28 July 1874, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY. Per Anglo-Australian Telegraph Agency. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. WELLINGTON. Friday.

It was intended to cull for tenders for Hie section between Matnura and Clinton immediately, and the remainder as soon after as prnetic.ible. Between Mntuura and Invercargill, about 12 miles had been opened during the past year for traffic, and the remainder of the line is progressing Very well, although not so forward ni it should be. On the "Winton to Kingston line, the contractor for the first section was not so forward as ho should be, and he could not complete the work within the contract tune, August, but the fault was not the contractors. The next Eection, 28 miles, had just been let, and the remainder would be Jet as soon as the government could see their way to procure the material rho action of the Southland District Land Board by affecting the supply of sleepers would probably prevent this lino being kept within the estimated cost. The length of railways authorized in each province, and the amount appropriated might be thus summarised. Auckland. 16G miles 30 chains, apnropration 934,900/ , Taranaki, IS miles 13 chains, 10,500/ ; Hawke* Bay, 45 miles 25 chains, 220,000/ : lYnfe 10 "' 133 mil «,G'10,000Z; Nelson, 38 miles 20 chains, 22,000/; Marlborough, 28 miles 53 chains, 120,000/ • Canterbury, 251 miles 35 chains, 1,160,000/ ; Otago, 332 miles 4 dining. 2 065 000/. General tnrTeys, ten thousand. Total, 1010 miles 48 chains. Total appropriation, 5,585,400/ Iherewere open for traffic 87 miles 68 chains complete t ready for traffic 57 miles 71 chains ; plate laying going on on 103 miles G5 chains ; length under contract in course of completion 421 miles 45 chains, lotal length undertaken* 637 miles 2 chtuns ; still to be let, 337 miles, 46 chain*. As to tba general results of the operntionsof the Deportment, Mr Richmond said the expenditure and liabilities for railways contemplated or m hand amounted to 3,660,881 leaving 1,914,519/, for for which no liabilities have yet been incurred. I think this is a very satisfactory result for the working of the Department »o for, and although it might hare been possible to have forred more work on the market, I think the House will agree with me in believing that it would have been \ P ry inadvisable in the interest of the colony to have dono so. Speaking generally, with reference to the cost of the railways authorised by Parliament, it has been found Hint with few exceptions the amount appiopriated will be found sufficient for their completion. Owing to tho great fluctuation m the cost of iron in England it may, however, bo necessary to group the railways i n each of the various ', provinces in order to make tho appropriation cover tho cost, . us against some lines tho pennnnent way has been changed altogether nt the high rates, whilst the others havo obtained no benefit of the loner rates. Before loating tho aubieit of railways, thero is the question of working the traffic* oh them to bo referred to. The first piece of lino which is being worked by the Colonial Government is that from Auckland to Ourhungn. This was opened before it was completed, and tho best arrangements were made with Messrs Urogden, who organised the staff, and commenced to work tho line. There is a large amount of traffic and thero is no doubt whatover that the line will pay very well, the receipts during gevnn months having been 4834/ 9s 3d. Tho line from Wellington to the Hutt Ims been opened since April, and I think that considering tho present temporary terminus is so far out of the town, i.nd that the line is so short, it is astonishing that thero should bo io much traffic- on on it at thero is ; there is no reason to doubt thnt this line will pay, an d each section, after tho Hutt river is crossed, will materially increase iti paying capabilities. The fragmentary portions of tho lines which have been opened in tho province of Canterbury and Otago are for tho preeont being respectively worked by tho I rovmcial Governments, 'lhe erection of' largo workshops U being pressed forward in Auckland and Dunodiu, and I trust in n. few months tho Department wUI be in a position to execute not only repairs, but also ilt and complete a considerable amount of rolling ttock, winch must meanwhile bo imported from England. It will bo matter lKTonfirr to decido whether it will bo advisnblo to undertnkc the m mnfncture in tho colon y of i-olliixr stool which mil bo required." The roadwork expenditure during tho year haa been, Auckland, 61,2(39/; Tnranaki 25,077/; Ilawkesßav, 27,182/; Wellington, 39,311/. The total turn expended on roads in tho four provinces up to the end of tho y«ar wms, Auckland, 127,665/; Taranaki 62,686/; Hawkos Btiv, 58,138/ ; Wellington, 118,393/ -, thus milking with 17*7/ unappropriated, a gross total of 368,630/. There wero in Juno the following liabilities Auckland, 22.851/; Turtiunki, G.7S7Z ; Hnwkes Bay, 6 771/ • Wellington, 20,107/ ; or together SG,SIS<!. Adding' thc^e liabilities to tho actunl expenditure the total was 4 V> 5 149/ as against the voto of 190,000/ ; but tho expenses had to be credited w.l h 12,000/ expended for tho benefit of confiscated lands, lor lh«> 425.1 10/ thero had been 1189 miles opened or in prog.™-, and 525 miles of horse roads constructed On' tueso roads, btwdw a very large numher of culverts, there were 134 bride-, of .pans exceeding 30 feel, and of a total ?&?[ 11,3.8 f.efc, and 182 small br.dges of a total length of 2801 Jcet. j „1,1 lv.l boo expended on road* in Nelson South \V«t Ooldu.Wa ami Weatlund, 130,679/, and there wero liabjlitiw amounting to 14,056/. The estimates for eoldfield ?1 *»fer wirplv tmrK „hieh ircrn mostly buod on nonnaliua s^phed bj .thp rrovinml Council, h;id b.ou

grently oxceeded. Th« great incr.-nse of cost had beun on f.bo Waimea, Nelson Creek, and Thames races, while the Mount Ida race und sludge channel would bo completed at a cost very little exceeding the estimate. 300.000/ had been appropriated for this class of roads. There hud been ex- | ended 95,037/, and there were liabilities amounting to 201,45<i/. No more works of this kind would be undertaken until time hod proved how far those in hand had succeeded Duriug tba year 2300/ had been expended on explorations for conl, and there was a contingent liability of 1236 J. Mr Richardson gave some particulars as to the trials of coal and as to the prospect of various fields, and ho apoke of the works carried on and proposed in connection with Colonial Architect's Department. The estimate for Government offices in Wellington, and for other necessary buildings in diferent part» of the colony would, he said, be submitted durmg ilu. iu^ion. The appropriation' for railways fer which it was proposed to ask this session, were— fn-it, 14,000/ for Kaipara and RiTerhead railway; 2nd, 112,000/, the differcnoe m co»t of completing the Wanganui and Manawafu line as a railway instead of a tramway ; third, 60,000? to convert the Foxton aud Manawatu tramway into a railway This was considered Tery important on account of the largo timber trade of the district and progress of the Fielding settlement ; fourth, further sum of 30,000/ for extending railway southward from Wnipukurmz towards M.wanatu, tlio object being to form a railway and lay down permanent sleepers w itli wooden rails through the he »vy bush land which tlio main line traverses, t!ma getting timber winch is much required for railways now in course of construction j sih, 5000/ to complete' Waif aki bridge; Gth, 10,000? for extension of protective works at Greymouth. The tote of 1000/ for preliminary surveys being nearly exhausted, a sufliciont sum to enablo a full and complete survey to bo mado through from Foxhill to Brunnerton, thence to Canterbury, and from G-rcymouth to Hokittka, as well as for such portions of the connecting links to trunk lines as funds still at command would enable to bo done. There would be no necessity to do more than this before next session. It was proposed to repay to North Island road fund 29,500/ which had been spent on the Manawatu tramway, nnd ask for an additional grant of 60,000/ to completo reads on bond, as well as to construct others where necessary. ITaving stated tho roads upon which this money was to be expended, nnd given other oxplnnafions, Mr Richardson concluded as follows: — " Lp to 30th June, 1873, there was a total expenditure by the Public "Worts Department exclusive of Immigration of 1,619,921/ 2s lid, and tho expenditure during the yenr 73-7 A was 1,554,446/ 4s lOd There arc outstanding liabilities in England nnd the Colony of 1,87-1,688? 36s 4d, Booking a total expenditure and habthties of 5,075,056/ 4«ld. These are lar«e figuies; buN Sir, we have large results, and there nr.» few who will be found now to assert that any of the railways which are proposed to bo undertaken will not from the moment tl ey are opened return more than working expenses and a fair sum to depreciation fund, nnd if economically worked, will considerably contribute, in course of timo, towards paying interest on the outlay ; and with regard to the roads in the North Island, I do not imagine any one will deny the vnst service they have been in opening up and bringing about tho settlemcDt of the country. The Colony has undertaken a gigantic work ; it is incumbent on tho Assembly to see that it is carried out to it* legitimate end, und, Sir, I have no fear as to tbo resu't.

(From the|D. S. Cboss.) At the evening sitting, after the Public Works Statement, the Premier moved the second reading of the Licensing Act, 1873, Amendment Bill, briefly explaining its provisions, the chief object of which was to remedy the defects of the previous act. Mr Fox said lie would not oppose the second reading, but he would endea\ourto defeat the main principle of the Bill, which was the very opposite of the Bill of last year, the fundamental principle of which was placing the whole control of the liquor traffic in the hands of the peojrie. Parliament had in the former Bill conceded that right, but by a strange anomaly denied them proper machinery for carrying its provisions into effect. Had that machinery been granted the vice of drunkenness would have been greatly diminished, especially in country districts. Why refuse the people the control of the liquor traffic, while entrusting them with the greater power of electing representatives 'I He could incontestibly shew that in Maine and Massachusetts prohibitory laws did not prevent houses with the very best class of accommodation, the only difference being that no liquor was openly sold, while at the same time it decreased drunkenness by nine-tenths. He objected to the Bill on the ground that it made a perfect paradi&e for publicans. In Committee he would object to the following details:— The validation of the previous ordinance amongst them, the Otago Act, directly in violation of Act of 1873 ; to allowing refreshment rooms to sell liquor at railway stations. They were abolished on the Caledonian and North British railways. A great proportion of the railway accidents was due to that cause. At Port Chalmers station, the other day, drunken sailors had drawn knives upon each other. He would propose, as an amendment, to allow females of 21 years of age to vote under the permissive clause to prevent billiardrooms and skittle-alleys in connection with publichouses. They were a fruitful temptation and cause of drunkenness amongst young people. To allow no barmaids under thirty years of age, and prevent them being employed unreasonably long hours ; to place the regulation of boundaries of districts in the hands of the inhabitants. Sir J. Cracroft Wilson said the real element of the failure of last years' Bill was the difficulty of getting two-thirds of the residents to endeavour to close the houses. This was the case in Canterbury. Mr J. E. Brown gave an instance of drunkenness amongst railway officials through obtaining liquor . at railway stations. He objected to the Minister of Works possessing licensing powers. It should be in the hands of the provincial authorities. Mr J. Shepherd considered the Bill an exceedingly useful measure, but would move to strike out \ the dangerous clause for bottle licenses. Mr Cuthbertson would oppose the clause negativing local regulations regarding renewal of licenses. The Premier replied. He said it was a different ! matter to place the general power of voting for re- | presentatives in the hands of the people and giving them power to vote in the same specific questions which should be determined by representatives of their selected intelligence. The effect of closing refreshment rooms was that employes bought liquor in bottles, and that aggravated the evil. It Avas very tyrannical to prevent passengers on long railway journeys from obtaining stimulants, which were absolutely necessary to some persons, though he would admit the Bill was not the most effectual remedy to be devised, and was prepared to accept considerable modifications to meet the wishes of the Houses. The only object of the Government in bringing in a Bill was to amend certain deficiencies in the Bill of 1873, The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed that day week. A long discussion ensued upon the Muncipal Keserves Bill, which was reported with amendments.