THURSDAY, DEC. 15, 1887.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2408, 15 December 1887, Page 2

THURSDAY , DEC. 15, 1887.

Tim able Statement laid before the House ou Monday night by the Hon. Mr Mitchelsou is a plain, unvarnished recital of the state of the various public works of the colony, both with respect to their present position and their future progress. Wc are told, without any attempts at disguise, how far it will be possible to complete the lines of railway under construction with the sums remaining unexpended out of loans. The numerous .sections of the works in hand in the two islands arc specified, together with the amounts of money allocated for their prosecution during the present and the three succeeding years. One of the principal points in the Statement of interest to the people of Auckland is that dealing with the North Island Trunk Hail way. Mr M.itchelson states that the original

estimates of LT,.‘UKI,OOO for the cost of construction of this lino were altogether misleading, and that to complete through the central route to Marten, including the purchase nf native lands, a further sum of ,£1,’185,000 will be required. The estimate for the alternative route to Stratford was £1,050,000, which, however, ho considers untrustworthy. Mr Mitchelson proposes, therefore, to carry the line to Maramata, the point at which the divergence cm be made should it lie ultimately d ocided toadopt the hitter route, and in the meantime to have fresh surveys made of the intervening links on both linos. The expenditure proposed to bo allocated for ;ho works to bo carried out at both ends of the central route is set down at nearly £150,000. The total amount required to carry on all necessary works under the niiblic work fund as a whole up to 1801 is nearly £3,000,000, after which date it is expected no further loans will be required. Authority is asked to raise a loan of one million to be devoted to the .North Island Trunk Railway, and a further sum of £500,000 to be allocated towards the prosecution of existing contracts in other parts of the colony. There is, however, a decided' feeling of opposition to any further expenditure on the Main Trunk lino, and it is possible the Government may, in deference to that feeling, modify their proposals for further borrowing, although it is given in the Statement that they will abstain from a ruthless suspension of works likely to inflict distress on the labouring class, or injury to industries. Subsidies to local bodies will, after 1890, be made out of the Consolidated Fund, instead of out of the Public Works Fund, as has hitherto been the case. Attention is to be given to the construction of roads to open up Crown Lands in order to make them more accessible for settlement. Provision is made for village settlements, and the formation of roads to open up lands prior to sale. The “unemployed ” question occupies a part of the Statement, and exception is very properly made to the course adopted by the late Government in giving that class occupation on unproductive works and relief out of loan. In future it is intended to employ them on reproductive works chargeable to the Consolidated revenue, and the difficulty will be met as much as possible by inducing the unemployed to leave the cities for the country. Mr Ballance’s plan of village settlement was intended to cope" with this trouble, and, we believe, if the principle is continued in so far as to settle the people on sections near centres of population in the country districts where they can be within reach of markets, and can utilise their labour their sole capital—by engaging in local contracts; if, we say, this is done instead of creating experimental colonies in isolated and remote parts, the plan will be the most feasible method for eliminating the unemployed difficulty in the large cities. A uealthy How of immigration is to be encouraged, and the Statement also diows that the erection of certain public buildings, harbour and defence works, are to be carried out.