D.— la.

Session I (23rd Parliament). 1928. NEW ZEALAND.

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT (BY THE RIGHT HON. J. G. COATES).

Laid on the Table by Leave of the House

PUBLIC WORKS ACTIVITIES. 1. Railways. 6. Buildings. 2. Hydro-electric Development. 7. Lighthouses and Harbour-works. 3. Roads. 8. Railways Improvement. 4. Highways. 9. Schedule of Expenditure on Construction. 5. Irrigation. 10. Relief of Unemployment. RAILWAYS. Since 1920 the policy has been to complete the lengths of railway then in hand, which included a few short lengths, mostly extensions of existing railways, and thereafter to concentrate on lines which may be considered as main lines. A total of 313 miles 78 chains were completed and opened for traffic. 25 mile ; on the Wairoa-Waikokopu line, although completed and opened for traffic, have not been handed over to the Railway Department owing to their isolated position, but are being operated by the Public Works Department. The policy of making the railways available to the settlers along their line of route at as early a date as possible has been followed. Wherever possible, as soon as the rails were laid, a goods service, intermittent at first, but gradually extending until it could be made regular, has been commenced, and this has been later followed by a passenger service as soon as the lines were sufficiently safe. Attached hereto is a sheet showing, in geographical order, the railways and the lengths of the same which have been opened for traffic since the 31st March, 1920, and also a short description showing the position that obtained with each of the railways on that date, together with a short description of a few salient points and the present position.

I—D. IA.