PUBLIC WORKS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2690, 21 December 1909, Page 2

PUBLIC WORKS.

ANNUAL MINISTERIAL STATE-

MENT.

DELIVERED BY HON. R

McKENZIE

(By Telegraph.)

By the courtesy of the Government the following particulars of the Public Works Statement, (delivered an the 1 House of Representatives last evening by the Hon. R. McKenzie, Minister of Public Works, have been supplied to this journal:— Mr Speaker,—The period which lias elapsed since the Public Works Statement was delivered has been quite important in the history of the Public Works Department. After filling the position of Minister of Public Works with conspicuous ability for over twelve years, nearly twice as long as any other Minister,has filled it, the Hon. W. HallJones finally relinquished the office and was appointed to the High Coxnmissionersllip on the 30th November, 1908. He sailed for London on the 3rd December, and 1 had the honor of succeeding him during the year, the oper. ations of which I have now to review.

The Popart men t of Roads lias been amalgamated with the parent Department. so that that Public Works'*^epartment now controls practically the whole of the public works expenditure of the Dominion.

The length of new railways opened for traffic was greater than during any similar period, "for 30 vears past, • and tlie gross total expenditure on public works was also greater than in any year for mere than a quarter of a century, while the amount spent in road construction constituted a record. It will therefore be evident to honorable members that the Department lias expreienced a particularly busy year, and my task is ta give as concise an account as possible- of the work that-has been accomplished, and also of the pro. posals of the Government for the current year.

TOTAL EXPEDITI7RE. . The total expenditure* on all works and services borne upon the public, works estimates amounted, to no less than .£2,44-3,324, or, if we exclude special accounts having their own ways and means, and take into consideration only the actual charges against the Public Works Fund, the total amounted' to £2.169,273, which is the largest expenditure on such works for many years past. The following table shows as regards each class of work (a) total expenditure from the inauguration of the public works policy to the 31st December, 1890; (1>) a similar expenditure between Ist January, IS9I, and the 31st Marclij 1909; (e) the gross total expenditure to the 31st March. 1909; and (d) the expenditure for the late financial vear : .

Railways, new construction (including extensions from State colliery, near Greymouth).—(a) £11,975,098. (b) £7,004,866, (c) £18,979,964, (d) £751,496. Additions to open lines.—(a) £2.092,. 002, (b) £5,803,312, (c) £7,895,314 (d) £1,5-15,023.

Iloads.—(a) £3,375,804, (b) £4,755,212. (c) £8,331,016, (d) £469,548. Public buildings.—(a) £1,776,003 (b) £2,314,115, (c) £4,090,’118, <d) £225,521.

Immigration—fa) £144,386, (b) £57,402. (c) £2,201,783, (d) £15,077. Purchase c-f Native lands. —(a) £1 ,- 191,137. (b) £546,715, (c) £2,037,847, (d) £2099. Lighthouses, harbor ‘Works, and harbor defence.—(a) £880,095, (b) £163,642, (c) ‘ £1,043,737,,- (d) £19,217. Tourist and health resorts.—(b) £182,853, (c) £182,853, (d) £24,286. Telegraph extension.—(a) £600,849, (b) £1,041,928, (c) £1,642,769, (d) £163,033. Development of goldfields—(a) £561,101, fb) £258,415, (c) £819,516, (d) £32,859. Defence works (general).—(a) £429,728, <b) £469,214, (c) £898,934, (d) £10,766. Departmental.—(a) £349,789, (b) £243,108, (c) £592,897, (d) £24,512. Payment to Midland railway bondholders.—(b) £150,000, .(c) £150,000. Lands improvement—(b) £44,117, (c) £44,117, (d) £19,542. Minor works and services—(a). £300,689. (b) £20,266, <c) £320,955, (d) £27. Cost and discount raising loans, etc. —(a) £1,021.472, >(b) £214,745, (c) £1,236.217, Cdj £575. Totals.—(a) £26.898,143, (b) £13,469.897, (c) £50,468,042, (d) £3,363,581.

WAYS AND MEANS. At the 31st March, 1908, the-avail-able balance of ways and means for public works purposes was £152,563, and further funds were received as under: —Balance of £1,000,000 raised under the Doan Act of 1907, £191,800 amount raised under similar Act or 1908, £1,200,000; amount received under Post and Telegraph 1 Act, 1908, 200,000; premiums received on sales and renewals of debentures, £3704; provision for debentures maturing,' £7590; transferred from revenue, £BOO,OOO ; miscellaneous receipts, £1610; making a gross total of £2,558,267.

The ordinary expenditure of the yea r amounted to £2,169,278, and charges and expenses in connection with financing amounted to £5280, thus bringing the total disbursements up to £2,174,558, leaving a credit balance at the ' of the year of £383,709. For the current year it is proposed to provide additional funds under the balance of the 1908 loan, £50,000, and new loan of 1909, £2,250,000. This, will he balance brought forward will give / a total of £2,683,709. ! The estimated expenditure for public works for the current year (excluding separate accounts having their own •way* and means) amounts to £2,190,624. Thus leaving a balance of £493,085 to be carried forward to next year. As I have already mentioned, the length of new railway wanted for traffic during the year was greater than during any similar period for 30 years past. This was principally due to . the completion of the North Island Main Trunk railway, which was handed over to the Railway Department for regular working on 15th February last. The total expenditure oh railway works last year amounted to £1,349,110, which was £79,301 in excess <?f the previous year’ s total. The particulars are as under: —Construction of new lines’ £713,121, public works fund £13,391, Waikaka branch, railway account £13,391, State coal mines account £24,984, additions to Open lines £389,672; Hutt railway and road improvement account £66,408, .under_ -Railway ’ Improvements Authorisation Act £141,534; total, £1,349,110. . NORTH ISLAND EAST COAST RAILWAY. lid referring to various lines in detail, the Minister made the following remarks concerning the East Coast Main Trunk': The trial survey for therailway between Waihi and .Tauranga, wihicli • was in hand last year, lias since been completed. The survey was also carried on as far' as Matata. The

Government is strongly impressed with the necessity for a trunk railway through the important .Bay: of Plenty district, and that will eventually connect Auckland with Gisborne and the whole of the East Coast settlements. It considers that the time has nO\v arrived to make a commencement with the work. It-is, therefore, proposed to include tlie section of the line between Tauranga and Te Puke in the schedule to the Railways Authorisation Bill of the curront year. If the Bill is duly passed by Parliament, arrangements will be inade to commence the construction of the works as soon a s possible after the termination of tlie session.' At the Gisborne end of this line the bridge over the Waikohu river was completed and the lines extended from the temporary stopping place on the south side of the river to the permanent station on the north side, on Ist April last. A very large amount of formation- work lias been done beyond Waikohu, whio]i*is the heaviest section of the line between Gisborne and the Motu, and includes the Waihuka tunnel. The rails have also been laid for three or four .miles, and ballasting -is in hand. Plans for a steel viaduct at Otoko have been prepared, and tenders for it s construction will shortly be invited. Last year’s expenditure amounted to £40,601, which is the largest sum fluent on the lino in any one year since its construction was" commenced. Having in view the importance and urgency of the railway, and tlie proposal to commence a new section Tauranga and Te Puke, >t will bdi necessary to expend a still la.Tftser sum during the current year. A vote of £BO,OOO i s therefore asked for.

RAILWAY SURVEYS The very considerable'list of proposed surveys mentioned by my predecessor in his last Public Works Statement seems sufficient to me to keep the officers likely to be available from the Departmental staff busily employed for years to come. Much important survey -work was done during the past year, however, principally on the North Auckland, East Coast, Main Trunk, Paeroa—Pokeno, BlenheimWaipara, and Catlins-Waimaliaka railways. Other lines mentioned in the Hon. W. Hall-Jones’ list will receive attention as soon as opportunity offers. Last year’s expenditure on surveys of new lines was £5462, and for the current year a vote of £2OOO is asked for. TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. In addition to the amounts mentioned, a vote of £IOO,OOO is proposed for permanent way materials, and £IOOO for old land claims and other old contingent payments on construction account. These items bring the total proposed vote for railway construction purposes to £790,000. OTHER RAILWAY WORKS. A sum of £260,731 was spent in providing rolling stock and workshops machinery for working railways, and £128,941 on. additions to station accommodation, wharves, signalling appliances, and interlocking tablet, working telegraphs, telephones, etc., making the total expenditure additions to open lines £389,672. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The total expenditure on public buildings last financial year was £350,615, namely £65,230 under the Consolidated Fund and £285,385 under the Public Works Fund. These amounts, as regards both funds, are in excess of the previous year’s figures. For the current year votes of £60,145 under the Consolidated Fund and £303,930 under tne .Public Works Fund, are proposed. MENTAL HOSPITALS. The expenditure on mental hospitals during the year has been. £15,298. The proposed vote of £25,000 for the current year provides for the erection of the Wolfe Bequest Reception Hospital at Auckland; also accommodation for phthisical and special cases, a new boiler for general purposes, and eree-. tion of laundry machinery for an additional wing for males, and for an extension of the auxiliary building for males at Porirua, for a reception house ajid for a boiler house, boiler, • and brick chimney shaft at Christchurch: for an extension of the laundry and alteration, and additions to the upper building block, also various other alterations and improvements at Seacliff; for additions to the auxiliary, building at Waitati, and for the purchase of land as a site for a central mental hospital. Provision is also made for the erection of rooms in connection with the general hospitals in which mental patients may be examined, instead of at the ipolice stations. SCHOOLS. The expenditure on school buildings for the year out of the Public "Works Fund was £102,340. The greater part of the amount was paid to Education Boards and other . governing bodies for the. erection of new buildings and additions to public schools and teachers’ residences, training colleges, technical and secondary schools,; and university colleges. - A grant Tn aid of £4OOO was made to the Jubilee Institute for the Blind, Auckland, and .buildings and land at Otekaike, North Otago, were purchased at a cost of over £BOOO for the purposes of a school for mentally defective boys. For the current year the sum oi £100.680 is asked for, as set out in detail in the Estimates. OTHER BUILDINGS.

Hospitals.—Under the heading of hospital and charitable institutions, there was an expenditure of £11,152 for new buildings and improvements, the chief items being, the additions to the Greymouth Hospital and new hospital buildings at Rawene, Hamilton, Taumaranui, Westport, and Dunedin (St. Helens). The vote of £16,5Cf3 for the current year is simply a re-. wote of the unexpended balance* on last year’s appropriations, with the exception M a vote of £IOOO for the Veterans’ Home, Auckland, a small vote for Kumar a Hospital, and further grants for buildings at Hokitika, and for extending the accommodation at St. Helen’s, Christchurch. ■» . AGRICULTURE. ■ < Last year’s expenditure under this head totalled £5543. For the current year votes have provided for additional buildings at Moutihi, Ruakura, Ma-

■reiiga. Tauranga, ki, and Wercaroa; also for the- purchase of some additional land at Taurauga and Wallaceville. • PUBLIC HEALTH. The expenditure under this head has not been large, the oniy items of any .magnitude being the additions , and alterations to the sanatorium buildings at Cambridge, and a new wharf ,and other improvements at the Quarantine Station at Motuihi.. Subsidies have also been paid on ! account of the erection of infectious diseases hospitals in the Hawke’s Bay and Otago districts, etc.:. Provision is made on the Estimates ,for similar subsidies that will be payable during the current year to the amount of £2OOO. ROADS AND BRIDGES. When last year’s statement came down the administration of roads and matters was in. the hands of the lion. Mr. McGowan, who had kindly offered to relieve the! Minister of Public Works of this somewhat onerous dyty. The . Hon. Mr. McGowan retired from the administration in January last, and the Hon. A. W. Hogg succeeded him. On Mr. Hogg’s resignation in June last, it was decided to amalgamate the roads and bridges work with the general work of the Public Works Department, and the administration of these matter 8 came under iny control. I found that the operations of the Department were being carried on on a scale of considerable magnitude, the total expenditure during the las't financial year having amounted to no less than £491,657. A very large , a mount of work is represented by the expenditure, which may be briefly summarised as under: New dray roads constructed, 656 miles; dray roads metalled, 353 miles; bridle roads converted to dray roads, 335 miles; new bridle roads constructed, 445 miles; bridges constructed (30ft in length or over), 188; surveys made, 989 miles; dray roads maintained, 3352 miles; bridle roads maintained, 2017 miles.

The expenditure on road works during the quarter ending 30th June last amounted to £186,128, or at the rate of nearly three-quarters of a million per year. As it was impossible to continue at such a rate, steps were taken to lessen the out!i>>. Disbursements have now been brought down to more reasonable lines, although they are still large. While the work of opening up new country and the location of settlers tberon is proceeding energetically, we must, of course, be prepared for a considerable expenditure on road construction works, and in the compilation of the Estimates for the current year liberal provision lias been made in this direction. The construction of new roads to open up the back blocks is a duty that may properly be regarded as devolving upon the general Government, and the improvement and metalling of roads that were originally constructed as bridle tracks, but were left untouched i R also a work in which the general Government may reasonably be asked to assist; but the mere maintenance of roads and bridges, except in special case, i s a "work that should devolve upon the local authority of the district? l From the above statement hon. members will perceive that the general Government of the Dominion maintained, during last year no less than 3352 mile* of dray road and 2017 miles of bridle road. ROADS ON GOLDFIELDS.

One of the chief requirements of the mining industry is the construction of roads and tracks to open up the back country. The miners are frequently the pioneers for the settler, and without them large areas now settled would still be unoccupied. The future of our mineral wealth lie* in the mountains, and as the richer alluvial deposits in the lower lying-country are exhausted, it is to the higher country that the miner must look for the future wel-. faro of the industry, and in order to enable operations to be carried on. it is necessary that suitable roads and tracks should be provided. The expen. diture last- year under this heading was £47,374, and the amount proposed to be authorised for the current' year is £85,036, on account of which a vote of £50,000 is asked for. TOTAL VOTES FOR ROADS.

The appropriations proposed for road works in the Estimates now submitted are as under : Roads £22,000, back block roads £210,000, • roads under Loan s to Local Bodies account £50,000, roads under National Endowment account £17,151, roads .on goldfields £50,000. maintenance of roads (Consolidated Fund) £25,000; total, £552,151.

DEVELOPMENT OF GOLDFIELDS. The mineral industry of this Dominion is almost entirely confined to gold, silver and coal. The export of coal and silver is again considerably in excess of any annual output 'previously recorded. The export of geld is slightly less than last year. The. decline in the output of gold has, however, been general throughout all the gold-producing States of Australasia: The amount expended last financial year Cvas £32,859, and it i s proposed to take a vote of £30,000 for the current year.

TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS. The authorisation as'ked for is £24,541 or. £23,37S loss than last yu*t, oil .account of which a vote of £17,550 is proposed. TELEGRAPH EXTENSION.

During the year £163,033 was expended on telegraph and telephone extension. The new lines erected and in course of erection totalled 749 miles of poles and 3311 miles of wire. One hundred and fifty-three telegraph and telephone offices were opened, and 3552 new subscribers were added to the teleplion exchange system. The vote .asked for this year is £120,000. This includes £68,837 of liabilities, principally for material under order at the commencement of the financial year. LIGHTHOUSES, HARBOR WORKS, AND HARBOR DEFENCES. Under these headings the total expenditure for the financial year was £7481. The new works provided for this year are the erection of a fog signal at Titnaru and the connection of Capo—Brett, and. £sape • Palliser Lighthouses' with the telegraph system, f. For

these works and the completion of the Cape Brett light a vote of £6900 will be ■ required, and provision : for this amount is made in’ the Estimates. -

Last year’s expenditure on harbor works amounted, to £4439, and the exin g the year will probably amount to penditufe likely to come to charge dur* ■ about - £5000; Under the head of harbor defences an expenditure of £7297 took place, principally for the purpose of strengthening the fortifications. Some further works of a similar character and also the construction of an additional battery are now in hand, and fori these works, including two new 6-inch guns that are required, a vote of £BOOO is proposed.

TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS. In addition to the votes specially referred to, the Estimates include provision for the under-noted services: Departmental £43,500, lands improvement £32,744, contingent defence £IO,OOO, immigration £IO,OOO, thus bringing the total amount of the proposed appropriations including.sneeial accounts, up to £2.478.368, against £2,895,897 voted and actually expended last year.

The Minister stated that the gross saving effected by the amalgamatino of the Departments of Roads and Public Works and other retrenchments in the Department would amount to £30,000 per year.