63

C.—s

VALUE OF WORKS CONSTRUCTED— continued. SUMMARY.

Note. —Authorities were cancelled or written ofl during 1887-88 as follows : — Prospecting subsidies .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £2,343 15 10 Water-races.. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. 3,466 0 8 Subsidised tracks .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,829 10 3 Roads on goldfields .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 948 10 7 Drainage-channels .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 43 6 0 Schools of Mines .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 150 0 0 £10,781 3 4 It will be seen from this table that the value of new works undertaken and expenditure on Schools of Mines during last year has been £19,380 17s. 4d., as against £49,894 4s. Bd. for the year previous-, thus showing the value of w Torks authorised last year to be £20,513 7s. 4d. less than the preceding one; while the expenditure last year was £31,886 10s. Bd., as against £46.415 18s. 9d. for the previous year, thus showing a decrease in the expenditure of £14,529 Bs. Id. The liabilities on works in progress at the end of last year amount to £14,837 Bs. Bd., while at the end of the previous year they were £37,813 14s. 4d. The reduction of the liabilities is due to the cancellation of authorities for works as shown in the foot-note to the foregoing statement. The total value of works in progress and constructed during the five years the votes have been under the control of the Hon. the Minister of Mines amounts to £308,550 9s. 2d., and the expenditure to £210,606 19s. 9d. Although there has already been a large expenditure on works for the development of the mining industry, there still remains a great deal yet to be done in the construction of roads and tracks in mining districts, in order to allow of machinery being brought on to the ground, ores taken from the mines to the place of treatment, and also to open up the country so that it can be prospected. Annexed is a list of works in progress and constructed, taken from the departmental records, showing the actual expenditure and. liabilities on each at the end of last year. I have, &c, Heney A. Gordon, M.A. Inst. M.E., The Under-Secretary of Mines. Inspecting Engineer.

Nature of Work. Total Cost of Construction, or Amount authorised to be expended. Expenditure, by Amount of Liabilit way of Subsidy or by Mines Depart-' otherwise, by rnent on Works Mines Department. in Progress. Vater-races toads on goldfields lubsidised tracks Subsidised tracks, other than gold 'respecting )rainage-channels Mamond drills Ichools of Mines treatment of ores & s. a. 37,764 14 11 81,962 7 7 96,793 13 0 6,146 9 10 48,055 18 10 25,401 9 3 4,022 15 6 7,203 0 3 1,200 0 0 & s. a. 37,447 15 3 74,592 7 7 56,610 13 6 4,759 6 2 12,928 12 9 14,730 14 9 2,280 15 6 0,865 16 0 390 18 3 £ s. a. 7,370 0 0 3,942 4 2 924 8 0 2,054 10 G 337' 4 3 209 1 9 308,550 9 2 210,606 19 9 14,S37 8 8