D.—l

amount to £46,872. The liabilities existing at the close of the year amounted to £11,261, while further works, entailing a liability of £15,134, have since been authorised. We ask for a vote of £45,000 for the line this year. This will cover all the liabilities, and will provide for the work being rapidly pushed on with. As a great deal of misconception seems to exist in some quarters on the subject of the amounts specifically borrowed for and allocated to this railway, I have thought it desirable to have the following statement prepared, showing the amounts specially borrowed for the Otago Central Railway, and the amount expended thereon up to 31st March last: —

Otago Central Railway.

The amounts shown in this table as allocations for permanent-way, sleepers, and rollingstock were not specially allocated to this railway under any Act, but are the proportions of the total allocations for permanent-way, sleepers, and rolling-stock in the different Acts which are fairly due to the Otago Central Railway on a mileage basis. These figures show that not only have the total funds allocated to this railway been actually expended thereon, but a sum of £32,273, taken from other sources, has been expended in addition. Catlin's River Railway. The works on this railway were at a standstill when the last Public Works Statement was made. They were, however, resumed in November last, and have been pushed along steadily since that date. The work in hand comprises the formation of the line for a distance of about 4 J miles, which will complete the railway to Owaka (Vial's). The expenditure during last financial year amounted to £1,333 only, but liabilities existed at the close of the year to the amount of £900, and further liabilities to the amount of .€5,134 have been incurred since. A vote of £10,000 is asked for this year, Ariiich will provide the bulk of the funds required to complete the line to Owaka. Seaward Bush Railway. The formation of this railway has been completed as far as the Mataura Swamp, the rails laid, and the ballasting is now in progress. The line is expected to be ready for opening to the Gorge Road in December next. Borings have been made to test the foundations for the bridge over the Mataura River, and plans of the bridge are being prepared, and tenders for its erection will be invited shortly. The expenditure on this line last year, exclusive of the value of permanent-way materials supplied, was £5,042, while liabilities existed at the close of the year to the amount of £2,735, and further liabilities to the amount of £6,815 have since been incurred. The vote proposed for the current year is £15,000. Other projected Railways. Riversdale—Switzers.- —A petition presented to Parliament this session by the member for Wakatipu prayed for the completion of this railway. About two miles of the line was completed several years ago, and the formation-works executed on a further length of six miles, the total expenditure on the work having amounted to about £7,500. The completion of the line as far as Muddy Creek would not be a very expensive undertaking, the principal obstacle' in the way being the bridge over the Mataura River, which is estimated to cost £7,500. The Government is not able to propose any appropriation for this line this year, but during the recess the question of resuming its construction will receive careful consideration.

XI

Allocations out of Loans. Expenditure. Hi Under " The New Zealand Loan Act, £ s. d. 1882,"— Construction, permanent-way, &o. .. 300,000 0 0 Under "The New Zealand Loan Act, 1886,"— Construction .. £140,000 0 0 Permanent-way, sleepers, and rolling-stock 60,000 0 0 200,000 0 0 Under "The New Zealand Loan Act, 1888,"— Construction .. £85,000 0 0 Permanent-way, sleepers, and rolling-stock 20,000 0 0 Total expenditure on Otago Central Rail- & s. d> way for construction, permanent-way, and sleepers to 31st March, 1894 (as per Table 3, Public Works Statement, 1894) .. .. .. .. 621,769 0 0 Add rolling-stock provided, and charged to separate vote .. .. .. 15,504 0 0 105,000 0 0 Expenditure in excess of allocation 605,000 0 0 32,273 0 0 Total .. £637,273 0 0. ' Total .. £637,273 0 0