Sessional_Paper_1902 — Page 436

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In Mr. COOPER'S Annual Report for 1894, Appendix J, will be found the follow- ing note:

Fair Average Yearly Expenditure is-

on Annual Recurrent Works on Extraordinary Public Works

Total,....

$150,000

300,000

.$450,000

The Engineering Staff in that year consisted of 3 Executive Engineers, 4 Assist- ant Engineers and 2 Draftsmen-a total of 9. Mr. COOPER, prior to his appointment to Ceylon, considered it advisable to strengthen the staff by the addition of one Assist- ant Engineer, and this increase was made in the beginning of 1897, bringing the total up to 10.

I attach a statement showing the amounts provided in the Estimates and actually expended during the respective years from 1894 to 1900, after eliminating the expend- iture on Praya Reclamation, Resumptions of Property for public purposes. Survey of New Territory, and Works not actually carried out by the staff of this Department. It also shows the amounts provided in this and next year's Estimates.

From this statement it will be seen that the estimated expenditure for 1901 is almost exactly double the actual expenditure for 1894, whilst the Estimates for 1902 show an increase of $80,000 over those of 1901. Comparing the Estimates for 1902 with the actual expenditure for 1897, when the staff numbered 10, the increase is seen to be nearly $400,000, whilst the staff has been increased by one solitary member, consisting at the present time of the Assistant Director of Public Works, 3 Executive Engineers, 6 Assistant Engineers and I Draftsman.

It must be unnecessary for me to point out that the expenditure for this year will fall far short of the estimated amount, notwithstanding the fact that all the drawings required in connection with the Law Courts and the Governor's Peak Residence and the requisitions for materials for the same are being supplied by outside Architectural Firms. Equally, it will be impossible for the Department to overtake the programme of Works drawn up for 1902, unless it be materially strengthened without delay. In this way works which are considered of great urgency are falling into arrear and, if the Department is not to be rendered capable of keeping pace with the greatly in- creased demands made upon it, the consequences to the Colony generally will be most serious.

I have confined my remarks so far to the carrying out of the works for which provision is made in the Estimates. There are also to be considered the continually increasing duties and responsibilities which are added to the Departinent by various Ordinances and the enormously increased demand for plans and estimates of Works which are rendered necessary by the great expansion of the Colony.

That great expansion is in progress is, I think, sufficiently proved by the fact that in 1894 the land sales amounted to $72,852, beáring an annual rental of $2,304, whilst in 1900 the amounts were $810,614 and $26,308 respectively.

I do not propose to refer to the Building Ordinance Work, for the carrying out of which recommendations have been submitted by the Public Works Committee in a separate report.

Mr. ORMSBY's remarks in paragraph 5 of his letter are not to the point. The practice followed now as regards the carrying out of work and the making of payments is exactly the same as in former years. I cannot recommend the practice of employing private Engineering Firms, except in emergencies or where some special reasons exist. It is, in my opinion, expensive and, as a rule, unsatisfactory.