___________________________Legislative Aawmhly___________________________ First Queens, and 2 miles in Fourth Queens. In under the same pro¬ gram 17.7 miles of road being paved, 8.4 miles being paved in First Prince, 6 in Second Prince, and 3.3 in Third Prince. The Atlantic Development Board roads to fishing centres was continued in 1966, with 8.3 miles of new pavement being placed. The cost of this program is shared by the provincial government and the Government of Canada . The Government of Canada paying 90% of the cost, the balance of 10% being paid by the province. 1.8 miles was paved in Kings County, 5.1 miles in Queens, ana this program, Mr. Speaker , will be completed in 1967. Mr. Speaker , I am sure that all members realise that the problem of providing a highway system for a province is complex and costly. Demand is constantly on the increase making it difficult to keep budgets which continue to rise. As an example of this I will give you for the year ending March 31, 1961 to 1967. In 1961 the estimates were overexpended by 1248,000.00; In 1962 by $1,029,484.00; 1963, $1,580,000.00; 1964, $1,840,000.00; 1965, $1,141,000.00, and 1966, $1,048,000.00, and 1967, $1,068,000.00. L. George Dewar : What are these figures again? Honourable George L. Ferguson This is what the estimates were overexpended each year. This, Mr. Speaker, is what happened when the former administration was in office. However, I can assure you that I will endeavour to keep within the Estimates. Mr. Speaker , concerning the Causeway. An approach road on the P.E.I. side is presently under construction and will be completed by the fall of this year. The ap¬ proach road on the New Brunswick side is completed. Tenders for grade separation on the New Brunswick side were called and this grade separation will connect the Trans- with the Causeway approach road. Tenders were closed on March 21st, for the Causeway embankment on the New Brunswick side of the Straits. These have, I understand, been opened. This will be the first over-water section of the Cause¬ way for which tenders have been called, the remainder of the crossing will be bridge and tunnel. The section called will extend about two miles from the New Brunswick shore. The present plan is also to establish the tenders called in 1967 for the great pier, bridge superstructure and the town complex which are the other major projects. The agreement between the federal and the provincial government of Canada has been reached for the traffic interchange at Albany, which is about four miles east of Port Borden , as well as the Seven Mile Bay overpass. The bridge section of the crossing will be about 18,300 feet in length, the bridge structure consists of forty-one spans. The New Brunswick Causeway will extend 11,560 feet into the Strait, while the Causeway on the Prince Edward Island side will extend some 2,500 feet from the shore at Port Borden . The north portal of the tunnel is to be locate at the end of the Island causeway. From the north portal to the south portal, which will be located on an artificial island, the distance is about 7,000 feet. The overall length of the tunnel com¬ plex, including approach ramps, is about 1,300 feet. Mr. Speaker , concern has been ex¬ pressed by the Leader of the Opposition over the Causeway report which was submit¬ ted to the provincial Department of Public Works, and the Federal Department of Public Works of Canada by O. J. McCullough , who is an independent consulting en¬ gineer of Montreal . This is the same engineer who designed the Hillsborough Bridge and the . Mr. Speaker , when this report was received by me, after reading it through thoroughly and keeping in mind the opinions and the criticisms expressed by Mr. McCullough over the present design, I felt it was my duty as Min ¬ ister to bring this report to the attention of the Government. This, of course, I did. Mr. Speaker , had I not done so and in later years McCullough was found to be correct, you can see the position I would be placed in. The government, realizing the building of the Causeway is a federal respons¬ ibility and an undertaking of their department of Public Works, sent a letter to the Minister requesting his assurance that his department would study and examine the matters which Mr. McCullough raised. Since the crossing will be a vital communication link for our province, the responsibility rests on this government to be completely sat¬ isfied that any difficulty has been thoroughly examined and resolved. L. George Dewar : Could I ask the honourable member a question? Was that report from Mr. McCullough solicited by your department or was it a voluntary ges¬ ture?