PUBLIC WORKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 211, 3 September 1920, Page 6

PUBLIC WORKS.

ALLOCATION OP MONEY. £ "AUCKLAND V. THE REST." (ISJ- Telcsraph.—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. ''It appears.to mc," said the president of the Canterbury Progress League lafct night, "that if this discussion reaches "■ more acute stage it will not be Auckland v. Canterbury, but Auckland v. the rest ' of New Zealand, because, as I understand ' the position, Wellington is just aa unfortunately situated as Canterbury or . Otago." Thw remark had special refer- ; once to the treatment of Auckland as : compared with Southern provincial districts in the. mutter of public works votes. The "Lyttclton Time," says: "The president of tho Canterbury Progress League, made the useful suggestion last evening that a conference be held ■ of di'legaten from the various progress leagues and kindred bodies throughout -New Zealand. Among subjects that j Mich a conference might consider, .Mr. ] . Henderson mentioned the distribution of public works money by Parliament. Certainly the policy at present followed is ' scandalously wasteful, as is proved, to ' take, only one example, in the continued growth in the cost of unopened railway ■ lines. The policy is open to tho further objection that votes are arranged a'cording to political pressure and in 11 nence. To !„. quite frank, the province of ' Auckland i« getting a grc.it deal rn.iiv expenditure than is just to the rest of the Dominion, and it is time that scry I ■pointed attention wm drawn to .Ins matter. A conference of the kind pro- . posed In- Mr. Henderson would be a competent body to perform this task."