The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. SATURDAY, JANUARY 28. 1922. PUBLIC WORKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 23, 28 January 1922, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28. 1922. PUBLIC WORKS.

for ihe cause that lacks assistance. For the tnront) that need* renatanee, For the future in th* distance, Ant the good thai we can <fo.

The Public Works Statement is not i sensational document, but is welcome ai a further proof that the Minister has the root of reform in hin>; and that if he can get his way with his fellow Minis tere and Parliament he will effect moel valuable and far-reaching changes in administration and policy. That thers is a great deal still to be done before Government policy can be placed on 1 satisfactory footing ig apparent from tlie Statement. During the year under review the Public Works Department has handed over to the Railway Department a length of 11} miles of completed line. Wihai an impressive achievement; quite in keeping with construction—l 2 miles. The Waiuku railway has just been handed over after seven years of dilatory building under the old system. This comic opera method of constructing railways must cease. Fortunately, Mr. Coates believe* in conoentration of effort and improvement" in the methods of working. We are satisfied that everything possible has no! been as yet accomplished in the direction of concentration; but we recognise the Minister's difficulties, and he must be credited with having made a start with the new policy. He has discontinued, or means to discontinue, work on several lines; and while grants arc still being spread over a large number of works, there will be a measure of concentration on the North Auckland connection, the East Coast line, and the Midland railway. This choice is a wise one. The sooner the Otira tunn»l is finished, and

the capital sunk there brought to the earning point, the better the claims ol the North Auckland Alain Trunk. The rote this year for thie northern line is Mibstantially largtr than last yrar. and his also is the caie with the East Coast line. It is disappointing to find that ;he connection between Waihi and Tau•anga is to be further delayed, but we >eiieve that under the circumstances tho Minister is wise in deciding to coneenTate for the time being on giving the ertile lands of the Bay of Plenty eastcard of Tauranga a connection with that K>rt. We are glad to see that the Miniser is taking a. long view of the trans>ort problem, and facing the truth that n this country, as in others, motor cariage is bound to develop. He sees not nly that the Government should assist his development by providing good oads, but that the railway construction olicy should bu shaped in accordance 'ith this new fnctor. Already the cometition of niotj.r vehicles with the rail'ays is serious, and will become more jrious as the conditions of the highways nproves. Tie Minister foreshadows a olicy of allowing motor transport to evelop whe»e it is better suited to the reds of certain districts than railway irriage. T.e may also note that the msible idr a of the Minister in introacing labc ur-saving devices in construeon is hoj.ing "a very beneficial result," id that he makes further reference in s prop osals for improved methods hich ale even more important to-day an in 'the past, because the country can ss Wf 11 afford to waste money in efficit ney, whether this takes the shape bui'.ding railways by wheelbarrows or lowing political favour to dictate the vision of Puftlic Works moneys. The

Department spent nearly four millions in I 1921, and it estimates that the cxpendi-' ture this year will be fiw and a half millions, which, however, includes an increased outlay on nil way rolling stock of more than a milion and a half. These are record figures, consequently it is more important than ever before that the country should get full value for J the money expended. We have to face I the fact that development must proceed,' even if money continues to be dear, for i upon this depends the country's ability to expand and pay its way with reasonable ease; but wasteful developments mey only land New Zealand in still more

serious financial difficulties. We hope, therefore, that the Minister will proceed quickly and vigorously with his other reforms, such as the highway policy and his intention to have all railway projects thoroughly examined before construction is sanctioned. Every month of delay in arriving at a definite and comprchensrvt policy of arterial road construction and maintenance adds waste tv> the national bill, and so does the idiotic procedure of sanctioning railway linos without consultation with the Department that has to operate them and is ask«d to make them pay.