PUBLIC WORKS POLICY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 246, 17 October 1922, Page 4

PUBLIC WORKS POLICY.

POINTS FROM THE STATEMEICT. DIMINISHING INTEREST IN RAILWAYS. NEW SYSTEM OF LOCAL GRANTS. FOUR MILLION LOAN FOR PUBLIC WORK" (By Telegraph.—l'arlianienra'-j- Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. This year's Public Works Statement will reflect the general condition o f , public finance liy its avoidance of any I innovations which moan additional i financial liabilities, but there is to be mo slackening of the pace? of works in ! hand. i Provision is being tnado for continu- ! ing hydroelectric works at programme ] rate, involving a liability for the cur- ; rent year of one million sterling, a large j portion of which is for generating plant j an<! equipment. I Railway construction is being confined jto completing work in hand. Th» j Minister, in this connection, is able to ! refer hopefully to the progress of hi» ! policy of concentration, with a view to ! linking up isolated lengths of unproflt- ' able line, the most notable advance I being that of the Midland railway, which will be open for through traffic between Chrislchurch and Grevmouth by March. There has been a noteworthy change iin railway construction policy durinj : the past few years. .Former Vublie j Works .Statements were eagerly antiei- ! pated by members with a view to dfoI covering if their representations for i additional railways had been approved- ! Iml apart from the effect of financial I stringency, there has been of late yean j a diminishing interest in new lines. It lis realised that first-class roads may : serve bai-kblocks .listricta better than j railways without adequate roade as feeders. Therefore, it is not surprising that this year's Statement devotes more ; attention to a loading policy than to i further development of railways. j Jn preparing the Public Works EetU i mntes this yi>:ir the Minister has fol- • lowed a new plnn of indicating io J ad\ance to local authorities, through I the district engineers of the Work* i Department, the gross amount of vote for each district, leaving details to bt . completed by g.-ncral agreement I between the engineers and representa■;ive.» of the local authorities. This j pyxtPm, according to the Statement, has worked satisfactorily. The basis of i allocating votes is stated in a General j way to be according to the actual needs iof each district. In this respect the j rates struck by local authorities pro- ) \ Lie a valuable >!ue to the real urgency of roading unil bridging requirements. I Where coiintic- ha\e struck a maximum i rate for the purpose their voles are I likely t.. be more generous than those 1 for districts which ba\e contented themJ aches with n smaller call on the ratepayers. The fact that they may have put heavy pressure on the Government J for grants from 1 lie works fund ie not iso effective as the imposition of a j hea\.\ rate as a sign of self help. j The Statement will probably be diej cussed in the House on Friday, in conI junction with the Public Works Loan j Bill, authorising the borrowing of a i further four millions sterling for public