THAT RAILWAY STATION

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1431, 4 May 1912, Page 11

THAT RAILWAY STATION

F-TJBLIC EXPENDITURE, Sir,—There is''a strong agitation going on amongst a small section of tho people of Wellington for a large and expensivu railway station. Even tho Education Board lias had its attention diverted from its normal functions, in order to further this desire to pander to the pride of Wellington. We all know that the late Government lost its majority in tho Houso at las; election largely on account of the cry of its extravagence, and many thinking people wero of the firm opinion that far too much money was being spent in public buildings in the towns, and 100 little in opening up ways for conveying the Ipro'duco' of the country to the markets: It has been urged in favour of a new railway station that tho present ones are shabbv and not equal to those in other towns'. Tlieso pleas are simply begging the question. Because an extravagance was committed in one place, it is absolutely no reason whv it should be committed in another. My small experience of the. raihvav stations has taught me that wliat we want more than a new station is efficiency in the work of the present one. ■ • , The duty of a Government is not to spend money in order to make all the principal towns equal, as tho agitators in this matter assume. It is to look over the whole country, and judge honestly and fairly how it can spend the money for the greatest benefit of the whole people. In a young country like this, where tho bravest and hardiest people are living out in the back-blocks, isolated for a great part of tho year from their fellows, and only able to convey their produce to the market at great cost, whilo their labour and enterprise is adding to the permanent wealth of tho country, the_ first duty of the Government after carrying out its protective functions, is to provide for efticient means of access. At present buildings for public purposes are in course ot erection in Wellington which will cost nearlv half a million pounds, and these buildings could have l>een done without quite comfortably. This money would hovo made and gravelled five hundred miles of roads. Think of the wealth this would have added annually to i\ew Zealand, and the comfort and encouragemeat it would have given to those who are carving out of tho bush the sources of the future productiveness of tho couni'am not a politician, and I don't support Governments oft political grounds. A Government which is amenable to the influence of deputations, influenced b.v selfish local considerations, instead Oi standing out bravely and honestly and doing its duty for the best welfare of its country, is not worthy of the support of true citizens. I commend these thoughts to tho earnest consideration of all who are unselfish and patriotic enough to put tho wolfare of their country and their fel-low-men before local pride, and the desire of a' few to benefit at the expense of the whole community; and I hope the Premier will stick to the spirit of his declaration to the people in Auckland who came asking for a railway.—l am, 6°" J. WALLACE MACKENZIE. Wellington, May 1, 1912.