THE GOVERNMENT'S PUBLIC WORKS POLICY.

Evening Star, Issue 8483, 7 April 1891, Page 4

THE GOVERNMENT'S PUBLIC WORKS POLICY.

The Hon. R. J. Seddon, on arriving at Hokitika, was presented with an address by the Borough Council. We make the following extracts, from the ' West Coast Times,' from the Minister's reply:—

The next item in the address was a reference to the Hokitika Grey Railway. No one was more desirous of a speedy completion of this line than himself. He was in a position to further it, and meant to do so to the best of his ability. There was a difficulty—a financial difficulty; but it could be got over, and to tell them how he would let them into a State secret. It might be a matter of surprise to them that, though the work was not gone on with, the balance was gradually diminishing. It surprised him also till the other day, when he was asked to sign a voucher for a large sum to the debit of the Hokitika - Grey Railway account. He knew no work had been done, and so asked what it was for, and then learned of a practice of charging for contingencies to any account that had a good credit balance. He need not tell them that he refused to sign that voucher. It was his intention to ascertain how much was available in this connection, and have it applied to its legitimate object. The Government did not intend to borrow money. It was a portion of their policy that there should be no more borrowing. This borrowing policy in the past had exercised a degrading influence on their political life and left heavy burdens of taxation from which they were now suffering. Borrowing had increased the value of large landed properties, and for that increase the people were bearing the weight of heavy taxes, They might ask him how, if there was to be no more borrowing, the Hokitika-Grey Railway and other lines would be com* pleted. If his colleagues went about as he had done there would be a saving of L 50,000 in administration. In his departments L' 20,000 would be saved, and of the men thus dispensed with he might say that they would never be missed. Under the Conversion Act Eeveral loans would fall in, and their conversion would give the Government from L 400.000 to L 500.000 for public works. It had been siid that they should not spend this money, but use it to extinguish the public debt. That waß said by those who had received the benefit of very large expenditure in the past. He could assure them that the work they had referred to should receive every attention from the Government; he could not say more. Reference had been made to the Midland Railway Company taking over 1 this line. He was thoroughly of opinion that they should not hand over this line to any syndicate. The ' West Coast Times' had asked him to take the people into his confidence, and he would bo. About eighteen months ago negotiations were being carried on between the Midland Railway Company and the Government, but they had only furnished reasons for farther delay. The company also wanted to take over the Brunner line. This was veßted in the Railway Commissioners, and could not be dealt with except a special Act of Parliament was passed. The Grey Harbor Board, who received the revenue, were also to be considered in the matter. The position was surrounded with difficulties. He had gone carefully into the papers on the subject, and quite agreed with the late Administration and|with his predecessor; and could not see his way to come to the proposed arrangement with the company. He did not know how the paragraph got into the address, but he did not believe the people of Hokitika wanted it. It was

inert Inopportune to bring it forward at the s(resent5 (resent time. Should money be available rom the loan conversion each member wonld want something for his own locality; it would aoon be known that the Midland Railway Company was prepared to construct this railway, and members would ask why the country should construct it and other lines suffer when it could be made by other means. He would ask them to discountenance any suoh proposition, as he was determined to discountenance it himself, tf a change was made in the manner of raising the revenue, the incidence should be changed so that wealth should bear the chief Weight of the cost of the siok and the indigent. They could not well have any other opinion but that local government had broken down on the Ocast. Government must take this into* consideration; things oould not continue as they were. Amalgamation might do some good, but not much. Government would consider the whole question, and next session see what provision could be made. Their first duty, of coarse, would be to carry their taxation proposals. la that struggle perhaps local government measures would for a time be put aside, but it would only be for a time.