Greymouth Evening Star. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER-!6, 1946. Plan for the West Coast?

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 September 1946, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER - !6, 1946. Plan for the West Coast?

jQURING the last nine months the Government has been busy announcing 10-year plans with plenty . of political trimmings. Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and the districts which provide the basis of their wealth had their programmes of development mapped out for them some time ago and last week Invercargill and Southland were added to the list. So far there has been no indication of what place the West Coast region is to occupy in the national works programme, and no doubt it was the lack of an official pronouncement in this respect that prompted the Westland County Council to decide at its last meeting, to seek from the member for the district, Mr. O’Brien, information as to when a 10-year-plan for the Coast area, could be expected to be-made public.

Much has been said and written m recent years regarding the need lor decentralisation. It has been stated as part of the Government’s policy, but so far, there is little evidence of practical steps towards its implementation. The annual report of the' Ministry of Works, which surveys the three-year period from its establishment to March 31 of: this year, points to the almost uncontrolled drift of population from the South to the North Island, and the equally uncontrolled drift to Auckland and Wellington. Indeed it is estimated by the authorities of the former city that 76 per cent, of the entire Dominion’s housing need is concentrated in the’ metropolitan area there. And while the drift to the north continues, the tendency in the South Island for rural residents to migrate to the larger centres icraains. Although certain of the works already announced must for various reasons take precedence over every other Stale building plan, it is difficult to see how a policy of decentralisation can ever be implemented if more attention is not given to regions which, there is good reason for stating, have not in the past been developed in a manner calculated to make best use of their potentialities. The people of the West Coast have a case which they could well press, not only for their own benefit but in the national interest. Because of several limiting factors, there is little hope, of course, that much headway with, public works will be made in the next few years, but a regional plan olleis a basis for orderly development, with national, local and private works dovetailed for the economical advancement of the district as a whole. Error, failure and waste could thus be avoided. Furthermore a regional plan has the advantage of giving the people an objective—and hope. They are made aware of the potentialities of their district and are thus provided with a common objective which could quite feasibly be of incalculable benefit as a means of stimulating industry and enterprise.

Labour in a Depression ’THE Labour press never tires of repeating the thread-bare charge that the Coalition Government in New Zealand during the world depression “marched the workers to slavery.” The electors never hear of the slump being used as a political weapon in Britain, Australia, France or any other country where tin? Socialists were in office during those years. The reason is obvious, even to the most politically gullible. It is sufficient to refer, once more, to conditions in Australia alone during those unhappy years. When the world depression cast its shadow over the Antipodes, Australia, had a, Labour Federal Government and Labour rvas in office also in the major States of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. There were-non-Lr rbour Governments in Queensland and the less important States of Western Australia and Tasmania. In each of the States where Labour was in office thecuts in wages and pensions were far more severe than those ordered in New Zealand, and what is more they were put into effect at an earlier date.

That is what Labour Governments did overseas. What would Labour have done in New Zealand? It is wisely silent on this point. It is easy to be wise after the event; but the wage and pension-cutting example which Labour leaders in Australia, Britain and France gave to this country in the depression is sufficient to indicate the trend of Labour thought and remedy current in those days of economic hardship. All these things happened 15 years ago. The people now are not interested in vha Labour would have done then, but in what Labour intends to do in pursuing to its logical end its policy of < Socia ism with all its inherent evils of State re o i mentation and direction. Rather seeking to show, by fair means or ou , that the Opposition’s policy is a *p ie • a the destruction of present employ men’ conditions, the Labour press would serve the country better if it offered an exp ana tion of how, under Socialism, the ers are going to avoid ie . °- labour direction and compulsion. ia no doubt a task it would not relis r.