The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1921. NEW PUBLIC WORKS POLICY.

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6204, 8 October 1921, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1921. NEW PUBLIC WORKS POLICY.

The latest instalment of the Government’s Public Works policy, as disclosed to .the House; by the Hon. J. G. Coates, will be welcomed in that it sets out that, in future, proposed new works will require to undergo a severe acid test with a view to proof that the expenditure would be fully justified. As far as new railways are concerned, Mr Coates Jays it down that the mere fact that a suggested line may be popular in the eyes of some members of Parliament will not ensure that the. work will be undertaken. Nor will it assist members to urge that' new railways should be constructed 'in their districts on the principle that districts are entitled to share and share alike in the matter of public works expenditure. If the principle for which Mr Coates stands had always been in force in this Dominion, it is certain that the railways map would today be very different. A‘ number of lines—and in particular the Otago Central line—could never have passed the tests which Mr Coates says will be imposed on all lines proposed in the future. Nobody can honestly quarrel with Mr Coates’ ideas on this subject which involve first consideration in regard to lines which are not only urgently needed, but are also bound to promote a reasonable amount of new development with a corresponding increase as regards the Dominion’s productivity. Oil this subject, Mr Coates, it may be recalled, had this to say in the House last session "May I say that my duty is—when I have got public money to allot and have to make recommendations to the Government thereupon—to spend the money in the district from which I am going to get the best return for my expenditure, which is going to open up country, and which is going to int crease production in New Zealand. My duty to the Dominion is not to take the narrow parochial view.” So far, Mr Coates has not had an opportunity to put this portion of his policy into practice. He has, however, carried out several other important reforms in connection with the Public Works Department. It is certain, for instance, that since he took over the control of that department, the District Engineers throughout the Dominion have been given a degree of latitude which was

undreamt of previously. Equally true is it that much more up-to-date methods of construction have been introduced since Mr. Coates became Minister for Public Works. What has proved troublesome to Mr Coates lias been the large number of public ivories which lie found in an unfinished state when he took up Ministerial duties. The policy for which Mr. Coates stands is, in short, that the Government must study every proposed work with the care that would be taken in connection with any ordinary commercial enterprise. As far as proposed railways are concerned, the application of ■ this principle, he has madb it clear, will involve - a favorable decision in respect of the urgency and importance of the work and include the gathering of data as to the probable earning-power, besides expert testimony as to how to secure the best results as to low haulage costs. What Mr Coates has now outlined with reference to the new public works policy is, however, merely an ariiplification of what lie stated in the House last session. It is, happily,, clear that this portion of the Dominion has nothing to fear from the introduction of any such new policy. Mir Coates said in the House last year that he hoped by October, 1922, when several small, unfinished railway lines would have been got ■ out of the way, that the Government would be in a position to concentrate on the following three main trunk lines—Midland railway, East Coast Main Trunk railway, and North Auckland Main Trunk railway. " This portion of the Dominion will easily stand any test which Mr Coates may apply to the public works that it so urgently requires.