THE H.B. TRIBUNE. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1912. AUCKLAND’S GREED.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 47, 8 February 1912, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1912. AUCKLAND’S GREED.

The leading article we republish today from tlie Auckland “Star proves conclusively that Auckland is not looking with favour upon the Government’s intention of energetically pushing on the work of constructing the Napier-Gisborne section of the East Coast railway, and, if we mistake not, considerable opposi/ion will be met with from our Auckland neighbours before the work is allowed to proceed. The attitude now taken up is surprising in view of the movement originating in Auckland two years ago to bring about concerted action by northern members of Parliament so as to ensure just treatment for the North Island in the, matter of public requirements, and more particularly public works expenditure. Mr. J. H. Gunson. Chairman of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, was the prime mover in this matter, and his Chamber forwarded to each Northern Parliamentary representative a copy of a letter sent to the Prime Minister, in which it was stated that

“this Chamber feels that it is quite unnecessary to impress upon you the great advantages to accrue and the benefits which would obtain from the united action of Northern members upon these vital questions so dear to all who have tho country’s prosperity and advancement' at heart. It is considered if some concerted action by Northern members was taken, legislation as required and public works allocations sufficiently substantial for the v igorous prosecution for the several works to which reference is made, and of which this Chamber is a strenuous advocate, would be speedily enacted and readily available. This Chamber earnestly commends these matters to your energetic support and advocacy, and trusts that some such action as indicated will be recorded. Among the several "works to which reference was made was the A\ aihiGisborne section, and the chairman said that "it was best to concentrate their efforts in that direction and urge the importance of linking up the East Coast.” Now to-day we find Auckland opposing the construction of the Napier-Gisborne line, the main link in the linking up of the East Coast scheme. Obviously the desire of the northerners is to link up Gisborne with Auckland and leave the South unconnected, so that all the trade from Poverty Bay shall be drained into the Northern city. Auckland has during the last year or two developed the vice of i greed to a painful degree, and her action now in opposing the linking! up by railway of Hawke's Bay and | Gisborne exceeds anything ever at- ; tempted before in parochial selfish-! ness. This is manifested by the fact I that the same estimates which pro- j vide a paltry £35.000 for the Hawke’s | B.ay railway make provision for the I

expenditure of no less a total than £360,000 for railways for Auckland. With this fact before us it is obvious that the only motive actuating Auckland is self-interest, and the fable about ’’questions so dear to all who have the country ~ prosperity and advancement at heart’’ discloses the depths of hypocrisy to which some Aucklanders will descend to gain an advantage. The "Star” is also unfortunate in its reference to the evils of Government control over railway construction. That journal evidently believes in the axiom that circumstances alter cases. On June 23, 1910, it advocated advantage being taken of the majority representation the North Island held over the South, and in a leading article on that date it said : "But even if we cannot, convince our southern friends that we are claiming no more than our just rights, we can at least make use ot all the political power am! influence that its rightful preponderance uf members has given the North Island to secure attention for the needs <,f th<? north. As Mr. Gunson reminds us, the relatively lavish public ex penditure on the South Island was explicable so long as the population of the North was smaller, and our Parliamentary representation was therefore more limited. But now that we have more members in the House than the South Island, we will have only ourselves to blame if we do not succeed in inducing Government to dispense ‘excu-hrvidi c justice’ to us all.” Here is direct evidence that when it serves Auckland’s purpose they will not hesitate to take a pull on the coat tails J Ministers, yet when the operation : s thought to have been successfully performed by others it is a matter for severe condemnation. The redeeming feature of the “Star’s” articles is that they reveal the true inieu lions of our northern friends, and serve to warn our Parliamentary re presentaiives of the fallacy of expecting any assistance from th>. Auckland members in the direction of securing Government grants for Hawke’s Bax requirements