Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, JANUARY 4th, 1921. THE AGGRESSIVE SPIRIT.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 January 1921, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, JANUARY 4th, 1921. THE AGGRESSIVE SPIRIT.

Thhke is a feeling abroad that anything will do for Westland. For long years it has been the Cinderella of the provinces. Westland might begin the New Venr with calling on its citizens to dis-

play a more aggressive spirit, and begin at once b.v asserting themselves in the desire to attain what are their rights and dues. In another place we refer to the bridging of the South Westland rivers. Tlnj bridges are ours by lights, because Parliament lias voted the money, and the people should not remain satisfied with this position, but demand that the money should be •pent. A few wears ago Parliament voted the money to proceed with the South Westland railway. A Minister not friendly to the district politically, vetoed the expenditure and the money went to a district of the right political colour. The people did not protest. They accepted the position tamely without any special objection, and because of the inactivity of public opinion in that direction we are still withcut the extension of the southern railway. The moral is obvious. If we want anything in this political life we have got to assert ourselves continuously. It is the-same in other parts of the Dominion. ,\l| the centres are uniting local forces to fight for their rights, and if we do not unite and fight we shall he left out in the cold. I't is of little practical use getting money on the Estimates merely to ornament the pages of the Appropriations. The experience lias been thru it is easier to get the money voted than spent-—which are two vrv different things. Wellington province is first waking up now to the fact that Auckland has been getting all the “plums’-’ in the matter of public works, and Wellington, centrally situated and the capital province, is “out in the cold.” Canterbury began to see the drift of things some time ago, and organised successfully to stem the adverse tide. Westland wants to work actively on similar lines. It is not enough to form a league or a. committee, and leave it to a few willing enthusiasts to “carry on.” They want public opinion behind them as the real lever to -shift the Government. And it must be a robust public opinion, freely and loudly expressed, so that the voices will carry to the quarter where they will be heard. Just now our sawmillers here are in a serious plight because of the lack of stacking room for loading space for export. The situation lias been revealed to the Government over and over again. Representations Have been made and deputations have gone forth. The Government, as usual, has been prolific in promises, but nothing has materialised. The people must become more aggressive. It is thc.ir business, as the country’s, to see that industries expand, and the railways are used to economic advantage. The timo has arrived when the public should join with the millers in demanding attention to the request to provide stacking spaco so that 'more timber may be transported by rail. The folk here have been, too rest and be thankful rewarding their requirements, and seeing that the business is to be done for the expenditure, as contributors to tho general taxation they have a right to demand more reasonable consideration at the hands of the authorities. Another matter on which

tho district should k«ep a watchful eye from now on, is the need for urging the Public Works Department to take passenger, mails and parcels traffic through the Otira tunnel before the present year expires. There are all the possibilities for this traffic. The lines will bo connected up in a very few months now, and the tunnel lining should he finished by about mid-year. There is ample electric power and light for working the electric motors to draw the light traffic, and plenty of electricity to light the tunnel way. There will he some initial difficulties no doubt, but these should not bo insuperable. Where there is a will there is a way, and if public opinion will continue to express itself freely on the subject, we believe it is probable that by October or November next at the a good deal of light traffic through the tunnel will he an accomplished fact. The rapid increase in the volume of overland traffic will demand this added service if Westland is to enjoy the merits of the tide of permanent prosperity now setting in coastward.