King Country Chronicle Saturday, Sept. 11th, 1915. DEVELOPING OUR RESOURCES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 804, 11 September 1915, Page 4

King Country Chronicle Saturday, Sept. 11th, 1915. DEVELOPING OUR RESOURCES.

Since the outbreak of the war there has naturally been a hesitancy on all sides to urge the undertaking of any widespread schemes involv ing public expenditure. Moreover, in the Financial Statement now before the House, local bodies are requested not to promote any expenditure except for necessitous works. The significance of the appeal of course rests upon the interpretation of necessitous

work. In this district it is safe to assert that nothing but work which is absolutely essential to the progress and development of the district ban been undertaken by the local authorities. The reading of any new district is one of the /irst essentials towards increasing production from the land, and metalled roads are jußt as necessary to this end as are the railways upon which there is to be no decrease in expenditure. Hitherto in this district the roading schemes have been chiefly confined to the weßtern side of the Main Trunk railway and, in a general Benae the initial difficulties in that respect have been overcome. On the western Bide of the railway, however, except in the case of a little Crown settlement, the roading difficulties still exist. Schemes are being promoted which will materially improve the situation but there is still much to be done before roading on a comprehensive scale can be undertaken. The need for a comprehensive scheme which can be utilised hy present and future settlers is just as urgent now as it was before the war. Large areas of undeveloped land exist eastward of tho railway and the necessity lur opening up the country and bringing it to tho producing Btage is one of the imperative needß of the Dominion. On all hands we aro told Hint, in order tu meet the increased responsibilities created by tho war a large increase in production is necessary, and the development of the country's natural resources must proceed. Without a comprehensive scheme capable of providing for the roading of native and Grown land on an equitable basis tho proper development of the lands referred to cm never take place and to stimulato production from roadless lands is a task beyond even the powers of a National Government. Of all the work within the scope of local bodies thai which may be considered most necessitous is surely the roading of undeveloped land with a view to increasing tho production of those commodities with which New Zealand will have to pay for the war loan and other responsibilities incurred through the war. In this district such work will not be satisfactorily accomplished until recognition is given by the Government to the fact that an unusual position exists. It is to be hoped efforts will he continued with a view to having a scheme adopted. The local authorities are powerless to afford relief under present conditions, and the necessity for action becomes daily more pressing.