PUBLIC OPINION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15923, 8 May 1912, Page 10

PUBLIC OPINION.

FROM YESTERDAY’S NEWSPAPERS. ( (BJ'. Telegraph.) HON JAAIES AI’GOWAN. We sometimes had occasion to criticise Air Al’Gowan’s administration of his departments. He did not err in tlie direction of over-rapid progress and he could be rather provokir.gly obstinate at times, but his industry, public spirit and practical grip of affairs were never called in question. He leaves behind him an honourable, unstained name, and New Zealand loses a man who loved and served her well. —Dunedin “ Star.” RAILWAY EXPENDITURE.

There is very real need for the construction of a modern railway station in Wellington, though not one, it is to be hoped, that will cost, as Mr Alyers has hinted, something like £350,000 or £400,000, for such an expenditure would be assuredly extravagant, and the Minister showed a good deal of courage in all the circumstances when his sense of duty led him to tell the deputation last week that he could not sec his way to recommend that a start should be made this year with the construction of the station. Air. Alyers says that there are more urgent railway requirements that must receive priority.of consideration. It is upon that 1 plea that he felt it incumbent 'upon him to return an unfavourable answer to the forcible representations that were made to him. We suspect, however, that the state of the Public Works Fund , may have been a factor in leading him to the conclusion he has formed on the subject.— “ Otago Daily Times.” PROGRESS OF THE NORTH.

Compared with tho stagnation and lethargy that were its lot for so many years in the past, the North is passing through a veritable “boom” period now, but this “ boom,” far from being artificial and unnatural, is based upon the enduring foundation of natural wealth, and therefore we believe that, as the 1 phrase goes, it has “ come to stay.” But no steady progress and no permanent prosperity will be possible for the North without easy and rapid means of communication, and it is because of our unshaken confidence in the vast potentialities of this longneglected district that we have always persistently; advocated the extension of roads and railways northward'with tho least possible delay. • Auckland “ Star.” LABOUR FOR FARAHNG.

If Mr Wilson will take tho trouble to compare the opportunities for settlement in Australia with , those in New .Zealand, he will perhaps ■ see most excellent reasons wny one country can, with safety, do that which would spell irretrievable disaster to the other. We quite agree with him that the Labour question to the country districts is a serious one at times, but we are very much afraid that the cure for this will not be found in rashly bringing large numbers of. workmen from other countries. The suggestion made _by Air Wilson concerning the Sedgwick boys, is, however, eminently reasonable. It has the merit that it offers a means by which an undoubted difficulty may he met without disturbing the ordinary labour market. Times.” LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL.

A Bill of more than 400 clauses, which proposes to recast the whole machinery of local government, necessarily offers many points pf -D 'k. and it is not in the public ir-'.r . that these should be concealed, ’nil it is at least equally important that tho good points of . the ;Bill should be brought out and that'good substitutes should be provided for those that are found to be defective. The main work of the Conference will not be faultfinding; Its object is not destruction, but construction, and the sooner this is realised by the delegates the better. Mr Alassey carried the easy role of fault-finder so far as to raise a most extravagantly absurd objection to tho constitution of the Conference.— “ Evening Post.”