Worry Over Canberra

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7103, 11 March 1933, Page 8

Worry Over Canberra

THE “WHITE ELEPHANTS.” LOSSES ON STATE HOTELS. Molbourno is still worried over Canberra, according to some comment in tho Melbourne Argus. There may be some satisfaction, but there will be no jubilation, says the newspaper, if the management of the hotels at Canberra is handed over to private enterprise. The white elephants had escaped and were running not only over the Monaro plain, but over the whole Commonwealth, before the wisdom of locking the door impressed itself upon those who are responsible for them. There has been a capital expenditure of £409,45S upon five hotels, and tho total losses amount to £244,941. Extravagance at Canberra can bo laid at the door of no political party in particular.

The electors can sec in a small way, however, what the result is when Parliaments take “control of credit’’ and arc determined to do well what they set out to do. It is unfortunate for the hotel-keeping industry that a pretence should have been made of observing commercial principles in the conduct of hotels at Canberra. The whiteness of these elephants is apparent to all. The numerous other white elephants at Canberra have no finger of scorn pointed at them, because they were not expected to do anything for the grass that they ate or trampled down. Threequarters of a millioa pounds have been sunk iin hotel property, and in 1970 the taxpayers will still be paying off the losses.