Northern Advocate Daily WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE Northern Mail Daily. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1914. BEFORE, OR AFTER?

Northern Advocate, 26 November 1914, Page 4

Northern Advocate Daily WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE Northern Mail Daily.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1914. BEFORE, OR AFTER?

:lEGIS I'KltEl) FOX i'ftAMSM LSSiON THItOtJG H rttU POST AS A NEWSPAPER

The dictum that .transit facilities must be established before any considerable areas of country are opened for settlement is rapidly coming into general acceptance, as representing the most sagacious policy. For the lack of this provision in the past the evolution of the North has been badly retarded, and many valuable areas capa-

I tie of conversion into highly remunera: ive source.-; haw been untouched, .save for a comparatively iew settlers of indomitable spirii. To secure the best reivirus there mlust be occupation and tillage as as the capacity of the land can warrant, aud the speediest way to thai: end is to put transport communication within reasonable reach. Until recently the practice of departments has been to put the cart before the horse and to await 'the vi'i'y gradual development of settlement before talcing a hand. The notion underlying this custom has no doubt been that of securing immediate profit on. the transaction, or at any rate of being morally sure that no loss will be entailed. We cannot deny that there is a certain essence of business wisdom in this method, but there is plenty of presumptive evidence that enterprising action by the departments, where reasonably' assured prospects exist, would pay far better. Nor is it unreasonable to suggest . that th-e'State might take up a share of pioneering work instead of leaving it all to 'the people. In recent years we have had the satisfaction of seeing railway services pushed on vigorously from point to point in the North, and the rapid occupation of interveningareas has demonstrated infallibly how swiftly development of the country follows on the provision of transport conveniences. Plainly enough, every group of residents in remote regions cannot expect a railway to run past their doors, but they cchild justifiably expect otherwise to have good roading to facilitate their trafficking; and if. as we contend is best, such reading were ■provided in the case of the larger blocks of land prior to their opening for settlement, the term "remote" would lose the worst part of its usual meaning. It is also a feasible conclusion that the inherent productive properties of such areas as Mangakahia (which is not able'to show a tithe of its capacity) would be brought into foil bearing, because of the full occupation that pre-roading would undoubtedly induce; Local bodies as a rule, if not invariably, are unable to carry out roading sol»(#jnes on the comprehensive scale required to meet the situation properly, and it would appear as the bewt economy and the greatest satisfaction for the whole-coun-try if the State took charge, oj; these larger measures instead of doling out innumerable small grants that have to be applied to patches of roading here, there, and everywhere. We have shown time and again from '.conclusive official figures that the more the railways reach out to nsable land fire as in the North, the better they pay. An equally good result would follow on adequate roading in those districts which railways do not serve, though the returns "therefrom could not, of course, be shown in the same concrete lormIt is just a question of the State taking time by the forelock, instead of waiting indefinitely for time to overtake the State.