NORTH AUCKLAND'S SHARE.

Northern Advocate, 28 January 1922, Page 4

NORTH AUCKLAND'S SHARE.

To go through the whole of the Estimates presented to Parliament List night by the Minister of Public Works would occupy a great deal of time, a'id to compare the votes for one district with those for another would be a very lengthy process. We cannot process to have undertaken the task, and w«» are by no means sure that it woaid lie wor'.h while to do so. But after carefully perusing the Estimates so far as they concern North Auckland we may say that this district has received a very i'a:r share of the money voted for expenditure on public works. Apart from the actual amount of money involved, however, the policy laid down by the Minister of Public Works should be gratifying to this district. He had made it quite evident that he places the completion of the North Auckland railway--we use the word "completion" to siunifv the achievement of the connection with Auckland —in the forefront of his programme. The closing of the Whnngarei gap is the task upon which the principal effort is to be concentrated, and if the connection with Auck'and can be made within another twelve or fourteen months a very large area of the North will reap substantial benefits. It is to be noted .of course, that

we are not to expect numerous branch lines radiating from the main railway of North Auckland, for the Minister foreshadows the abandonment of those ral her costly luxuries in favour of Ihe construction of good roads and the encouragement of motor traffic. He hopes, however, to serve the important Manga • kahia district with good roads, and Hi;s policy will, no doubt, be extended. !§o far as roads and bridges are concerned we presume that North Auckland will benefit by the new policy of spending the bulk of the public money iu

districts that are backward in roading

and development. This year's votes for roads and bridges in the North makn an imposing show, though they will not satisfy everyone. The Minister has rot seen his way, for instance, to provide for all the needs of the mining industry at Puhipuhi district, anil though he has made a substantial grant for a wharf at One Tree Point we find no trace of a vote for the road that should lead to it. On the other hand, there are votes that must be accounted very gratifying—such, for instance, as that for the Whcki Valley road. On the whole it seems that the North should be satisfied, and the policy which the Minister is pursuing certa r.'v should tend to improve matters in this part of the Dominion.