The Northern Advocate Daily “NORTHLAND FIRST” WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1938. Getting, Things Done

Northern Advocate, 27 July 1938, Page 6

The Northern Advocate Daily “NORTHLAND FIRST”

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1938. Getting, Things Done

Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper

IT IS sixty-eight years this year since, on June 28, 1870, Sir Julius Vogel, then Colonial Treasurer, enunciated in the House of Representatives the first great programme of public works development in New Zealand. At that time the population, exclusive of Maoris, was 250,000. New Zealand, was a country of bridle tracks, primitive roads, unbridged rivers. A certain amount of development had been begun by the Provincial Government, but in the North Island progress had been seriously delayed by the Maori wars. Sir Julius Vogel’s plans met with a certain amount of opposition, and one or two public meetings that he addressed were very .vtormy. Nevertheless, bis plans were carried through, and made an important contribution to New Zealand’s progress. Since then each passing year lias seen further steps taken to develop the public utilities of the country. The name of Sir Julius Vogel is honoured as the founder of the public works policy, hut every one of his successors has carried on the work according to the means at his disposal. In the case of the Hon. Mr. Semple, whose latest Public Works Estimates were placed before Parliament yesterday, a very liberal limit has been set to the means available. The spending of the immense total of £19,188,065 is authorised. Much of this money will come directly from taxation, and much from loans. Whatever its source, it obviously represents a huge burden of expense to be borne by a population of a million and a-half. The prudence or otherwise of such expenditure, however, does not appear to concern the Government very greatly. In actual fact, it is too deeply committed now to contemplate a reduction in the scale of Public Works, for any tapering-off ivould inevitably cause an increase in the number of unemployed. The question of heavy public works expenditure can be considered from many angles. The financial aspect is the least pleasant. Another which is not altogether pleasing is the enormous cost of the work now being executed. These are being performed with the prices of material and labour at their very peak, and actual cost is exceeding the original estimates by a matter of millions in some instances. Thus the question of whether the Dominion is getting the best value for its money is raised. Construction of new railways continues to be a costly phase of operation, the sum of four and a-quarter millions being provided for such works. Since the railways cannot meet their interest bill now, and the new works lie almost exclusively through scantilypopulated districts, linking small towns separated by immense natural obstacles, it is obvious that the new lines will contribute nothing whatever toward the future prosperity of the national railway system. To the contrary, they are likely to prove a serious embarrassment. The improvement of the reading system, and the erection or extension of public buildings, are features which have more to commend them. Good roads and permanent bridges, built with an eye to future requirements, are -sound investments. Public buildings, too, are needed in many centres where the volume of business has outgrown existing facilities. During the depression it was impossible without placing heavier burdens on the people to maintain the State’s normal building programme. The present Government’s buoyant revenues are permitting it to catch up with such work. It is possible to find cause for great satisfaction in much that is being done. It is a pity that such satisfaction has to be tempered with a feeling that some moderation would have been advisable.