GOVERNMENT BY DEPUTATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13285, 18 September 1906, Page 5

GOVERNMENT BY DEPUTATION.

US' SCRAMBLE FOR THE LOAVES i • AND FISHES.

[BY TELEGRAPH.--SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Monday. The belief in the principle of "government by deputation" is evidently a growing article of political faith. The present session has proved quite remarkable for the long string of deputations to Ministers, and the number appears to be m no way diminishing Every Saturday and Monday the corridors and entrances to Ministers 1 -rooms are blocked by Iho "strong and influential deputations" from virions parts of the colony, all bent on placing their various local requirements in the most favourable light. before (ho Government. The Minister for Public Works is, of course, honoured, with the greatest, share of attention, thus showing that, whilst. Governments may com? add go, the scramble for (ho loaves ana fishes is destined to go on, so long as t/e present system of the distribution of puJlic guilds is continued. Several applications for new railways have met with the /eply that no new lines will be undertake!/ until the lines now under construction ate completed, but this has not stopped the requests for new lines. After Mr. Jones had made his usual reply to-day to a. deputation that asked for a new line, the pokesin in exclaimed in a tone of desperation, " Well, I suppose we must keep oil battling | away for another seven years, or until you are ready to make a start." The requests •for votes for reading are. of course, as : numerous as ever, and in respect to those the .Minister lias declared that the " back blocks" are to receive special consideration. When it is a question of deciding between the wants of the more-settled districts (which are not entirely devoid of roads) and the back blocks, where, in many cases, there is no formed road at all, it will bo " the buck blocks every time," to quote a" phrase used by Mr. Hall-Jones in replying to a deputation the other day. Up till the present time Auckland district has not taken a ttrong hand this year in regard to depu. tations, but the applications, by way of petitions. for grants of various kinds have been, veiy numerous.