SPENDING AND EARNING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15513, 21 January 1914, Page 8

SPENDING AND EARNING.

With all respect to the services rendered by Sir Joseph Ward to the Dominion it must be recognised that he has not distinguished himself by any policy of development. Such unprofitable and unproductive railways as the Otago Central and the Midland stand as monuments to the system pursued by the Continuous Government, while Native Lands still bar genuine settlement throughout the North and the East Coast, the Hauraki Plains, the Kawhia country and other fertile areas are still unrailed and undeveloped. From Sir Joseph's point of view there is, therefore, much to be said against assuming those burdens of defence which are involved in the naval projects of the Reform Government, for how can we increase our national spendings if we do not increase our national earnings? We venture to point out to Sir Joseph Ward that Auckland Province alone is capable of such great and easy development as will enable the Dominion to bear, without feeling, the cost of any reasonable naval defence. Uninhabited plains, deserted blocks, sparsely peopled regions, where weeds and rabbits flourish and agriculture is unknown, do not supply the funds to buy cruisers or to keep New Zealand crews afloat- Yet they would if opened to the settler, pierced by railways, traversed by roads. The exports of the Dominion during 1913 exceeded £62,000,000; the revenue exceeded £11,000,000; there is literally nothing to prevent exports totalling thirty millions or forty millions, with corresponding increase in the consolidated revenue if the Government would pursue the energetic policy of development so frequently urged by the Herald upon Sir Joseph Ward.