INCREASED PRODUCTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16966, 27 September 1918, Page 4

INCREASED PRODUCTION

PUBLIC WORKS ESSENTIAL.

NATIONAL ROADS POLICY.

The necessity for a determined effort to increase the output of the natural products from the land, in order to meet the great and rapidly increasing financial liabilities, due to the war, was emphasised by Mr. S. J. Ambury, at the' annual meeting of the Farmers' Freezing Company yesterday. Mr. Ambury said it was hopeless to look for an adequate increase in our primary products unless we had good arterial roads and railways. The greatest handicap to production from the land was bad roads and the lack of railways. This handicap had been acutely felt in the Auckland district, and if the country was to remain prosperous a vigorous public works policy would have to be undertaken. We needed a national highway from Auckland to the North Cape, and from Auckland to Wellington. The inauguration of a national policy of roading was absolutely essential in order to promote settlement and increase production. Another important matter that required the attention of the Government was the connection of the North Auckland railway with Whangarei. There was still about 30 miles of the line unfinished, and no excuse could be made for delaying the completion of this important work.