THE RANGITAIKI REPORT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19125, 17 September 1925, Page 8

THE RANGITAIKI REPORT.

The report produced by the commissioners who investigated the Rangitaiki Plains and their drainage scheme is not very cheerful. It is not intended to cheer, but to point to the only way, in the opinion of the commission, that anything can be made of this section of country. The observations and recommendations combined show that the whole scheme has turned out a bad business. Certain collateral circumstances, war conditions, boom and slump have complicated it, but beyond them is the plain statement that results confidently expected and counted as justifying the capital outlay have not been obtained. In origin the work dates back to 1910. It has grown in cost and difficulty since then, so that there is no profit in attempting an exact apportionment of responsibility for its outcome. The best course is to do what can be done to secure the largest measure of success reasonably attainable. The commission advises a drastic writing off of capital sunk by the State in the drainage operations, and substantial assistance in subsequent maintenance. However unpleasant this prospect may be, it is certainly better than pursuing a course which would probably result in wholesale abandonment of farms. As the report says, there would not be anyone to replace the settlers who gave up the struggle, and all that had gone into the land- would then be lost. The lesson written on the whole affair is that optimism should not be allowed to replace close scrutiny and an exact estimate of chances before such elaborate schemes are embarked upon. As the,cost of learning it from the Rangitaiki will certainly be over a quarter of a million pounds if the proposals in the report are given effect, it is to be hoped that lesson will be taken to heart completely. With that idea firmly fixed in mind, the Government will be wise to act in some degree on the advice of the commission, give the settlers a chance and make the best it can out of the unhappy business of the Rangitaiki drainage scheme.