AID TO PUBLIC WORKS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5728, 25 October 1905, Page 4

AID TO PUBLIC WORKS.

No one expected to find anything new in the Doan Bill which the Minister for Public Works asked tho House yesterday afternoon to read a second time. Not only was tho amount known, but tho details of tho proposed distribution have been familiar to every member since tho Public Works Statement was delivered. Moreover, so many other facts were open secrets that tho Minister had no difficulty at all in showing that tho borrowing average for the last fourteen years has been moderate and very fairly divided. In this connection it is satisfactory, from the colonial point of view', that Auckland, tho greatest grumbler of all those interested in tho division, received last year by far tho most money, and it is pleasing from tho point of view of justice that the North Island is getting tho proportion which in the allotment of tho annual expenditure is duo to tho leading position to which that portion of tho colony has attained' after many years. Tho evident gratification with ■which members received tho Minister’s exposition of these facts makes further reference to them unnecessary. As it is tho business of tho Opposition to oppose, it was tho imperative duty of the leader of the Opposition to do ins business when ho followed tho Minister. Recognising all tho possibilities of tho situation, however remote, Mr Massey subscribed cheerfully to tho doctrine that public works must bo pushed forward with vigour. After this tribute to tho satisfactory position of tho colony, ho proceeded, in tho spirit of “ giving up to party what was meant for mankind,” to insist that tho price we pay for our loans is too great; and to establish that position he made the extraordinary assertion that the moneylenders have lost confidence, not in tho colony, but in the Government. Tho fallacy of that line of attack has been too. often exploded to require any notice at present. Tho multitude of “sturdy beggars” liad some attention from tho candid Sir William Russell. Division of moneys, said Sir William, inevitably makes a sturdy beggar of every member. Truly this is a conspicuous fault of our system of “largesse.” Were tho allocation of public money more based ■ on principle and supplied with automatic machinery, it would he much better. A comprehensive system of roads -Mr Massey very rightly advocated, and wo all admit that some system is wanted' to end th<- prevalence of such roads as our representative has lately been sticking in throughout the district of Whangamomona. This year tho largest allocation ever made for roads distinguishes tho public works policy. Here tho Government p’erformance is ahead of the Opposition suggestion. Tho net result of tho debate is that the honours of the nuhlio works position remain with tho Government. The failure of Opposition criticism, and the successful administration of tho past, are the best guarantee for the work of the future.