PUBLIC WORKS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12248, 21 September 1925, Page 6

PUBLIC WORKS

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE MR COATES REVIEWS PROGRESS DECLARES POLICY SOUND In the early hours of Saturday morning the Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister for Public Works, replied to the speeches which had been delivered in the House of Representatives during the debate on the Public Works Statement. Mr Coates said general statements, such as the member for Patea had made to the effect that North Auckland was specially favoured, were not worth much, because the member had not really gone into the figures in any way. There was no favouritism nowadays in regard to the allocation of money for public works. There was no political influence used now. He admitted that care would have to be exercised in borrowing, but he pointed out that the counties could not have the benefit of the money both ways. The Prime Minister considered that the Government was quite justified in borrowing money to-day for the laying of a foundation for increased papulation, which he felt sure was to come. In fact he went so far as to assert that in 20 years the population of New Zealand would have doubled. The past could not be taken as an indication of what was proposed to accomplish in the future. Many members appeared to forget that half of New Zealand’s public debt was actually owing to the country from those inside the country itself. BENEFITS TO BE REAPED As showing how the Government was looking ahead in the expenditure of money, he explained that in the programme of hydro-electric development one million per year was being spent, but the real value of the money could not bo said to be derived till the whole scheme wa3 completed. But there was not a member who would assert that tlie policy was not a sound one.' On the contrary, he felt positive that it was going to be a huge success, and would he the means of allowing the authorities to actually invite people to come here on this account. It would be an added attraction. Mr Lee: State Socialism. The Prime Minister: Call it what you like. It has been the policy of the Government not to look hack, but to see these things right through. “As long as we see that it will pay a reasonable rate of- interest,” he went on, “we are justified in borrowing money for railway works, for it will be the means of opening up and developing the oountry.” Irrigation was certainly very desirable in some parts of the country, hut he would point out that it would be useless to employ immigrants on this class of undertaking. Irrigators were trained men. CONTRACTS YEARS BEHIND Hopes had been entertained that greater progress would have been made with the Buller railway, but much of the work on railways generally had been held up, and some of the contracts in the North Island were two years behind schedule on account of the unstable nature of the country. This had in consequence thrown the whole .programme out, but, without prejudicing the merits of any other schemes, he considered the Buller line was quite justified. He hoped that when it was completed the miners would turn out the coal by the thousands of tons. HIGHWAYS In a reference to the development of roads, Mr Coates said the money was not accumulating as members had said. The Highways Board got the license fees, and this was spent as one-third of the maintenance cost of the road. The amount collected in this way was a rising one, and had reached £150,000 last year. It was useless to complain that some counties received no allocation of the highways money, for . he pointed out that some districts received big grants and paid nothing. The Prime Minister did not agree with the proposal to separate the North and South Islands in the distribution of highway money. It would not work. If the railways had been divided in this way—the South paying only 1 per cent, and the North paying 5 per cent.—it would serve no useful purpose. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT In conclusion, Mr Coates said that tho circumstances in New Zealand were all favourable for development on progressive lines. In this respect the country was very fortunate. It had no trouble with its aboriginal population. It had no drought-stricken territory, and no cold areas. Everything was favourable to development on sound progressive lines, and if they got the best population from the Motherland he had no hesitation in saying that with the development that was wing carried out it would be in tho best interests of the country.