The Opunake Times TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1894. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 31, 16 October 1894, Page 2

The Opunake Times TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1894. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

The Public Works Statement was delivered by the Hon R. J. Seddon on Thursday, and is exhaustive as far as the means at the disposal of the Government permit. What most concerns settlers in this part of the colony is the utterance in connection with roads. We are pleased to see that the Government recognises the urgent necessity for something to be done in this respect, and trust that it will take more tangible shape than mere profession and promises. The Minister for Public Works says it will be noticed that the maintenance of main roads are beyond the... powers of the counties, and after stating that it would bo suicidal to allow these roads to get into such a state of disrepair that it would take a vast sum to reinstate them, goes on to say that it is proposed in some cases to resume control, and in others to assist the counties in charge. This would, in our opinion, be a sound procedure. In this district, on account of the great amount of settlement and consequent traffic, -the ordinary revenue of the local bodies is barely sufficient to keep roads in a state of repair, and, are totally inadequate to provide for making new roads which are urgently needed to provide for the demands of settlement, or to replace worn out roads; also when roads get worn out it is very often sheer waste of money expending it in so-called repairs. If settlers are to be retained on the land there is no question but that some colonial provision must be made to assist them in this matter of roads, or otherwise the settlers will be taxed off their holdings if the total cost of reading is thrown on their shoulders, or be driven off for want of communication in the absence of roads. The policy of successive Governments for some time past has been to withdraw subsidies until they have reached almost the vanishing point, and threats have been made that subsidies to local

bodies -wOtild. soon however, has proved to be like the man who started to train his horse to live on a r |jnsJl quantity of •foojdj;.decreasing his ratioh daily-tmnt'lre nad got him-down, to one straw a day# when, much to his chagrin, the ho>rss. died. The?-Government have grade's; ally reduced the local bodies’ subsidies until they represent; the. proverbial straw, and their effectiveness to cope with the- road question now-staring them in the face is about equal to a dead horse- power*- . Hadsubsidies been continued a great number of roads and bridges, which now ; require remaking or replacing, would have remained serviceable for years to to come. People living in country districts have to contribute the same ratio to the general revenue as those living in more forward centres, but they have to put up with all sorts of inconveniences whilst their more favoured neighbors enjoy the benefits of railways, &c. In districts where railways run, carrying the heavy traffic, the main roads are a comparatively small charge on - the counties or other local bodies, and no doubt our legislators could frame a scheme of subsidising by which districts without railway facilities would become entitled to, a *■ higher rate of subsidy, as ifi the latter case the arterial road must take the place of the railway. If it is good policy to maintain a railway partly at the public expense for,the benefit of the country because, it is an artery of commerce, it should be equally just to apply the same argument and financial support to a road which fulfils the same functions. It is a big question to deal with, but there it is, and it must be faced. The longer it is put ; off the harder it will become .of accomplishment when it is undertaken. The most economical way to do it would be by means of increased subsidies, so long as a scheme of subsidising were inaugurated which would be based on the requirements of the advance of settlement.