The Otago Witness. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCUIRY. (TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1921.) THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3494, 22 February 1921, Page 35

The Otago Witness. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCUIRY. (TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1921.) THE WEEK.

"Nuaquacn aliud natura, allud sa;>icnt*a dixit.** —Juvenal. “Good nature an* good sense most t»/er ioia,'*— Fora. 4 The Minister of Public Works. who

The Development of Otago.

possesses a quality of frank outspokenness rare among the politicians of to-day, has

come back from a tour of f~® . (^u o° Central convinced of its possibin ties for wonderful development, which after all, as Mr Coates ventured to remind his auditors of the dinner tendered to him by the Otago Expansion League, was only a part of the larger question of the development of the whole of the Dominion. Mr Coates declared, and there is absolutely no reason to doubt the sincerity of the declaration, that so far as the hydro-electric poliev of the Dominion is concerned he has all his cards on the table, and that the Prime Minister and the other members of the Cabinet are of one mind on the matter. The motive underlying that policy was more than suggested when Mr Coates said : “So far as hydro-eleetriety is concerned, we have to decide for the. whole of New Zealand what scheme we should go on with. If we had plenty of coal and could depend on it—unfortunately, while we have plenty we cannot depend on it—we could hang* back and take the most favourable opportunity for developing our water power. But w'e must secure our industries against anv chance of a shortage of coal, and the experiences of the last years show that that may occur- at any moment.” Which amounts to saying that the Government recognises that in the speedy and effectual development of hydro-electric power throughout the Dominion lies one of the strongest weapons for countervening the continually recurring industrial disturbances which threaten the progress and prosperity of the people. Electric power is a servant which can be controlled and depended upon to a degree not applicable to labour under present conditions; the extent to which labour can he supplemented by electric power will proportionally discount the power for domination exerted by labour agitators, hence hydro-electric development becomes a distinct plank in the Government's political platform, and represents a reason why such development should he pushed on with all possible speed. A mitigating circumstance in deciding upon the scheme immediately to be undertaken in Otago is the adverse state of the money market and the falling prices of produce, circumstances limiting the expenditure even upon so important a national matter as hydro electric development. It becomes essential, there fore, not only that the scheme adopted should be a national one, enable ail local development to be linked up together—as for instance, connecting Coleridge with Waipori and Waipori with Mono wad—hut that the various works undertaken he made self-supporting as soon as possible. ‘‘ln deciding what source should be selected for deve'opment,” said Mr Coates, “they had first to consider the cost, which was the best place to develop power, and what the price would be to the - •• - n —-for the power must be sold at Government rates lived alter Inc toil o» development was known, also they must at least get interest ancl sinking fund on their outlay.” These and kindred considerations have decided Air Coates—acting on the advice of Mr Bilks and the enginering staff —that it would be cheaper and better to proceed to the immediate development of Waipori rather than to attempt the more costly experiment of opening up a new source of power at Hawea. It is estimated that Waipori will supply all the power needed in Otago for the next 15 or 20 years; meanwhile Hawea will not be forgotten, since, as Mr Birks has remarked that ‘‘he was just as much in love with the Hawea-Wanaka scheme as anyone, and he and his engineers were loking forward to the time when they would be able to develop it.

A Strategy of Suicide.

While cn the one hand schemes are being

carefully considered for the utilisation of the wonderful hydro-electric power

latent all over the Dominion in the interests of human energy and enterprise, a project in which the hearties: co-operation is essential to success, there is exposed to view a section of the com mimitv bent upon pursuing what cannot be characterised otherwise than as a strategy of suicide. The latest illustration of this is seen in the dispute which has arisen between the shipowners and the waterside workers over the payment of bonus, the workers demanding a larger sum than the employers consider thev are justified in paying, and the workers being dissatisfied with the payment proposed. This dispute has culminated in the nmri refusing to work overtime, a condition clearly arranged for in the agreement under which they are working at, present. Ibis pin pricking tactic has resulted in an ultimatum from the shipowners which, unless some compromise is reached, will mean the gradual laying up of all the ships trading to and from the Dominion, as well as up and down its coasts, and the paralysis of all ocean-going transport. There is every probability, therefore, that a lamentable situation will shortly oe rendered in New Zealand similar to that from which Australia is still suffering as the outcome of the stewards’ strike. According to an estimate made by the Sydney Trades Hall the shipowners’ hold-up has so far cost the workers of New South Wales £692,000 ; it is also stated that phenomenal losses have occurred in all branches of the wholesale trade in Pyd ney since all exporting has ceased and the inter-State trade has suffered hadiv. There is considerable unemployment, and

already unruly disturbances have taker place; indeed, the outlook is both serious and depressing. For a similar condition of things to be forced upon the Dominion at the present time would be litue stunt of suicidal. The people of New Zealand are at present carrying as heavy a load of taxation as they are able to hear, a load which in the general interest should be lightened with all speed. The inevitable result of a shipping hold-up must he serious losses and an added depression m a trade already affected by falling markets. The financial position in New Zealand, although sound enough at tli_s bottom, is sensitive enough to he adversely affected by a general industrial disturbance ; yet, as the Welfare League points out, the decision of the shipowners Lo lay ■up the boats unless the waterside workers listen to reason, although drastic, appears necessary. "The smashing of industry, concludes the League’s circular, ‘ severely affects the community, and those who want stability should make a determined stand against the anarchy which is being ex- I hibited.”

A Critical Situation.

The turmoil in Ireland is so intermixed

with the political faction fights of Great Britain, and is further so coloured by existing world disturbances

that it is becoming increasingly diffieu.il to discern between truth and falsehood. There is increasing evidence of a growing public feeling against the reprisal policy of the Irish administration, a feeling loudly voiced by The Times in a diatribe against the Prime Minister s recent utterances. When, however, The Times declares that the present administration “has long since forfeited all claim to the public confidence.” and that the author of that administration “must bear the stain of a lasting disgrace that cannot fail to react on the just repute of Png land,” the impartial onlooker is compelled to inquire how much of this attack is due to a genuine spniapthv with Ireland and how much to Lord N’orthcliffo's avowed intention to destroy the Coalition Government and to pull down Mr Lloyd George from his present exalted estate. More weignt may perhaps be attached to the words of Sir Philip Gibbs—recently appointed editor to Mr Stead’s journal, “ The Review of Reviews.” When writing of his impressions of America he says : “I am bound to confess that 1 can see no kind of special pleading for our conduct in Ireland which will acquit of guilt in the mind of America."” . . As an Englishman . . . 1 find it impossible to deny the Irish claim to self-government, or to defend in tho slightest way the senselessness, the wickedness, the callous, blackguardly stability of our present regime in Ireland, with its ‘Black and Tan’ reprisals, its secret police, its sinister provocations, its deliberate refusal to act in a big and generous way to a people who with all their faults respond quickly to generosity, and have seldom had it from England in all their long and tragic history.” Thoughtful men are beginning to fear lest the Irish turmoil may exact an unhappy and lasting influence upon the future of the British Empire. The movement to-

wards Nationalism in Egypt, the agitation of the non-co-operators in India, together with Bolshevist propaganda in Europe and the East a.re all indicative of a great aud growing feeling which will not he put down bv the force of militarism, but which must be appeased by more natural methods. And it is towards a commonsense settlement of these weighty problems that the minds of aIL statesmen should be addressed.