PUBLIC WORKS FUND.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11126, 27 July 1907, Page 3

PUBLIC WORKS FUND.

STRAIGHT TIP FROM THE PREMIER, (From our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Tlie impression has for long been abroad among tlie public, and indeed among members, too, that when a particular public work is wanted the most effective method of getting it carried out is to get up a petition to. the House m favor of it, persuade the Petitions Committee to report favorably upon it, and then get the local member to us© that recommendation as a lever with which to put pressure on the Government to have that work carried out. The Premier effectually knocked that idea on the head yesterday afternoon. Shorn of all verbiage his remarks amounted to this, that no matter what a committee said or) recommended, the Go. vernment had to allocate the amount available for public works to the best advantage, and guided by its officers went to work m the process o$ selection, irrespective of anything else ; m <fact, he gave members clearly to understand that the Government would not be forced into taking m hand any particular work just because » petition was sent m, and the Committee reported favorably upon it. The responsibility was on the Government, and the Government would accept that responsibility. Tlie proper quarter to address the petition was the Minister for Public Works, and m effect he warned the public and members not to commit any further acts of supererogation by adopting the round-about method now employed. If, he added, the Government ac. ceded to the demands for public works now being made it would require a loan of three or four millions. Summed up, the Premier's statement amounted to tms, that there is only a certain amount of money available, and th© Government will take and accept the responsibility of deciding the objects on which that money i shall be spent. • ' _■_ n~«~~~— — — f -