MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10305, 9 November 1911, Page 1

MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS.

SPEECH BY HON R. M'KENZIE [Per Press Association.] NELSON, November 8.

The Hon 11. M'Kenzie, Minister of Public Works, opened his campaign for the Motueka seat at Foxliill on Monday night, addressing a largely attended meeting. He spoke mainly on matters under liis administration, lleplying to the assertion that the Nelson end of the Midland Railway was costing £16,000 a mile, lie gave figures supplied by the Under-Secretary showing that tho length of line from the wharves to Glonhops Station was 60 miles 40 chains, and the total cost, including wharves and additions, macie last year, tunnel through Spooner s Range, rolling-stock, ' etc., was £472,877, which worked out at a_ cost ■of £7750 per mile. This was an illustration of tho misleading statements that were being made all over the dominion with a view to making the people believe that the Liberal Party was wasting money. The Government was making the most of the money, and was spending it as economically as possible. He defended the co-opera-tive labour system, which was most economical for certain classes of work, though under certain circumstances small contracts saved. In regard to roads, some people said they \veio spending too much money, but if tuey had to travel where he had to go sometimes, they would say tho Government was not spending enough. Before a section of land was taken up by any man, he should bo given road access to it. In some parts of the North Island 'it was almost impossible for a I settler to reach his section during tho greater part of the year. Consequently tho Liberal Party some years ago decided to spend £250,000 a year for four ! years on roading backblocks- k.ome years they could not spend that amount because the men were not available. Two years ago there wore nearly 11,000 men employed on public works, while at tho present time there were only bUOO. Under those circumstances it was very difficult to serve settlers, not because tho Government was not alive to the i fact that roads were absolutely neces- ! sary, but because men had either (taken up land themselves or were emj ployed iii another channel. Altogether ! about £10,455,000 had been expended on roads and £5,240,000 on public buildings, not including school buiklings. At the same time he had applications fpom all over New Zea.and for post offices and tether buildings, .yet tho Government was accused of extravagance in connection with public | buildings. The post offices in W elhng- ! ton and Auckland were each costing £IOO,OOO, but ho ventured the opinion that in 25 years' time both would require additions. Although the old. post office was still in use the Goveriment was paying £sloo_ a year rent for postal buildings alone in Wellington. What if they had had to pay 1-eut « )r £5,240,000 worth of _ buildings Pine construction oi ! public buildings had been a profitable investment to the taxpayers of this country. n .® with the land question, Mr M lvenzie declared himself a believer in the optional tenure. The present Government had put moro people on the land than any other in New Zealand, and was anxious to put more on the land on the easiest terms possible. The Land Settlement Finance Act was one cf the most liberal measures for that object in the world. A measure circulated last session would cause a revolution among the laxge land owners. It provided that laud could bo taken at tho present value before a railway wa9 put through it. At the present prices of land it was impossible for the Government to put settlers on it on terms enabling them to mako a living. During the recess forty-two people who owned 3,000,000 acres of unimproved land wanted the Government to put a railway through it, which would mean that the Government would add £3,000,000 to-the value. It would not do it. Under the proposal mentioned the Government could get tho land first and rail it afterwards- Tho Opposition had alwaya been friends and supporters of tho large land holders. He believed in limited freehold, but no man should be allowed to own enough land to keep one hundred families. The Liberal Party had borrowed £0,303,000 to put people on the land, and no settler had cost tho a single farthing. He did not Know what the farmers would have done without the advances to settlers. Mr Mackenzie defended the Government with regard to the national debt. Referring to the hydro-electric proposal, he said he had no doubt that in ten years' time there would be electric light and heaters in every farmhouse in Canterbury. Housework and cookery would be done by electricity. It was also intended to electrify the Lyttelton to Cliristchurch railway, and it was possible it would be extended as far as Rolleston. "When electrified the cost of running would be 20 per cent less than the present cost. He was mainly instrumental in getting the Government to undertake this business, and it was going to have a great influence on the future of the country. With electricity the trains would negotiate steeper grades, speed would be increased, and heavier loads could be carried. It would enable industries which had not before been thought of to be started. The Government proposed to spend £300,000 to £400,000 a year until tliey were able to supply the whole of New Zealand with electrical energy. At Parapara they had one of the largest iron deposits in the world. Several people had been nibbling at it, bub the Government was getting tired of the methods adopted, and as Minister of Mines he had sent the lessees notice that they had got their last protection. If they did not get to work now, the Government would take a hand. The Government offered a subsidv up to £60,000, and if the works were taken in hand properly it would bo of immense benefit to the district. In ten years there would be a city at ColJinp- I wood quite as big as Nelson was to-day. ! He quite expected that in eighteen months or two years the iron ° vorks afc_ Parapara would be a State enterprise. If the Government borrowed £250,000 to start ironworks it would be one of the best investments the 'people of Now Zealand had undertaken. He anticipated that the New Zealand petroleum _ industry would soon mako the dominion independent of the Standard Oil Company, and the time was not distant when they would export kerosene from the dominion. Mr M'Kenzie defended the Defence Act and Dreadnought gift, and replied to criticism of the five million loan. Ho did not anticipate that tliey would sea a Tory Government in power again. The Conservatives had nearly ruined the country once, and Tie did not think it possible that the people would return them again. Tn ten years there would be an extreme Radical Government. He remembered »vlieu he first stood for Parliament he was looked upon as a Radical with extreme views. Now he was regarded by some as an easy-going Liberal. He did not say that a Labour Government was a bad form of Government, but the brake should be kept on for a few years. He was anxious to seo the Midland Rail-

way pushed on to Murchison, and in a few more years the Liberal administration would see it there. In a few years it would also be up from the other side, but the route was not quite decided. 'With the railway extended and Parapara working Nelson would enjoy more prosperity than it had done since the West Coast gold rush. The Minister was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.