GOVERNMENT EXTRAVAGANCE

Chronicle (Levin), 6 November 1946, Page 4

GOVERNMENT EXTRAVAGANCE

"FIRST THINGS FIRST."

Sir, — The Goveriiment taiks in milliohs an'd yet "oUr so'ldiefs c'annot get their gratuities t'o do what chey like with, after beiii'g back frOm overs'eas ne'ariy a y'eaf , and having applied for them. The Government things it can sp'en'd the soldiers' money, as well as other people's, better th&n they can themselves. Yet the Government ' cah waste money on extrava'gant plans out of all proportion to our production and income. For months surveyors have beeh surveying and preparing plans for a fast motor road along the West Coast, across sandhills and swamps, from Plimmerton to Palmerston North. This road will cut out Levin, Otaki and other small centres/ and will cost hundreds of thousands Of pouhds. It would be more sense if these surveyors were preparing the neglected farm lan'ds, and spending some of the millions on putting the-m in goOd coildition for the 2000 rbturhed s'Oldiers who are wanting farms and cannot get them. Get the land into production first and the soldiers settled, and then speedways afterwards. Moreover, the Government does not hurry to put telephone cables out for country fqlk w^ho have bben waitihg years for telephones, but plan to use the labour on extravagahces, which should wait until the

more urgent jobs are done. ihe excuse for not putting more telephone cables - has beeh labour shortage particularly, and materials, yet labour is to be found fcfr a main highway. Some of our country roads are shockihg, but little is pl'anned for them. Yours etc..

Levin, Nov. 5.