THE QUESTION OF THE HOUR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 925, 19 September 1910, Page 6

THE QUESTION OF THE HOUR.

■-':*■■■'-}.■■': "'.'. : "-/' V ,". " » ~.'.'. .-a-'-, v . gl Jau RAILWAYvCONSTRUCTION. , I f WPRTH ISLAND WANTS works. ..-■:.-'.''.■ Some : iihportant:.announcements/..with Lf : ;;|-;Kferehcd : -to.\tM^ ; Governmeht's.. public:. '■':- "•'■[. ''■'■Works. policy ;were..inade,; by 'the, Prime ///■;/:?;• Minister- (Sir Joseph Ward){and the-,Min-/,/.;/,/ister-'for Public jWprks (the'/ Hon:.. :R:• '■ i.'/// M-'Kenzie):'• to ■; dh •: influential: ■:deputation / % V (representing '■ thoYNorth;.'lsland:Railway //;, '-j.\ /League;supported by.numerous' Chambers' 1. ;:(!-; of. Commerce, '..arid..; members ;• of .the Legis r , :// V : <>';;lature);;which'/waited. on. theiiiv on. Satujr■ that' /the '■:■£.■; /censtructioh oftne : ;3laihiTrunk'!lines in-' £v#v'ijte\North" j' '•; Heydon '(president of the./Nprth :/A.:j/Island^Railway; : '.'//J/.- d'eputatioa/wasv.the. outcome^df. a conferof Chambers,: of Commerce/ represent-- '.'/// ; Vihg 'Whangarei,S;'Anckland;:./Cahibridge,i 'iirWiEltham, ■ Dargaville, l ' Danneyifke; : - EketaH■/■ v'/'huna,-Featherstbh, /jrasterton,'-New'':Ply-;/■/*/--mouthy.'/Napier, v'Wellington,/. Marton,-: /■-v/ji;"Hastings;'- and,Pahiatua.-' The/faot'/that, "/■•ft;-!the; l South":lsland;had'a ;much larger :pro'- r '■ : ";V/:-'*jbriioii.-'!of /railway./.mileage:/than,'. vthe* :? ! ?:V/Nbfth Island'%as'ho:^6ubt'owing;tp ; its> i//.'■':' earlierYdevelbpment: NBut.now.'thevpbp'UT. ///^/.latibh/bf' : ithe/\North.;^sland ; ; :had/>yery."increased/arid;; th'erp/waSVa '.spleri-; ilbt-;p£, ianaVjwaitihg:tb/bb!; settled.; ''It, M''-■:;was proved -by ithe'official'*-statistics'.that, vj/;/</;'tmv Norths Island payings ':> "■:'- /•very/hanasbmely; ihVf act;, far; better! than-; jW%'•'?- the-- South"'lsland/liries:. ; /The .deputatiori.: :■/;■;';/did'.-not''wish':''to: urge/'anything-:against ,v//S;/ the' South' Islarid,.Aor, the;.taldng.pf; money • ' l away from/that island, arid/giving.it, to h//4K:'the' ; ;North;:lslMd:.;;Thp ; deputation /would - '>";/S;.? particularly^ I /////.;preseht^North"-Island;;aftorial';Vlines--Hhe i ; i/'tS.Hawke's ■ ;/Pr ; - : 'ing -' up! of' Gisbbrrie ; with ■ the /X'V : i line/to' the/north ;and. /with;! the/vline: run-, /'A/fcriing./tP/thb .:Wairarapa-.= and>Hhe';.Mana-/ ';:.- '*'ifbrd-Ongarue/line: .whichv;wp'uid.,-als'o:bp,en-.V:;-''','-:!tpv.a>large extent-of;valuable )la'rid;,Tney"they /had v jus,tj'cause;ier;' :.H:^\;bringing:'tbe: l ■.c'^L'^ttai.toye'mmcntv-;-:-.;^

Need/for.' &%■. /!;';-A 'air! 5 ■ WilllaihV /(Hastings) I 'said; prfe/'that^tiie/VGb^ {!■! :-;;//' : !'/mMy enterbrisesj and••at'.;thesethe/depute;/ /vS'tationi: did .not;/cayilj:;;but/;itiwpuld<sug-j; te'^S/v'igStvthat.'rbadsand rairways!,sh'du}d,.;haye: ff-i ,; -=; The!¥;deputa.tibn;,;,ap/v j:.;';//://" ; -'ipro'achedz/the//.Government/'in" : ZhbZ -party|.#£iv.'.\^irit; i zbafc suggested /.that thelines; itvwas; 'i?i/' r ;/v< : advocating' : shbuldi^^be'/cpnstructeU^i.r^caiise/ 1 ibrihg,!;erihanceH;'-*eveniie^ : tt "■ l - Sff. /}rtthb■/ 'coffers' 'ibf zZthe ;/ Government,/'- and; be W*% ?ih "the interests.of thewhblb-country;-. He f-/{s'/--//wbuld\urge/the : WelUhgtbn--5;-S:;/;/':■';/NapierAEast -;!;-,Coast!v.\railway/'-:-ph// : ..two >;•-! v/; that /of 'defence'/ arid. 'that'of.Vset'" :;^ZZ; ! te'S;:-fethy; v it; l;3'A/;-; z;tKez;{questibii!;/bf; P'-' W.- 1 . defe'hce'/z.vThb'; /whble •'; of ;!the ! East ! /!Coastl W-i "z! Hp'/ to I Auckland /wasr'practicallyt: de-'-. j-;- ";V i//p./bours;f/and :we-/ must vdepbnd >pn";the : j rdil-- \ ; '-:/■j, ; i'j ;: way':for/! the': cpncentraticn/pf'-boops-at'/a; f/-?;";.': Cf given-.pbkit''shpuldz we',!uitfprtuna^ly.'j.bb' H!!;;;;.:"'/;^ j; ; was % the !;settlemerit;;pfGithe-Z:laiiu.! i'-'/Vx*'!;;Therb"-was:'a large;and'growing-popular f^c :: M/' the/JWairba /districts,; arid/the. deputMbri--f^/K/yv;askedithat these;centres:sn6uld\!be!linkeip/ •; r -ftX aridSNapier "'.• was!'fast Y/Hncrejuiing";?'.;;and; H-'£ ?^' ; /traffic?/,/The/East' ; 'Goast ; /line : would Jtap -Ulike . f romZ. [/.! l .it : < 'iVwhibß l - might.-ibe:sused-/some;'day.);tb';TTork ¥ ■$; % ;tti6;/lihe;i beSides, : /;th"C7lake;;wbuld ; ;be' ; ''a' ;/ : /|»//; : !i.faVburiteitpurist.'!resprt: ; ;/,,';'^ ffiivS',^Nßt3Gdii^.;tb; ? Allp^ %%ss&?lixik fH& //Harlrhess'/CVvellingtbh) 'said Ki/-s!^/that;so/far;/as'itHe:lforthflsland jij;iC;:;CCTnedV^he-rail^ySrWere/the ?i ; Sy .-.'ijihe hour.;',The.;Prime/.Minister- 'might .te-.v & that/Jie/had^hot; the; .mbney.vafyhis ?';yftffi Qommaiid/ what .Zw'as.asked: ;; r;.They.; 8? -M; 'iiwpuld/ 'say,, that'(ib. 'expenditure yas i/t should: be'!! equalised:;' /feS'/jK/In.! view- of ■■ the;speciaU demands,!, of !;the; .\'/'!;t^;/!/Korth:-Island,cgreater;-';:,p'rt i^{l?':^"!-. take/Zplacb -in!, Ipbrihectipn '..with; its;;' ./rail;-, ;i ;?i &A ."/!■ waysZ-throughbut ;its; ■ lehgthv!and- breadth;-:i^;//!-!A'w c that'the/s«ttibrs T mightfbe:Ta^^ /;=.j;^?),their'vprodubp'^ fc/rtf;/'; theyVwould : !a'sk.'that./tie.;;building.-.bf:;thb !\s^iU/Unes ;.;under,!'consideration; shbuld/;bb': abv

;// cclerated^: •'-.■ .:': —-a. ■ policy iwhich -would- 1 commend'itself :■' iio: : -ii-.the' Goyerriment: r and;,the "countrjf.: ; -iSuc- : C'S:: cessiye x Gbyernincnts '.vhad.. jpromised,. '{ to, :v^iuik'>tißi-the.-Main :;Tru'nl£;'bnvt.the.. ; ,,East. i;y Coast beftjee'n: iNap'ier '■ and J Gisborno,.' and; S!\ it ;Was:-;desired'.:;that .;;':the.!:-' Gbyernmeiit k-ehoiild: giye.'the:'matter;its/MHp'usicbn-., U^eideration'.i; -TpuVmaj riot. giye f ..usi*a;fait: jVqujable' ;, -rej>ly!.'^ i.'Hmates,"'He .addedj:''butVw6 'can/assure'ypii; ?-Xthat-we arei'.riot.'-going;to•• allow:-:this■mat-V ifi; fer'-, to-; rest, : i but. -will: {continue, A; tb': ; .: ask ■'iV.Btrbngly'arid[strenuously/.that .the'/works ;:; t.bo'.',can:ied, fout/withiv.the':'.-; eafhesK iS. pafcitu"' : :;;:::^ : t;BSSkR: ':A^f\i : iih'^fi^'i S|;STATEM ENT;;:,BY/Trl E% PR EM i Er| J &:; '::;;)%'>::;. ;;,: the/position. jvas 'a/very' -'difficnlt-... one f rbrii- './', the/Gpyerriinent/poirit/of /view/;//It, was: :'/ (all/'yery. well/for -tlej deputation 'to ; say/ i/.ihat/they were■'going:to\be.persistent;arid; ir/Vde.terminea-.'-.in': asking i Vfor. l .. ! 'wbrks,V:to/:be; Mundertakeri.' : . ! ; /:But./the/ Gbyerrinverit/ was ; is/jertainly, riot.gping-:tb/byer-borrbw-'to' ,'cbh-. ./.V-foriri/with "requests, for. undertaking's.'/ If :./ ,the: Government /yielded, to/'the demand. ifj/tliatV.-it Ishould /"carry": put/ railway',, under-.; );/: .takings ;more^rapidly/.'than'ji'the:; ceuritr'y. /icould i afford,' ;it ; -, l Vould;//.;arriply;v:mean :;/: bursting./up/this //businesses/arid/sprospecfe//of-.everybody/ /V. The/public; wofe/expenditu'rb: bad: to :be: ■/'kept' within: 'what/ : le./wpuld v call :. the' : ■thlimits^pf::the:capaofty : ;'oi'.'the:country to / ;car.ry/but:.:.works./',: : At/prese"nt.-New,;Zea-: -"land -was ('carrying out-public works at: /vAthe/rate of .■. l i2;2op ) o(ip.-p'B'r,.annum): and/for . :'i a/population. :bf. under, a million/to ''-party:: /t/;ou':'at; that /rate,;fr'bm..year. to',/year-.'was ! ; the,, very. utmost/that \ this .country: co.uldi /./afford;:;iri,view,-of..the/fact-'':that;it had/ .■/i;6tUl'itov;borrow!^v'Tp'.'-'jnable,.th'at',;to. : 'be: /;/low : riiust,"b'e patent-'to' -;■ 'popple. in .and.' but'/pf :the, colony vtliat/ if :-, '.New./ Zealand 'were : .toV;try/a'.'/bo.uriding Wpplicy' : 4n;/OTnnectipi/;;witlr:;itsv' ;pu.blic • 'works/: that '. the /'boomerang,;/ would; -i :Te-, f /bound;and hurt:everybody,' including'.'the / /popple: who/were anxious,.; like.,the ■ Gov-' :;/'efnmerit^.to,/see.'the-railways', etc;, .prose- ;, /cuted'-with' the; :utmost• 'e'xpeditibn..'.-'. - i -.;At': t.'-'/'tho ..'-preterit ': time'■..■ the/:Goverrimerit, 'was "'• .'being asked -'to /make provision-for- some- :,;: -thing - like; 13 to/14, millions, worth/of rail.'v/ways.;. It could. not look', at/it. :';;;'■('■■:;' "•

''■V/Nota' Question of North and ; South .; , *;. There was no ..such .question., as 'North'/ y'S South;: so far as the Government was ■concerned,, in the .matter of. : railways. .That-element would, not be : . allowed, to, creep in in .regard to; its ".policy on. the subject. ' The. whole/;- country,, though' separated by' water, was,', one. ■'.'. ■ While ■it,.must.be recognised' that happily, the■ 'North Island was -progressing rapidly,: it ■'.'must;, also be remembered ,that ; 'its. prosperity was,of.the 'greatest importance, tothe' whole' of .New Zealand,; and not to the. North Island; alone'. ;; /As" he bad. said ;at the beginning,:.tho. Government was. in an awkward' position.' •": First one deputation came' along, ■ and' wanted a lot'of money spent'in its' district.;"' Then, . as/a counterblast, other deputations came: /along with a'similai request. .The.''duty ; pf the.Government was to:sit down and see how the available, money: could bo :fairly. divided.; It would Ibe ruinous".to attempt to meet all the demands made' upon the Government, for railways unless Se were to borrow an amount the country; had never' dreamed' of borrowing, f he Government could notdo more than ft was. doing lit the' present 'time.. If we .continued at the rate we were going,; by: ; . degrees. the.-; difference between ,- tho amount-spent -in the' two islands on';railway construction (between; four and five ''.millions, or. whatever, it might be), would be wiped out,' and expenditure levelled up. This; difference, he', might remark, had

been'caused by the inaccessibility in the past of' portions of the' North Island. The.State, however, could not now cancel its-: existing obligations. The largest railway -.undertaking in the South Island (the Midland /Railway) had been entered, on before he (Sir Joseph Ward) was in Parliament., To' attempt (as had been suggested) to curtail expenditure on that line and transfer it sonicwhoro'else would not'.do. //.;.' •.■'•■•' .■.-.■.'.

Opposed to Big Borrowing Policy. .- : -The. Government estimated to complete the;-railway systomof- the Dominion in .fifteen years, but-to go in for an enormous borrowing policy would/ be disastrous. The settler would be the first to get a set-back' if -we-went in' for.a wihbpolicy of .that-.kind. No previous Government had touched the amount which the Government was spending year in and year put on public works. This Government liad placed on.the Estimates in bno year for., a railway.. That was in his., time, 'andnthe iline.-.was the /North. Island Main. Trunk. : . No other:. railway had had the equal, to it. - Nothing further was .wanted/to show that the Govern-' meht was anxious to do all,ifc.could for tho.Nortb Island- as well/as the South. Island lines. )By the large: vote'to which: he liad alluded (which meant a reduction in ".the''votes' for. the '-South Island ■ at that"tim'e),"/they'hadbeeii able;to . opSn the North "Island Main/Trunk line, much earlier than would, otherwise have been, possible.: Some people "seemed to . haw iorgotten.-v.that fact.: ..The position sb.faf as the'.Governinent was concerned,' was the; same as .'then—the. ; Government, was bound to' do 'its utmost' There'...trade > and...population .were..' increasing., ■ There was,'' however, "the /one; difficulty which 'could not! be;got'over unless,the Govern : , ment-did- a,dangerous.:thing. 1 :/.The rate at ; .which;,the. could; be, carried oh,.was',.controlled'.by the amount' of .money, which' it would be safe for this country/to'borrow, in one/year.'.'■'■'..''/.-;.';: • If the! Government Yielded— —. '-.'•

.-/Sometimes, in the face of thir numerous 'requests,' that were : made,: ho,, wondered whether."' 1 it, possiblo,.;'therevvmight some day vbe ,a Government whicll would "yield.-to themv-' ;What:,would happen iif that'itbok;-place? v:Why,\ it;" would- be ;the 'easiest,.■thing, in. the iy.orld.to have ,'.our stocks discounted-on- the/London market ;by,; 10.: per; cent;:,to. 15 ■' per .'cent. The: natural/co'rpHary Hightness of :money,: a/, .taste. of - which-; happened; ..hot long back, :biitv:in.thisi.case:'it : .would be isuch ::a's:.had -heref-vbeen/.'experionced;: in .over';, 42,000,000 :-: year' ; bh/'public ;under'takihgs v>vas traly ; anY,eribrmous/.sum/for: ■a ■; young country/like /this' onov /Jf ! , the .Government yielded,this -.could incfeaser.it'by.atVleasti'seyen-:times. /As •a'".' matter, ':..:of:vfact:: / Hie'..' ;'Gdyerhment: cpuld.'/'iiot;; J'ido ; ; ■it,,/. ! and''i there'■■■ :,was. ; hb ! .:'u»'v.;pretondihg.v''.:that//it,'' couldy, :At\the''present:; time v'fne .'/Government' were, carrying oh- railways in .the-North Island .-that" fan -into .and", at least.two,hew- linesi-had. to: bo/authorised.this /year../ That vwas^a;-prettyybig::sum : •fbr/jTailway construction":and itxas only, ja.'comparativelyV short'/time'.- when: the, ;Th6'vGoverhmehtVwasr/aware/bf- 1 the, re-; !quiremehts, of 'the. whole -country, vbut, at ■the.same time it simply:had :it- 'cainev.tb;!-,thoi.iljniiii,;,^;'-'its,, .spending: powers'. s, , fh'ere'',were.',,man'y- districts';..not Represented by the North/Island, Railways :League.'arid': though''the: league was quite : right : : in: its'policy 'of' 'insisterice,- these'; "must:'be/considered;. jHe ;was.. : q'uite,.:alive' tbi the■ deferie'e;^^aspect-/of ; ; ;thb:'niattpr : :arid :recbgn'isedvthe"valu'e'.;o£.::railways: for', the : rapid ;,tfarispb'rt':'bf .'troops:-:- ''. : It'..mnst:.ribt. : ibe /fbrgptteivthat; side side.' with ithe 'railways .was.: thb.fheCdforlfurther; settle-.: ;merit.-/•,;:;/^:fiv'5'^;J/'M-'/'/!-:///-":/ '~•'■' if / y No /nailwaysKßefore : sScitle'me'nt. : ,::f /

by-The'!', old:' policy ---.of '\ .putting /railways' through',- huge : 'ar.easjbelqre"!: they I people jcould. get bn'ithe land, cbuld-not ;;be ;fol-/ \iiim\ enormous; Values; /■ bn'pa' huge/"areas)' i'and"alJb^ilie/:iiicreaSa^m!-yalue\t6 : !Teacfe 'bn-; the',.people'; who.^wante"d/to jsettle.-bh. i the •'lanfe; Land z'settlemetit/'must/beZithe; 'precursor .-of, railways!;ZzPepplp',w;ere;;ask7; 'ing;' ; th'e.:',Gbyerhment; to''; open /up "estates all ,-pyer Zfheic'ountfy, .but; the!Qevprnmeiit ;was;fihding !thafc; very;.'■'• high' prices 'werei .being- asked'! .and;; these * high. ;valu'es, : Had; , '-brbught';abpiit^ljy;.,w«iVff a^in ßi'' ; bf:. .pur '■- own;-railways,- etc.;.;as .; as .the' ■ price of products! .'.'The prices, asked werp; iso'^fiigh-in,most instances, that/the'Gov- 1 . ernment^had:' ! cause, they;/.lcriew/.ithat'.they-./would., //be /putting;!an i ncubu'S; on "the/settlers';/'/In, ; shorty, -he/thought //that;;the -trunk * lines-f whilst'.'theracoessories'.'-cbuld;not be.over-lopkedr-must; take,; precedence; irt thevrail;.Wy/policy.. v-In 1 , conclusion, .he! would, like' , : to;.sny ; /that i: tlie/ ; North/Island, railways. would-be .finished a's/.so'on/'as: it..'was,pos- : ,'Bibie/to\do\;s^Vv.When. : ;th'e';:PnMioVWorks ; Estimatcs : ,were being /considered'; the Goy- '■ eminent would .give 'the ; "deputationfs. re-! bJiests.; : ; .Goyern'ment'*couTd:ribt,'"pf!cpurse, v respond to'theCWhole/bf.the.demarids','in pha' year.; (Laughter:)'//It would,'- however, 'consider' all tliafiad'.- been -ysai'd-' about/ the; Wei-, lingtoh-'Ea'st. Coast .railway; and ! the other.. lines /which' had-ZbeenVmeniioned.;;,;;; :'•;./

REM A R KS/B Y T.H E■HO N; R] ; MIK E NZIE ; /';/// ; /THE "'. ■■:( H«a. l "';B.- 5 /iM'Kenzie ! ''';(Minister: ■ for; Public «Worfe);\^idj;vJKe'f-.'wisH«d.' : -.to' . a '.wrong: impressioh,; : -Tiz;, T , that. iless/money'was'Xeingisfcnt,iri the l North l6land':tthari:-ihvth€';South t ,lsland. J :.. For. th'is,;yeaf'and some.'years :tb-come ; the/amount'; of.' -.railway):construction, and i three /tiiriesV.the'-. .amount':.;; of: : " road ; - con- J IstxuctibriVwoiild ' b6.:dbrie;^-.iii ; : the.-North ililaiid;-as" compared/>:w.itli/{;the" : .i South I.lsland.;:: He': recpgnisEd great-possibilitiesin the/ihattersofisetlle:: .merit/along the' route-of/the^East'Coast i railway in:particurar'/Iniconhectionwith -tne'.p'ub.lid'-work-s: policy/it irinst; not/bb : forgotten-.' that: the: labour, probl'erii was a/difficult" one.::., pnly ' a".few/odd,-. men . were;offering.to;go oh.the works at present. -/As' the:sumirier.;advanced i 'the..difli-;: ' /cul. ty i . would be. acceii tuated,' .as v the - men preferred ''shearirig'.and general/labouring work... Evenduring-last .winter, therei had:-not: been:;anYabundance .of..labour.. ''■Residents', of the North 1 Isla-nd ..could rest . assured that the -growth:'of. their .districts would .makejit.necessary■.■'to' push ' on with' railways,-'. A ■large:.number .of lines:would.be : wnhtaTpefore;.the North Island/was'properly; served, .but .the. Gov- | : erhment/was' limited '.in'vthe i'matter ■ of, finance and labour.. f-It ,was;a grave mis- ■ take to' have ; too taanypieces- of railways ' : under, -/construction at /one .time.' .'.'.When a',tailway got .within.a" reasonable dis- ■ :tance'of completion: or" paying-point it ' should. 1 bo-pushed on ■rapidly.'.,. .If '■ there were' a number of unfinished ; ; lines it ■ meant that:- there ..would be no returns .; in; the .meantime.. The. East; Coast ra'il- '<■ way'would open 1 -up a/large area of coun-' ' try. ■ between Napier and. Gisborne, cori- '; sequently .portions of the: railway'would ': have/to: be postponed until some .of the.' '. unsettled-"lands, were : acquired:, by .the Crown.' -/The North,. Auckland;and the Stratfofd-Ongarue lines.were being push- ■'■ ed ; 'oh' as- fast- '.as '•-.possible;:" Between : JU30,000 and ;£H0;b0O was, being. spent on the former, which was as much as this ■ country could ■. afford,..even'if .the labour was .-'always available.://:■-.,■ - Ministers' Plain Talk Appreciated.

; , Mr. HeydoU( in thanking the. Ministers, said ; that'' the' deputation-;'appreciated their "plain .talk. '-He; was stire. that Mr.. iHarkness, : when he : ;said that the league would' be persistent,. did not mean. it. as a'threat. .What.was .meant was that"the league would in a.' friendly manner call upon the Government from time.to time until the works were finished. The deputation did not. ask the Government to complete /the Gisborne-Nnpier section in one year."; All they. wanted. was a start made at, once. . ...,.., ,::. ,•■ • . Mr. Williams pointed.ont that a large portion of'the. '.lmpcou'p'ied land between Napier ami Gisborne'.was .Native ;land. He agreed, that..a, lot of it. should, be acquired before, the railway went through. Already a good' dea'l'had been acquired, andagood'deal more was easily purchasable. It/was' an arterial line which should be.'built at .once,;