PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE,

Dominion, 24 February 1913, Page 4

PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE,

• 'The .Minister for Public Works maynot add to his popularity by'his blunt outspokenness on the subject of public works expenditure, but he 1 cafittot. fail to Win the respect of all who admire, honesty and- straight dealing. _ Mr. . Eraser does not .go about with honeyed words,'building hopes of' fulfilment. Ho has not : the glib, , smooth tongue which ignores plain facts and is only anxious to please. And so, when the seekers after railways and other public .works coma-clamouring' for bene■fits .for their districts, they arc; not misled by tho"kcpt steadily in view'' and other 1 stock phrases of tho timeserving and! popularity-seeking politician. They are promptly told the plain unadulterated facts. At tho present time" the as was only to. be expected, is being much sought after by 'deputations anxious to secure Government grants for various kinds of public works in different parts of the country. The' raising of a loan always stimulates tho demand in this-respect. ; Mr! •FitASßft, 'however',' 1 hds hot hesitated to make it clear that so far, as-he is concerned, at any rate, the public shall not bo able ..to plead ignorance of the. position as" an excuse fofasking tho impossible. Ho -has explained without any reservation that whilo the, Government is prepared to push on as' rapidly as possible with the. .development of the country, especially in the matter of roads to open up settlement, it is not going to rush into rash promises "regardless of.'cost,"" It might'be much easier to tell a deputation requiring a railway that'tne matter would receive the' careful attention of the Government, and leave it at that, but the Minister for Public Works apparently realises that there is an obligation resting on him and on the Government to make it plain-to such deputations.and to the whole country that there is a very" real limit to the power of any Government to go on borrowing on tho lavish scale.prac-' tised in the past, and particularly with money as dear as.it is at the presont time all the world over. It must have been quite apparent to all who havo given any consideration to the • loan-raising transactions |of this .country during the/past few. years, that tho time'' nad arrived -when' there must be a very decided tapering off in our borrowing. Great as the resources of the country, undoubtedly arc, and marked as its prosperity has beon, no thoughtful person could fail to realise that the signs were steadily pointing to the necessity for the exercise of greater care in public works expenditure with a view to avoiding as far as possible further appeals to the London money market. No .one suggests that_ there can be or should be any cessation of the work of developing . the country. But every penny available must be spent to the best advantage and only snch works undertaken as are immediately and urgently required. Mn. Fiuser on two occasions recently in the aouth has spoken very frankly on this point. Ho has, bb it were, taken the country into his confidence and made appeal to the patriotism and common sonso of the people. In effect, ho has said: The Government realises its obligations; it knows that there is much to bo done in the way of public works, and it intends to spare no effort to meet the needs of the occasion; but it is not going to commit tho country to undertakings which, while they may win the Government a littlo_ temporary popularity in given localities, will cost the people dear in the end.