PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1865, 26 September 1913, Page 8

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.

WELLINGTON ASKS FOR MORE. MEMBERS & MINISTERS. - '' A STRONG DEPUTATION. Eleven members of Parliament (including two Ministers of the Crown), representing electorates in tho Wellington provincial district, waited upon the Prime Minister last evening to ask that their province should be given a larger share than it has received for some timo past of tho public money applied to development works. Tho members of the deputation wore tho Hon. A.'L. Herdman, tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher, Dr. A. K. Newman,.and Messrs. W. A. Veitch, G. It. Sylces, W. H. D. Bell, J. Robertson, E. Newman, R. W. Smith, D. H'. Guthrie, and D. Buick. Dr. Newman, who introduced the deputation, said that the object of tho deputation was to point out that Wellington was getting loss than its share of road and railway expenditure. Last year's Public W r orks Estimates had carried very little indeed for Wellington, and they hoped that it would get more this session. Only 11 men were at present working on the Ohokune-Raetihi railway—the one ewe lamb that Wellington had to boast—while 2000 men •wore employed on railways in other parts of the Dominion. In tho Auckland district seven railways wen under constisriction, and votes of £380,000 had been provided, as against £11,000 in this province. Tho Wellington members considered that this was not a fair divi"sion. In other parts of the Dominion an enormous amount was being spent in developing tourist resorts, but on' the Tongariro National Park only £1 was spent last year. One pound was not enough. Four little bridges would make available a good road from Waimarino to Tokaanu, and they should be provided. The deputation was anxious that more Maori land should be bought in this province. It contained a ' groat deal of Maori land with which very little was being done. Another thing that Wellington people wore anxious about was the development of Wrairarapa East. From Lake Wairarapa to Waipukurau there was a big stretch of country capable of great development. He asked Mr. Massey, in his capacity as Minister for Lauds, to consider the purchase of largo estates held by Europeans in the vicinity of Mowhango and to tho north-east of that place. Mr. Massey asked where the Native lands were which Dr. Nowman. had spoken about. Dr. Newman: All over the northern part- ox* the province. Real Dissatisfaction. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) said that in his district there was a. very real dissatisfaction with the present position. They had been promised a trial survey of a- railway, but nothing had yet been done. There was no part, of New Zealand so badly off in tho. matter of transport facilities as the northern part of Wellington province. In parts of tho Wanganui district, and in tho Taumarunui district ■mere bridle-tracks wore the rule. The whole of this district) had been neglected S3 far as road facilities were concerned. Ho was quito certain that it was correct; to say that Wellington Province had'been neglected in tho past in tho matter of road and railway expenditure, and thero should be an improvement in tho .future. Mr. G. R. Sykes (Masterton) spoke of tlie necessity of deviating tho Wairarapa railway so as to cut out the Rimutaka incline. The ■ Minister for Public Works had promised to. inspect the district affected by this proposal,' and also the Eastern Wairarapa. He hoped that tho Prime Minister would find, time to accompany his colleagues ,and see for . himself the .requirements of the district. . Mr. R. W. Smith (Waimarino) said that the rate of progress in the construction of the Raetihi lino was unsatisfactory. The people of tho district felt that the tiling was being 'played, with. Tho line would be a valuable feeder To tlie Main Trunk line, and would servo for tho transportation of a great deal of timber. The eight'miles of this railway that remained to be constructed should be pushed on at once. Tho things required at the Tongariro National Park were a track and reasonably good accommodation.

The Central Station. Mr. W. H. D. 801 l (Wellington Suburbs) said that his district carried very little upon tho Public Works Estimates. They did not complain about that, but the Government should realise that Wellington and the suburbs had during Tecent years paid a great deal in taxation, and had not called for any largo expenditure of money. Tlu's fact should be borne in mind when the question of linking up Wellington by railway with tho back country was being considered. The Government should at once instruct competent engineers to survey possible deviations of the railways leading out of Wellington to avoid "as far as possible the hill barriers- which made transport costlv over the present rout-es. What Wellington needed most of all w°s a new Central Railway Station. People at present wore cruelly hampered! by _ tho inadequate facilities at the existing railway stations. The new central station should bo gone > on with right awav.. He regretted much that. the Minister for Railways had decided not t-o I float a loan for this and similar works '.next year, but if tho Government were adamant in tlijs, at least plans of tho whole work, including tho new sidings, etc., should be prepared, and provisional orders placed wherever orders were necessary, so that as soon as the loan was raised tho work- could ho "ono on with.- This was a thing thataffected the whole of the suburbs and tho back-Country as well, and tho prosecution of the work should' not be delaved. Mr.. J. Robertson (Otaki) endorsed what Mr. 801 l had said about the necessity of deviating the railways leading out of Wellington, and of providing better facilities' at. the railway stations. Tho Waikanae-Hutt Bond was about two-thirds completed. It would cost 'about £4000. to complete it. The completed portion was now lving idle, and tho road should be finished at once. Another matter that required attention in his district was tho reclamation of sand-duno areas. The Levin-Greatfo'rd deviation and tho extension of the Sandon tramway wero othor matters mentioned by Mr. Robertson. The Sandon Tramway. Mr. E. Nowmani (Rangitikei)' said that one of tho greatest needs in his district were tho extension of the Sandon tramway and an grant for counties so that they could make their own roads. Ho asked that tho Government should pass some legislation that would 1 enable the people 01 tho district to extend tho Sandon tramway to connect with tho main railway. If this wore done probably tho Wairarapa lino would be built in tlio same way. . They did not so much want direct grants a-3 power to raise loans and do their own improvements. Mr. D. H. Guthrio (OronrO urged that tho Kimbolton-Apiti lino should bo proceeded .with. A trial survey had been made some years ago, but tho • proposals had been altered, and another ' inrvcv was necessarv. It. was agreed by all that the line would pay. The rnnid connecting the Knst and West ' CVastr sl""M b« cmpletcl. It wmld ' linl; td FwVA "->? •vitl' the West ••r.'l »Iso -viMi tho AVe'knto. " Xlr. D. Buick (Palmcrston North) ad-

vocated tlio development of the Tongariro National Park, stating tlujt if this wero done on right lines, tlie Park would Ijccoiuo one of the greatest tourist resorts in the world. Better railway stations wore wanted at Wellington and l'alnierston North. PRIME MINISTER IN REPLY. AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON. Tho Prime Minister said that lis had visited the Ohakune-Raetilii railway during tho recess. A few men were then employed clearing tho track. Upon making inquiry, he was informed that the detailed 'survey.of tlie line was not sufficiently advanced. Tho detailed survey was now nearly completed, and tenders were being called for four miles of railwav construction. If tho tenders did not greatly exceed tho engineer's estimate, one would be accepted. (Hear, hear.) He recognised the importance of the line, and believed that it would pay. A comparison had been made Between Auckland and Wellington. Ho did not want to look at it from an Auckland point of view—lie bad to look at tlieso things from tho viewpoint of tho interests of the whole country—but it was impossiblo to make a comparison between the two districts. Auckland could not be compared with Wellington in tho matter of development. Tho King Country had only recently been opened up, and as to tho East Coast district and North Auckland, although a good deal deal of money had been spent in these districts, numerous complaints came in about tho need for public works expenditure. In his own district a lino surveyed twenty-five years ago had not yet had a shilling spent upon it. Mr. E. Newman: A bad precedent. The Prime Minister said that he was glad that his attention had been called to the Nativo land. He would confer with the Native Minister on the subject. He mentioned that he had made legislative provision last year under which Natives might hand over their land to be sold by the Government on their behalf. The Natives, however, had taken oxception to a condition that two-thirds of the purchase money should bo lodged for them with the Public Trustee, and not an acre had been raado available in this way. . The Wairarapa Visit. Ho would bo very glad indeed to visit the Wairarapa during the recess if time permitted. He was rather pleased that a good deal of attention had been paid recently to the Tongariro National Park, because he appreciated the possibilities of that district. He had not scon tho whole of it, but he had seen a good deal of it. He would be glad to seo similar accommodation to ■ that which existed at Mount Egmont, provided at Tongariro and Ruapehu. As 10 sand-drifts, tho Government had arranged to reclaim 100 acres of sand south of the Rangitikei Itiver. A considerable expenditure had been authorised for this purpose. Mr. Massey declared jestingly that 110 was rather surprised to hoar Mr. Robertson ask for expenditure in his district. Ho had seen Mr. Robertson reported as saying that everything in his district was lovely, that land settlement was going 011 satisfactorily, and that thero was nothing to complain of. (Laughter.) Mr. 'Robertson smilingly doniea suggesting that his district could ever be satisfied. The Prime Minister said that ho would confer with tho Minister for Public- Works and other members of the Cabinet, and endeavour to do justice to every part of New Zealand, Wellington included.

Dr. Nowman thanked tho Primo Minister.