The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 10, 1914. THE NEEDS OF THE PROVINCE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2197, 9 July 1914, Page 6

The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 10, 1914. THE NEEDS OF THE PROVINCE.

'''It hiust be'a.dmi.tted that- : the peor pie of- the. Wellington provincial dis-tnct.-hayc-.not shoAyn that ehthiisias' tic;infccre'sfc'iri; the'. progress; of •■ their; prbvinccwhich-is; necessary if things are to go ahead as/quickly as is dc {jii-ablc. A.good deal lias bCcii.donofrom' time ; to./time, to .'forward pfo'- : ppsals/fbrftthc ri ; benefit'.'V of ■".: this' locality, and .the/various con'-: trca - have. taken vvliat/s topVi. they : hayo thought best to secure then;• own:.adv'arfcembn t;. but/ho i system'atie V /'at-'' tehipt appears :to.have;bco'nniade- : t'b. develop that.'.widor; outlook • Jwhicft would -take 'into consideration the' we 1 fa re, of both/CO tt n try si do an d c.i ty.. Each;parthas/ been : \ thinking'•■' so Much: about Its owti .'immediate..Concerns ."that: it;has./almost.'forgotten that: its.'interests are bound up with 'thbso.';pf ■.;■ its;. : .neighbours'..'. ■ The spirit of unity, arid <cb-opcratibn has been conspicuous by./its absence 1 ,,, with the result that' 'th&-,,urgent, hcecls of ;tho". district jliavc hot Ycceiyed,.that'at'-. teh'tibn in the past to which they are. entitled, ' The; uhwearyingV clamour afld : -persistence/of bUicr-' provinces' hatfe/ succeeded in .bending the. GoVr ornment arid.Parliament;". fco'i their will,:.and havcshpwn in an imprcs--sive /manner .the ■ value of "United' 'actibri in getting;things done./WelV lihgton andthe)surik)ulldihg -.country districts,are-at last beginning tb realise the.advantage of adoptiiig a 1 similar policy. : The conference of local bbdieii: to''Consider mattei's fedtiiig.th-s welfare,'of,the..pfoViriee which.; Was - bpeh'ed.''ye3tef day .may',be regarded -'..'as'/an■;important-.stcjpv forv NS'ai'd in. this direction, and it will no ; doubt be. tliti '.precursor. ■-of many pthiiv" gatherings of 'a-'similar nature, which, cannot fail to'fiiYthev eiiiphasis'e llie.-desiivilileiiess of. o'o-ojwnilipn: ihmatters of common, interest to all parts of the. district, ■'''-■■'.■'..;' ■/'.'■ Theconference, is : .a practical'recognition.of tlic inter-dependence of town -and .country: ; ';'f hcorcl.ieully it is quite obvious that fihe'.prooiie'rit.v of : a city like, Wellington h bound

up .with . the . progress of. the surrounding rural districts, but we have been slow to: realise that this fact should naturally'lead! to', joint action in many directions.' The present:conference should do_much to stimulate co-operation on'widcr lines than has hitherto been the case. The Kimiitaka i deviation and, the opening up of the East Ooastilands,, for instance, are'matters of great importance t'o ; the city'and the whole in-ovihcej as well as to the localities immediately concerned. Isolated representations as to the urgency of these works can-'. not be expected to make the same impression as a combined demand.' The conference; rightly emphasised the fact'that the Kimutaka- deviation >vas a, sound business proposition,, and that'.the Government would be thoroughly justified from this point' of view'in making a'start.'with the, undertaking at the earliest possible moment.: : •Though.;: differences/.of opinion .may. cxiitlon"questions of engineering ;and route, the' conference recognised that :it:should concentrate' its ; ,efforts ,on securing 'recognition '.-of the, necessity ; : for 'a: change,. leaving - the, details for the Government; experts-..t0 settle. ■/ The same reasonable-spirit was shown in. regard to the best method of opening up .'the. East; Coast.lands: Here again ;the'/- members .of the con ference are anxious to get things'; "done,; and'tho'wonder 'is that'the neglect of the needs; of -this part of 'the. province! has been tolerated for solbng.,Everyone admits that, a, convincing case has been ; made out for better ;means of. communication i with. this district, and it, is .to; be-hoped .that the'■'•■pre-' sent Government will not be long in proving: that their,:expressions'•;;of. symnathv with' this urgent work are; unlik" those of-their predecessors.; ■something more'than'empty words. Other paits of,the,Wellington Province also deserve:; .more:..:.;generous treatment than...they.; have/received iti the oast in tljb-;'ma'itter>.'.'of.'-''-vPuhlio.j Works expenditure';: and_ the ence now bcihg;;held will serve ,'aAaluable purpose ']in brineing this fiet undoi the'notice'of -Mi"isters. in: a manner which:'canhot,be-ignored;,.