The Dominion. THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1916. RATIONAL ECONOMY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2709, 2 March 1916, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1916. RATIONAL ECONOMY

The Government has taken the proper course in deciding to slacken off work at the Otira Tunnel. If the Minister of Public Works had thought fit to go a step further and had stopped this work altogether for the present, he would have had no difficulty in justifying his decision. He has, however, preferred to move with extreme caution in order, no doubt, to avoid friction and to give no reasonable ground for complaint. No one can seriously accuse the Government of carrying out their promised policy of economy in a rash and inconsiderate manner. Their desire to keep things going just as if there was no war is to a certain cxtest commendable, but after all the war is tho biggest thing in our national life, and it is poor statesmanship to ignore this great fact. The Minister announced his policy of cconomy in his last Public Works Statement. ' "The great importance of developing tho resources of the Dominion "by constructing roads, bridges, and railways will certainly Hot be lost sight of," lie said, "but it is necessary to emphasise the fact that some reduction in the rate of expenditure on such works must be cxpcctcd under the very trying conditions consequent on the war. The need for cconomy might well have been stated in much stronger terms, and tho authorities have laid themselves open to criticism for their excessive timidity in this matter. The programme of retrenchment outlined by the Minister was extremely modest, and more modest'is tho amount of saving so far actually effected. The Otira Tunnel stands out prominently as one of the public works on which there should be a reduction, if not entire cessation of expenditure, at a time when the necessity for putting on the financial brake is admittedly urgent. It is one of the undertakings that can wait till a more convenient season. The money now being spent on it can be much more profitably used for other purposes. The Minister's decision to cut down expense at Otira is so obviously right that he might well have taken a firmer stand, and adopted a- less apologetic tone in his reply to the deputation which waited upon him yesterday. Everyone agrees with the general principle of economy in war time, but its application to particular cases is always apt to cause a certain amount of difficulty and dissatisfaction. Friction and hardship cannot be entirely avoided, and tho Government is to be commended for its endeavour to prevent any sudden disturbance of the industrial equilibrium. Ministers arc, however, bound to be very cautious in the matter of expenditure until they know when the war is Koing to end and the extent of the country's financial obligations arising out of its military engagements. An entire stoppage of public works is neither possible nor desirable, but a slowing down in certain directions is imperative. The Minister says that the limited amount of money at his disposal will probably have to last till March of next year. _In 'such circumstances'it is his manifest duty to put. it to the' best use from the national point of view. He must give first consideration to works that will have the effect of increasing tho productiveness of tho Dominion, and which will facilitate the settlement and development of the land.. Undertakings which are Hearing completion and which promise to bo immediately remunerative should bo gone on with in preference to works which will not directly increase settlement or production, or which .can only reach tho paying point in tho distant future. The completion of the Otira Tunnel will do little or nothing to promote settlement, and it cannot by any stretch of the imagination be regarded as an absolute necessity in a time of crisis like the present. Indeed, the deputation made'no attempt to prove that its prompt completion is an urgent national need, and_ most people will feel that the Minister-, was excessively deferential to local sentiment in deciding merely to slacken off rather than make a full stop. A member of the'deputation remaiked that our education system has fitted men to see things and understand them, and they could see signs that the tunnel works are going to be closed down'. It is to be hoped that education is also fitting our people to see things in their true proportions, and to subordinate parochial interests to national requirements. It is, of course, only natural, tha-t the people immediately concerned in any particular work should desire to see it carried through without interruption. One can sympathise with their point of view. But the Government must consider these matters from the national standpoint. Tjiis may. result in curtailment of expenditure in certain places, but every considera. tion should be given to the men whose employment may be temporarily interfered with. There should be no difficulty in finding profitable work for all the available labour at the present time.