MOTOR ROADS AND THE MINISTER i-Olt WORM

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 287, 23 August 1918, Page 6

MOTOR ROADS AND THE MINISTER i-Olt WORM

Sir—Tho short-sighted and illiberal utterances oi the Hun. Sir William leaser at Uiristenurcn this week will Ue reiiK-m----bercu against him in the near future wuii nuerest, whon ho conies Uelore Ms constituents, at the next elections. Just imagine any progressive man making tie toiiowing statement, in the twentieth century !-"l am not going to make good motor roads to the West Coast, tourists can take the railways. If tlioy must go to the West Coast, they should go by rail. If they want to go by motor they can go, but 1 am not going to make motor roads. It is absurd. As soon as a railway is built nowadays, they want; a good motor road alongside. He says: Use the rail. Heaven forbid, that any man or woman, whoso time is hunted, at tho present time, were without any. other alternative, than the mismanaged Dominion railways. Take Ins lor an example: 1 wanted to go to a town twelve miles distant to see my legal adviser, and took the train that leaves at 10 20 a.m. I arrived after hall nil hour's journey, and finished my work by 12 "5 p.m. 1 was then compelled to wait till 3.25 p.m. before 1 could take up my return trip home. I was not a tourist, and it is well known that usually tourists have not got any more time at their disposal than they can spare, so the quickest medium oi travelling is, it they call afford it, used so as to get over the' greatest-length of country that can be covered in the holiday. In every country in the world tourists arc welcomed, and Governments go out of their way to make the roads and other facilities required by the visitors who wish to see as much as possible, in the shortest time. Again, tourists spend a great deal of money, are a source of profit to any country that caters for their requirements, and they are also the very best form of advertisement that can be had as, if they are pleased with the treatment they receive, they advise others to go over the same circuit that has given them so much pleasure. Sir William Eraser's statements mean to all tourists: Keep away from New Zealand, as we don't want you, unless you arc willin" to use slow railways or bad roads." Unfortunately the West Coast is not the only district that suffers from the bad reads plague. Any one who has the necessity to use tjie road from Wellington to the Wairarapa knows it to !iis"eost. Whether it is the fault, of the Government or (lie county councils, or both, T do not know, but 1 do know that the ratepayers and the taxpayers 1 aro not getting justice from either. I

would just like to remind fc>ir >V illtaus Eraser that, as the people wish lor good roads, it is his duty as a servant ol tho people of the Dominion, to do their bidding and give them what they want. Kcferring to the last sentence of ho Minister of Public Works' above-quoted, remarks, Surclv we want good roads as soon as a railway is built, for how can. we get to and from the stations, to usu the railways, unless we have the medium to do so? We do not all live alongside', the stations, but in most eases _ miles therefrom. Trusting that tho .Minister was just a hit flurried when ho madeHit; remarks objected to—l ain, etc., A SIIAIiEIIOLDEII IN THE RAILWAYS AND KOADS OP THE DOMINION.