A NATIONAL PLAN

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 279, 19 August 1920, Page 5

A NATIONAL PLAN

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—l desire to brinp; before tho Government, Parliament, and pcoplo of this Dominion the desirability of evolving a national plan for the thorough development of the whole of the country and its resources in the most economical manner, in order to lighten the war burdens and prepare the Dominion to carry out her destiny as one of tho Imperial nations in the Pacific.

A National Planning Bill could be passed this, session to provide for tho Petting up of a National Planning Council, composed of Ministers of tho Crown., M.L.C.'s, M.P.'s, experts from the State Depart meats, including naval and military advisers,- and experts representing tho various professions, businesses, industries, trades, and labour (numbers in each enso and salaries to be decided) the council to be clothed with the usual powors. Such a body could formulate a plan for developing all the latent resources of the comitrv. stimulating the existing industries, deciding what now industries should bo fostered, developing unoccupied areas anil improving those now occupied. To devise 6iich a plan would require searching investigations, also much study of statistics, laws, reports, plans, cte., besides the takin?. of evidence, as the whole of the electors should bo ; invited to give their ideas, and if useful, payment could be made for them. Probably small committees would be set up to deal with each important question, and their suggestions would bo' incorporated in the plans and report of the council. Some of the matters to be v considered would be defen.ee, railways (trunk and light), main roads, harbours, first and second-class, hydro-electric schemes, cities and towns (existing and to be built), health, forestry, prevention of floods, flax, fisheries, wool, grain, gum, meat, dairying, mining, sawmilling, industries not enumerated, etc. Tho plan would ehow existing natural and artificial features and all the prn> posed national works such as railways, roads, hydro-electric schemes, forests, new towns, etc., but defences would be shown on a separate plan not to be made public. Accompanying the plans there would be comprehensive reports. It may be said that the method "of evolving tho plan is wrong; if 60 adopt a more suitable one, But I am certain that if such a plan is evolved, adopted, and carried ™t that tho country will save many millions a 9 time goes on. • During the war the pcoplo of the Dominion combined to help attain victory; let us again combine to carry out our national work, tho keynote being harmony. Of course, the carrying out of the plan would extend over many years.—l am, otc, N.Z.C.E.-

Delegates attending yesterday's conference of the New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies' Association were much impressed with the possibilities of turning tho opossum to good account, andi after an exhaustive discussion it was decided to urge: That tho Animals Protection Act be amended lb enable tho' Governor-in-Council to make regulations providing for: (a 1 ) An open season for trapping or killing opossums in any particular district or districts: such season not to exceed three months. (M The issue of a license, nt n fee to l>e determined, entitling the holder to take opossums. ' (o) Tim manner in which opossums may bo trapped or taken, (dl An adequate penally for any breach of such regulations. A further remit was carried touching the necessity for prohibiting the sale of opossum skins in close season, andl keeping a close cheek on dealers in skins. The Indian exnenmenter. Sir .Taeadi<j C. Bose, is the first Indian ft> be made a Fellow of the Royal Society for eoientifio regoaxoii.