SOUTH NOT NEGLECTED

Evening Star, Issue 19804, 1 March 1928, Page 10

SOUTH NOT NEGLECTED

MINISTER REPLIES TO CHARGES FAIR ALLOCATION OF PETROL TAX Charges that Dunedin, Otago, and the South Island generally were being neglected by the Government to the advantage of the North Island were dealt with by the Minister of Finance (Hon. W. D. Stewart) in bis address at the Early Settlers’ Hall last night. Mr Stewart stated that before dealing with the main question of his address he would touch on one or two local matters. He had seen it in the papers, and it had been put to him by a number of citizens, that the interests of Dunedin were being ignored and overlooked. If -that charge was to be made, and if it were true, he must accept a large share of the blame, because naturally a_ member of the Cabinet had opportunities of preventing such a thing happening or of such injustices being allowed. He had endeavored to ascertain the points on which it was suggested Dunedin, Otago, and the South Island were not receiving lair treatment at the hands of the Government. The complain had been made that as far as tourists were concerned there was neglect on the part of the Tourist Department in respect to the interests of the South Island and Otago. Without being completely able to disprove that statement, became it was one of the statements difficult to disprove, he had made some inquiries as to the real position. The simplest and shortest way to answer was 10 say that the motor tourist agency for the South Island, Wigley and Co., who operated on the Mount Cook run, and Neuman and Co., on the West Coast services, both had no complaints to make at all, and said that as far as they could see the Tourist Department was doing justice to both islands. Those statements should carry some weight, coming from those who were directly interested in the tourist traffic. A. statement had been made last week, continued the Minister, that Mr Mansou, the New Zealand Government agent in Melbourne, had advocated purely the interests of the North, and had not recommended the South Island, if they looked up the northern papers they would see that Mr Mansou had spccificially denied having done that. The matter had arisen through Auckland papers taking out of Mr Manson’s remarks only the parts to suit their purposes. Mr Mansou had made a fuller statement in accord with his well-known views that he was one of the keenest advocates of Soutli Island traffic we had.

A further point to be considered was that the Minister in sharge of the Tourist Department was a South Island Minister, and, as the speaker knew, was particularly keen to develop the interests of the South. At the present moment an extensive accommodation house was being built at Milford to replace the one that was burnt last .year. A further complaint made was that ho had nob got sufficient distinguished visitors to como to Dunedin. So far o*» his memory went, all the distinguished visitors they had been able to send had como to Dunedin. He would like to point out that many distinguished people came to New Zealand without the Government, the Tourist Department, or the Publicity Department knowing they were here. Only when a visitor irae in the Government’s charge was it possible to bring pressure to bear to induce him to go to the south. Only a fortnight ago he was being attacked in Dunedin because He had not arranged for Dr Hill, of the Kew Gardens, London, to visit Dundin. Ho had explained to those who had approached him that he had had no knowledge that Dr Hill was coming to New Zealand. When he was informed, ho had arranged in a few hours for Dr Hill to visit Dunedin. Dr Hill was not a Government guest, hut'was invited to Australia, and really .came to New Zealand to see an old personal friend in Wellington. Dr Cockayne. The Government could not be held responsible for visitors, except its own guests.

Whether a fair share of public expenditure was coming to Dunedin was the next point touched upon by the Minister, who said ho would not detain the audience by discussing that matter fully. If the Otago Expansion League or the Chamber of Commerce or any other body interested came to him be thought nc could satisfy them with facts and figures that there was no foundation for a statement that Dunedin was not getting a fair share of public expenditure. The late Air Alassey used to say that he (Air Stewart) seemed determined to have Dunedin rebuilt at the Government’s expense. There were other questions, such as the allocation of the petrol tax - . There was a complete answer to tho suggestion that an injustice was being done to the South Island in that respect, but he might have an opportunity of meeting Air Ansell and other members of the Motor Association, unless they waited until next week, when the Alinister in charge of the motor regulations’ would be in Dunedin. There was no Afinister in the South Island who had not been able to satisfy his constituents that the non-allocation of the petrol tax was tho right thing, and if the opportunity were given he believed he could satisfy the electors of Dunedin West in that connection. The allegation that Dnnedin was being overlooked by the Government periodically cropped up. Past Governments had been taken to task in tho same way, and on one occasion the representatives of tho city were met at the railway station and marched through the streets to the tunc of ‘The Rogues’ March*—(laughter)—on the ground that they had not received sufficient money from the Government for Dunedin. So far as his opportunities went lie had done his best to protect the interests of Otago and tho South Island to see that they received justice at the hands of the central Government. (Applause.)