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Hokitika Guardian, 20 October 1922, Page 2

Tim Minister of Public Works in his Statement discusses the road construction and maintenance methods of his large Department. It will he seen that the Department following the lead of tin* local bodies is going in more and mure for road making md labor saving machinery. It would appear that the Minister rather apologises as it were for liis action in purchasing the machinery, for lie is at

Home pains to prove that, it is tinning out a profitable bargain. And why should it not be so? Other countries where the mnrhinoiv is manufactured have long demonstrated tile utility of the road-making plants, and are operating them on a very large scale. Both in procuring and transporting material a great saving in time can be made with machinery. And time is money. A road job attended to in a week instead of a month, means a. very material saving, and this effective change is possible only by using adaptable plant for the work. Air Coates is now a. very pronounced convert to the use of macliinery, and he has data, now before him which will he very ustful when the Department takes up main road control under the Highways Bill there is some prospect of Parliament passing this year. It is satisfactory to find also, that Mr Coates realises what is required to cater for the developing classes of heavy and qucker transport over the roads. Motor traffic has come to stay. Tt is a commercial *-jvnl in many places to the railways. 'vlierp tht; ppne^

exist, the motor is now indispensible. It is going'to be the greatest economy for the bnckblock settler both in regard to getting in supplies and sending out his commodities. And the roads must needs be built fol* subh traffic if the development of the country is to move ahead at all rapidly. Mr Coates has arrived at the conclusion that there is considerable economy to he obtained by using modern appliances in the construction and maintenance of roads. This is satisfactory, but it is only in keeping with what lias been proved nil the world over, and very generally in this Dominion by the local bodies—particularly bf the North island. For some reason there is far •more road-making machinery ill the North island than the South Island. Probably it is hocaiise material is scarcer and more remote in plages and the circumstances have forced the contrast, but it lias been a fortunate position nevertheless, because great advantage must accrue hy heiilg able to carry out works on a large scale and more expeditiously hy the use of good road-making plant.

Qnk of the marked weaknesses of the Reform Government is the leaning of the party in power to vested interests. In liis late speech at Dunedin, the Leader of the Opposition (Mr AVilford) emphasised the special circumstance, and told how the policy of the country was directed by “big” men actually outside the Cabinet. In a recent address at Hastings, Mr Forbes, Chief AA’liip of the Liberal Party, returned to the subject, and called attention to the fact that though Air Massey was supposed to Ire “tlie farmers friend*’, he. with all liis opportunities of a pliant majority behind him, had done nothing to protect the farmers from the shipping ring or the banking ring. I’ll impost put on the farmers in freights has been enormous, but 1 ■ thing is done by the Government to restrict or limit the depredations of the shipping combines, which whether it he in regard to coastal, inter-colo-nial, or Home and Foreign freights, impose the highest charges possible. The experience of this country under the policy of the shipping ring has ’been a. very costly one. The AA’est Coast in particular lias suffered greatly, as will be revealed inpiediately the East and AA r est Coast railway is in operation—and in regard to that aspect. it would ho interesting to know how long shipping interests have helped to delay the opening of the line, ami how much longer vested interests are going to hold-up through traffic to and from tlie Coast. These are all aspects worth pondering over in connection with tiie approaching general election.