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Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1922, Page 2

When .Mr -Massey was sojourning in tlie < 'oo] shades of Opposition in tile political wilderness and spent liis strength in railing at- the Lilxrrals for continuing in office so long, he had, as the thought for the times to-day indicates, fixed views as to the limit of time a. party should remain in power. In 1911 he said it was not good for any party to remain in i>ower more than a few years. And there is no doul>t- a good deal of wisdom in the remark, for it must be realised that Reform has lived out its welcome. This is evidenced by its failure to bring forward nnv progressive legislation. Reform has dropped into u party, or rather class groove, and keeping in the same old rut is unable to advance the practical interests of the country. Mr Massey ! is still resorting to taxation and bor- j rowing as the chief essentials to keep the finances straight and struggle along. There is nothing very heroic about that. It would appear that the years of office have dulled the initiative of the Reformers, for they are

certainly not equal to the task of handling the political fortunes of the country either in rgeard to the finance or jts domestic concerns. Legislation such as we have to accept is founded cn opportunism to meet pressing needs not in a statesmanlike way, but in a hurried makeshift manner; and so we come to the same conclusion as Mr Massey did in 1911 that it is not good for a party to remain too long in power. Perhaps 1922 will see the requisite change come to pass.

Mention was made yesterday of the j anticipated expansion of the gold dredging operations at Rinui Flat. The increased industrial activity foreshadowed will carry with it, also, the necessity for an increase in the generated power requisite to drive the machinery of the proposed dredge. The present capacity of flic existing power station at Kanieri Forks, is fully utilised in operating the dredge now at work, and in the lighting and small power schemes in and about Hokitika, j The question ns to the site for the new j power station has been well considered ■ and it is understood alternative {Malpositions have been prepared. One site I is in conjunction with Lake Kanieri b v tapping that useful reservoir in the vicinity of Sunny Bight, and developing the power at Bang’s Terrace. The other site offering is Toarohn river, j The latter is some four times greater than the former, but is more costly. | while in addition there are said to be ' stringent Government conditions which do not apply at Lake Kanieri where the source of power lias been secured under older rights. Looking to the future development of North Westland including the principal centres of popu lntion. the Toaroha scheme differs the greatest assured success. It would lie alogether in the interests of the district if the latent power at Toaroha could he harnessed and developed for future use over the whole countryside after Rimu Fiat as a mining proposition has been cleared up.