King Country Chronicle SATURDAY, AUG. 10, 1912 DELAYED ESTIMATES

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 490, 10 August 1912, Page 4

King Country Chronicle SATURDAY, AUG. 10, 1912 DELAYED ESTIMATES

The backblock members of Parliament are making their voices heard in the House on the subject of roads and bridges votes. Mr C. K. Wilson was early in the field [with a question having for its object the earlier introduction of the Estimates, while the member for Marsden, Mr Mander, followed the matter up with a question on similar lines. The subject 13 one which has been referred to from time to time for years past, but no improvement has been effected. According to the Hon. W. Fraaer, the new Minister for Public Works, the solution of the difficulty lies in calling Parliament together earlier in the year, and with this opinion °uch an experienced Parliamentarian as Sir Joseph Ward agrees. Considering the importance of the question, not only to the back blocks, but to the Dominion as a whole, it is to be devoutly honed the remedy will be adopted. It is widely known that even after the issue of the necessary authorities to the local bodies considerable delay occurs in having plans arid specifications prepared and sent to Wellington for approval, prior to contracts being called for the work, and that as a result much work is held up until bad weather sets in, and renders it impossible to proceed with operations to advantage. The earlier issuing of the necessary authorities would make it possible for the local bodies to have their plans prepared before the busy season set in, and construction work could be commenced with the advent of fine weather. Hitherto it has been the common experience to have much of the work held up until after the midsummer holidays. It is manifestly impossible to accomplish a great deal cf work in the short three months between New Year and the 31st of March, and the backblock districts suffer in consequence of the undue de lay. In many instances, of course, work is continued until bad weather puts a stop tu operations. Still, the end of April usually sees a stoppage and active operations are hung up until the following midsummer. Faced with such a position it is not to be wondered at that the backblock members are strenuously, advocating the earlier production of the Estimates. The satisfactory progress of backblock districts is so dependent upon roads that every effort should be made to facilitate the roading opera-

tions with which the Government is concerned. It is utterly impossible to aehicvo economical expenditure under such a .system. Half finished work left to bear a winter's storm and trailic usually results in a total while if an endeavour is made to complete the work during tho bad weather the result is probably equally bad. Tho voice of the politician is heard throughout thu Dominion advocating the rapid settlement of all available lands as the most urgent necessity of the country. With the principle involved only the most cordial agreement can ha expressed. If, however, the roading operations so vital to the prosperity of new settlement are to he confined to about three months of the year there is little prospect of much material progress being made in lami settlement. In this disj trict settlement outran reading re-

quirements, and we are now reaping the inevitable reward, while it will take years to bring roading into line with tho requirements of the district. If the difficulty is to be overcome in the simple manner suggested by tho Hon. W.Frassr, and Sir Joseph Warn, it is to be hoped a serious effort will bo made to meet the wishes of the haekblocks members. The interests at stake are altogether of too grout: magnitude to allow minor considerations to retard land settlement, or to impose such a serious handicap on the country as is the case under existing conditions.