The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1885. A NEW MINISTERIAL POLICY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1575, 7 December 1885, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1885. A NEW MINISTERIAL POLICY.

corded. Let not either members or constituents be led astray by " inspired " disclaimers, but make up their minds to the fact that they will be called upon to decide whether or not some such scheme as this shall be carried out, and let them ! remember what momentous interests are dependent upon that decision.

Fij.om the New Zealand Times we learn that proposals of a very important and sensational character will be submitted to Parliament next session. We extract from our Wellington contemporary the appended summary ©f the scheme to be propounded, reserving comments thereon till a future opportunity. The scheme m question will embrace the following as its salient features : — That m view of the difficulties, delays, and doubts involved m pursuing the recent practice of carrying on public works by driblets, a new Public Works. Policy shall be entered upon. The Trunk Railways must be finished sooner or later ; while unfinished they are sources of loss instead of profit ; completed they would approximately pay their way — rif not more — would open up country, and would be advantageeus m innumerable ways. Yet, while the present local antagonism remains it is very doubtful when this can be accomplished. The rival claims of the North Island Trunk line, the Manawatu Gorge connection, the Nelson and West Coast, the Canterbury and Cook Strait, and the Otago Central lines are always apt, as last session, to wreck one another's prospects. Then let the Colony make them all and do it at once ! That is the first proposal which, we believe, will be made : For "the Colony to undertake at once the completion, with all possible rapidity, of all the main trunk lines. This would involve large importation of labour, as the present labour supply would be utterly inadequate for carrying on simultaneously such extensive undertakings. A large immigration policy would, therefore, go with the Public Works Scheme. All this would cost money — lots of money. Very well, then raise at the first eligihle opportunity the whole sum needed — say eight or ten millions. The advantages of the plan could Ire very powerfully sketched hv Sir Julius Vogkl's graphic pen, and we do not doubt that even this large -rum might he raised m the London market if the latter were judiciously approached. Here, then we have the first salient features of the scheme. To borrow eight or ten millions, to undertake the immediate pushing on and completion of all the main railways, and a few other prominent works, and to introduce large additions to the population. We have only referred as yet to the labouring class of immigration ; we shall have something to say later of other classes. In the next place we believe that this proposal will be coupled with an extensive plan for the opening up and settlement of the land, for acquiring vast tracts from the Natives, and bringing them at once within the reach of settlers, and for re-purchasing from large landowners Con the principle proposed by Sir George Grey last session) estates suitable for sub-division into small farms accessible by rail. In this way? it would be proposed to retain and "anchor" the labourers employed on the public works, so soon as those works were finished ; to keep them m the Colony as permanent settlers, by facilitating m every way their settlement on the land. Further, we believe it will be proposed to devote a considerable sum to the encouragement of the immigration of large and small capitalists by enabling them to reach this country as cheaply as the colonies nearer England ; that is to say, by proportionate contributions, either m money or m land, toward the cost of their passages. In these ways a large increment to the population might be secured, and the additional burden of taxation relatively lightened. We believe, also, that another feature will be the " encouragement and promotion of local industries " by means of State aid variously administered, but chief! r through a system of modified protection. Summed up, the scheme would thus consist m public works on an enormous scale, artificiallyencouraged immigration, artificiallyencouraged land settlement, and artificially-encouraged establishment of industries, and a huge borrowing to provide the needful funds. The Wellington contemporary from which we have quoted advises both the electors and their representatives to weigh very carefully these proppsals which it is convinced are m contemplation, and to consider well what reception they shall be ac-