PUBLIC WORKS POLICY.

Taihape Daily Times, 12 February 1918, Page 4

PUBLIC WORKS POLICY.

The Auckland Herald, dealing tditorially with the Public Works policy of the Government, says the Department suffers from a restricted outlook and from a lack of enthusiasm for its work. After criticising Sir William Fraser’s statement that 8000 men could be employed on public works, our nothern contemporary trenchantly asks:—What do the taxpayers of New Zealand expect? Will they be content with 8000 men or less when every a cre of land opened by the ex. tension of railways will reduce taxation? Will they ungrudgingly carry the burden of a heavy war debt“ While great areas of fertiTeTand are allowed to lie idle through lack of communication? When the relation of public works to taxation is fully realised the public is mor e likely to demand 20,000 than 8000, and to insist upon the portfolio of Public Works behlg in the hands of a Minister who will make it his business to complete tnc construction of the gre&t settlement railways with the least possible delay.