THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1912. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10715, 19 October 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1912. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

We are enabled this morning to present our retvders xritfa. a: digest' of the Public 'Works delivered in the ifiouse of Representath'e.s last night by "the' Hon W.' Eraser. The statement 'deals in. a comprehensive .manner with the various branches of the public works system, and gives details of past and prospective expenditure. It is quite evident, from the data Supplied that a policy of extravagance has been practised in the past that cannpt be cpntijiued. The new Minister has been compelled, in: the public interests--.-.to .diffeontmue work on the Otago l Central a-ailway and to> restrict the expenditure on . other lines. He is,still face to fac@ with, the fact that only one-half of the ways ' and means are available for the works he proposes undertaking during the year. A loan of £1,750,000 will be necessary, and ifc-.will be readily understood that difficulty will be experienced in raising that amount on satisfactory terms while affaii-s in Europe are in such a chaotic condition The Minister is impressed with the importance of constructing roads a,nd bridges in the back-blocks, and most people will agree with him that these works should have a first claim "upon the national purse. At the same time, on perusing, the detailed estimates we find numerous grants for road-works, •" which we believe might well be postponed for a period. These grants have, presumably, been made upon the recommendation of. the various local authorities in the Dominion, If an appeal were made to the county councils and road boards to revise their applications and ask only for, votes for immediately urgent works, we believe that the vote under this head could be considerably reduced. The only alternative will 'l>e for the Minister to withhold authority for the expenditure of. the grants until the financial atmosphere is a little clearer. It is gratifying to observe that the Hon W, Fraser recognises the necessity for bringing the outlying districts in the Noqtli Island into clos-„

er touch with the railway system, and tliat Ije proposes adopting a modified scheme of light lines. This will give the Wairarapa a splendid opportunity for pushing tho claims of the Master-ton-Waipukurau .railway, YV e re. disappointed to find that no reference is made in the statement to the Hiimitaka railway deviation, and the Lower Valley people will note the absence of any mention of the Martmborough line. These matters .may bo dealt with when the Railway Authorisation Bill is brought down. The vote'for the development of waterpower has been increased by -£30,000 this year, probably with the object of completing the Lake. Coleridge scheme and bringing it to profit as speedily as possible. The policy of the Minister of Public Works -appears to b© to complete those undertakings which are in hand with as much e-x-' pedition as possible, and to refrain from making new engagements in the meantime. When the present Ministry took office, it was assured by tho retiring Premier and Minister of Finance that the finances were in -i splendid condition. How fax from the mark this assurance was is to be gleaned from the fact that a two-mil-lion, loan will be required, to carry 1 out the most urgent of our public 1 works. , ...