Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 1939. PIERCING THE RIMUTAKA.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 August 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 1939. PIERCING THE RIMUTAKA.

V() vote for the construction of the Rimutaka railway deviation appears on the Public Works Estimates nowbefore Parliament. A survey of the deviation has been partly carried out and is io be continued and presumably completed during the coming summer, but the absence of any provision on the current Estimates suggests that it is not- intended to make a start on the construction of the deviation this year or, probably, next year. The Public Works Estimates come down so late in the year that provision for intended works has to be made well in advance.

Whether a beginning is to be made in the comparatively near future upon the boring of the tunnel which is the principal part of the deviation no doubt must depend to some extent on general financial conditions. A substantial reduction in the present extraordinary expenditure on public works no doubt is inevitable, but this should not mean that the Rimutaka. deviation, which has been postponed so often and so long, must be postponed again. The work has vastly better claims to consideration than some of those at present in hand—notably the astonishing South Island Main Trunk railway, on which there is a great deal of tunnelling to be carried out.

The South Island Main Trunk and some other lines under construction, can be nothing else than a heavy liability to the State for many a year to come. On the other hand, the Rimutaka. deviation, according to official estimates, will at least save its costs on the basis of the existing volume 01. traffic. Since it would effect an enormous improvement in railway transport facilities between the Wairarapa and Wellington and taking account also of the increased demands that 'will be made on the railways with the completion of the East Coast line, it would appear that the long-deferred deviation may be expected to justify itself very handsomely. The alternative to piercing the' Man'garoa-Cross Creek tunnel presumably would be to allow an equipment of up-to-date plant to stand idle or to employ it on works that are less valuable and less justified. The Government is pledged explicitly to put the tunnel deviation in hand and it is entirely reasonable that it should now be asked to say when it intends to do so.

THE LOCATION OF INDUSTRY.

A GENERALLY sympathetic reply, but one also which showed that only a limited amount ol' attention has been given as yet to an extremely important aspect ol national development, was given by the Minister of Industries anti Commerce (Ml Sullivan) when he was asked, in the House ol Representainos whether, when licensing new industries, he would give consideration to (a) the better distribution of population 'and (b) the safeguarding of essential industries against possible enemj attacks.

From what Air Sullivan had to say on the subject it is clear that the existing provision for the licensing of new industries falls considerably short of touching effectively the broad question of the location and distribution of industries to the best national advantage. Of industries declared to be subject to licensing under the Industrial Efficiency Act, the Minister stated, twenty-one had been gazetted, “but this number includes several distributive industries, and, in fact, embraces only three industries which were at the time of licensing,. oi. are at present, entirely new to the Dominion.” The manufacture of aeroplanes, Mr Sullivan mentioned, was not subject to licensing.

On I lie whole it must appear that comparatively small importance attaches to the fact that the Bureau of Industry is required,' in considering applications from industries subject to licensing, “to have regard to the economics of the proposed site in relation io markets, power, raw materials and labour and these questions are very thoroughly examined in each case. ’’

It must be regarded as a defect of organisation that the Bureau of Industry is not empowered and required Io deal in a much more comprehensive way with the location of industries throughout the Dominion to the greatest national advantage. ‘Under the Industrial Efficiency Act powers in themselves farreaching are conferred with a view to promoting industrial efficiency. Since the most, advantageous location 01. industry, taking everything into account, is a root condition both ol economy and of national welfare, it seems very necessary that the Act should be amended to enable extended attention to be given to this vital aspect of the position.

For some time to come, however, a great deal is likely to depend upon the amount of initiative and enterprise developed in areas and districts ,of which the Wairarapa is-one outstanding example, in which additional industries 'might be established with advantage both to the local community and to the population of the Dominion generally.

It is a matter largely of overcoming apathy, inertia and drifting habit. There is nothing whatever to be said for the prevailing tendency to crowd industries into already congested and hampered areas, in which industrial development very often is not faeiki.taled or made economical in any very importaid degree, and in which community life is stunted and hampered (listressingly.

There are industries admittedly which necessarily are established at or near nodal points of mainland and sea transport systems. In these days, however, of fast, convenient and flexible land transport, it frequently matters little to a given industry that it should be located in the near neighbourhood of a seaport or railway goods yard.

In countries of old and new development, the possibilities of national advantage from a wide distribution of industries are more and more forcing themselves on attention, but in this matter New Zealand is rather lagging behind 11k 1 limes. It needs to he understood that the distribution of industries, wisely directed, offers opportunities of advantage and profit not to he attained in any oilier way. Industrial enterprise, if il is io achieve its best possibilities, must be based upon and associated with sound and satisfactory conditions of social life and from that standpoint our tin crowded provincial districts are vastly to be preferred to our ill-planned and somewhat jumbled metropolitan areas.

To a very considerable extent, the more advantageous distribution of industries in this country must continue to depend upon the measure of enlightenment attained by eiderprising individuals. There is room also and definite need, however, not least in districts like our own, for a measure of community organisation directed to influencing development bv doing what is possible to encourage and offer facilities for the establishment of desirable industries. It is very much in (he interests of all sections of our population that progress on these lines should be fostered and encouraged.