SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times, [Established 1874.] SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1894. THE CO-OPERATIVE SYSTEM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4850, 13 October 1894, Page 2

SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times, [Established 1874.] SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1894. THE CO-OPERATIVE SYSTEM.

The PublicWorksiStatement should be culled the Public Works Eomnnce! The Hon Mi'SeddoiiWputat-ibnfor romancing Ims frequently been criticised, and in considering his Public Works Romance wo are haunted by that doubt which usually attends lii's utterances. Take, for example, his statement on the co-operative system, He says:

The co-operative principle of constructing public works continues to give very satisfactory results, both to the State and the workmen, and the interest in the mailer has also become more widespread, As time wears on the advantages claimed for the system of constructing public works on the cooperative principle lire being more and' more amply verified. As compared with the contract system, a much better class of work has been done, wliilst the cost to the Colony has been no greater Another advantage is the power which is left in the hands of tlic Governmentto regulate the expenditure on public works, A very pleasing feature in connection with this matter was the few complaints made by those who were retired from the works. The total earnings of tlic co-operative contractors employed under the Public Works Department during the year have been £811,053, and under the Lands Department £88,377.

We were under tho impression tliiifc the eo-oporutivo principle of constructing public works was eminently unsatisfactory. That the taxpayers of tlio Colony lose about a' hundred thousand pounds a yew by it and that the workmen under it are generally dissatisfied, As regards the latter it lias been alleged that one man will make three pounds a day and another three shillings. How can a principle which produces enormous discreptancies prove satisfactory to the workmen. Asregards the State it takes six or seven years to construct a piece of line which ought to be made in one. By the time the work is completed portions of i,t are so battered by rain, wind aud cattjp that they have to be mado over again. , The interest too on the uncompleted w.ork'jfchat'i/isp on! hand is a serious tax and virtually I tb.o c,ost of it. The man jyiio took six years to ibuild a ho,use for letting purposes puld hp considered a fool aud ycjt this is exactly ! jLlip position of tjie CJflvernment. Tlrny aw constructing w'flrks out of borrowed jnoney and have to pay. interest tor a series of years before they get a penny back, Our

American cousins, who understand,, profitable railway • construction, would complete a thousand miles of. line before the New Zealand Govern-', i ment would finish a single mile.' The I public works system of;the colony | lias been prostituted to win general elections for the Liberal Party, and; the Public Works Statement is, we' fear, a mere fabrication of fads and' ligures. The assertion that a bettor I class of work is done nnder the co-1 operative system than under the! tender system, is one that certainly! needs corroboration. An atmosphere ■ of deceit hangs' over the whole state- j ment. Every Inspector and sub-In-spector in the department is colour blind, and has to lit, his reports and records to Ministerial theories-or lie would besummarily dismissed. Under Mr Seddon terrorism prevails in all State Departments,andthe Colony is consequently befooled with all sorts of specious statements )vhich overy ono who either loves 'or fears Mr Seddon must Bwear to. Our owu opinion is that judging from the snail pace at which the construction of the Eketahuna-Woodville line proceeds and tlio manner in which the work is done that the taxpayers ot tlio Colony are being robbed right and left. The Colony is certainly not getting valueforitsPublicWorlts expenditure, and tlio loss is falling on tlio taxpayers.