LOCAL PUBLIC WORKS.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1121, 4 November 1873, Page 2

LOCAL PUBLIC WORKS.

{To the Editor of the Westport Times.) Sib, —On the introduction of the Government Public Works Scheme for the Colony some years ago' £70,000 were appropriated for railway works in this district, and now at this date, before a single shilling of that money has been expended, we are informed after a similar flourish of trumpets that Parliament has added £50,000 to the original appropriation, to be expended in protective works on the Buller river. After such a liberal and long standing display of good intentions it may not be considered impatient, or impertinent, to ask how much longer are these appropriations likely to remain on the estimates ] Like a Will -o'-the- Wisp alluring and deceiving the public of this place, and serving no better purpose than affording material for electioneering clap-trap. If any of your readers feel at all anxious in this matter 1 should like to draw their attention to the following statement by the Minister of Public Works as published in Hansard " It is no use constructing a line to Westport unless a properly projected shipping place was a'so provided," for which £50.000 would be required. He adds : " The whole of the money would not however be expended until it was ascertained whether the works projected these would answer as well as those at the Grey." (page 1437, No. 23). Now when may the Government be satisfied with the experiments at the Grey, or that similar works would answer for Westport? These conditional precautions are significant. No doubt they are only such as may be considered prudent, but considering that is now some two or three years since appropriations were first made, and that since then the Government, by personal inspection, official survey and Engineering reports, by public petitions, and from the mouths of public deputies have been fully apprised of the condition and necessities of the port of Westport as the.only available shipping port for the whole Mount Kochfort coal resources ; it does seem strange, that up to this late date, they do not declare more decidedly when they really intend to begin operations in this place. The present intentious of the Government are no doubt bona fide, but there may arise inconvenient necessities to alter those intentions, such as the importunities of other provinces for which similar appropriations have been made, or the want of money. While this qualified declaration of the Ministry will afford a pretext for delays which must be ruinous to this place. I have no doubt but that the present feeling of anxiety which the Government has caused by their over cautiousness or want of sincerity is subject to some plausible explanation, but until some unequivocal evidence is given of the sincerity of the General Government by the commencement of railway and wharf works works in this place there is reason to fear that the latest appropriation may be as delusive as the first.

Could the deputation who were sent to "Wellington from WestpoH; throw any light on the present appearances ? They still owe the public an account of their diplomatic services, and if they have anything more to tell us, than how courteously they were assisted by the Buller member when they visited "Wellington, the present is perhaps the most fitting opportunity, the more so as their services may be again required to represent matters as they are.—l am, «fec, Hansard.