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1926. NEW ZEALAND.

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT (BY THE HON. K. S. WILLIAMS, MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS).

Mr. Speaker,— Honourable members are aware that I assumed the office of Minister of Public Works only on the eve of the present session, whilst the operations of the Public Works Department, with which this Statement deals, relate to a period closing before my assumption of office. It will not be expected of me, therefore, that I should do other than present a statement of the works accomplished, with their accompanying accounts, during the past year of office of my predecessor. The responsibility for the works planned for the ensuing year, and for which honourable members will be asked to make appropriation, as well as for the general policy to be followed, I accept as my own. It is no mere sense of courteous duty which impels me to express appreciation of the invaluable work which has been carried through by my predecessor. During his term of office he succeeded in acquiring a close personal knowledge of the works in hand and in prospect, their position, and their objective. He, further, sought personal acquaintance with his staff and the employees of his Department, and studied their conditions and their personal welfare. His capacity for getting at essentials, both in work and in men, has led to the building of a human organization under vastly improved conditions, with the inevitable result —better work for the State. Better conditions mean better men and better work. I hope the experience already gained in the development of new country will enable me to appreciate the merits of the proposed works, and a knowledge of what expenditure would be wise and what would be insufficiently profitable for the immediate benefit of the country, so that the best results may be obtained from works undertaken. Public Works Fund expenditure should result only after a careful weighing of all the evidence. In dealing with proposals for expenditure on new works, whether they be in relation to what may be termed district works or inter-district works, it is my intention, as far as possible, to consider each with a view to connecting up with a larger scheme of works, and so prevent isolation ; in other words, public works must be constructed where possible in accordance with a comprehensive scheme embracing the whole area. Careful consideration must be given to expenditure proposals which involve competition between road and railway, constructed or proposed. It is not fair criticism at this stage to condemn what may now appear to be errors of the past. The extraordinary development of motor traffic has changed the whole position, to the extent that it is necessary to investigate the question as to whether certain lines of railway should not be closed down altogether, for the reason that they cannot, under improved road conditions and resulting competition by motor traffic, pay their way. These railways in their day developed the financial resources of the district they served. That development has placed the district in a position to improve its roads to a degree enabling motor-vehicles to convey farm requirements from town stores to farm, and farm-products to town stores or main-line stations or ports. We have obviously arrived at a stage of development where the transport requirements of a district must be studied with the utmost care, and a constructive policy adopted which will provide the most economic means of transport without duplicating expenditure.

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