THE DARK SIDE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS POLICY.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 6 August 1880, Page 2

THE DARK SIDE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS POLICY.

♦ — . Tlie Nelson Evening Mail of tbe 28th ult. says :— Exactly ten years ago to-day, Sir Julius, than Mr., for he had not at that time earned his knighthood at the expense of the colony, Yogel introduced into the Honse of- Representatives his famous public works policy. New Zealand was completely dazzled thereby. Even if in imagination only, there was something so fascinating in revelling in the wealth which was to roll into the conntry at one wave of the great magician's wand, tbat she was utterly unable to resist the lur*ing temptation, and withont hesitation she entered upon tbe wild head-dong career that her popular Premier had traced out for her. It is needless to trace that career step by step ; it is enough for ns to know that we have reached tbe limit of our tether, that the dreams are over, aud that, after a decade of dissipation, the end bas come at last. True, the millions have flowed into the country io an uninterrupted stream, and with a readiness and regularity tbat none, even of the most enthnsiasticpf the supporters of the original scheme, even dared to anticipate, but is the country so much better oil than she was ten years ago that she can afford to pay threequarters of a million annually for the benefits she has derived from the expenditure of the capital that the English money lender has en» trusted to us P Has it been judiciously laid out so as to improve our estate to such an extent as to enable it to bear, without (he woight proving inconveniently heavy, the additional burden that has been placed upon it P If we could but reply in the affirmative to these questions we might, on the 28th July, 18S0, look back with unalloyed pleasure upon the 28th July, 1870. as a red letter day in our colonial calendar; as matters have turned out, there are thousands upon thousand* in New Zealand who would be only too well pleased if tbe sun bad never risen opon that day,