MODERN PLANT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 273, 17 November 1936, Page 9

MODERN PLANT.

FOR PUBLIC WORKS.

THREE-YEAR PROGRAMME.

EXPENDITURE £17,500,000.

"It became apparent to me immediately I assumed control that drastic j alterations in the existing policy of the Department were essential if the j Department were to function in the c most efficient and satisfactory way, and f if full value were to be obtained for expenditure of the public money entrusted to my care," said the Minister s of Public Works (The Hon. R. Semple), ] in a statement which he made in Wellington. , Mr. Semple added that it appeared to him that the first essential was to i decide on a planned programme of ( works, justifiable from an economic ■< point of view and spread over a period ' of years, in order that the Department would have some definite objective and £ be in a position to organise its resources j efficiently and effectively. With that •, objective in view, he requested his engineers to make a careful review of the 1 economic potentialities of all possible ; development works throughout New - Zealand. From their reports on their j works a selection was made of the most urgently required and attractive jobs. 1 A programme of work covering a three- 1 year period, and also a further longrange programme was decided upon, the three-year programme involving an expenditure of £17,500,000. This was the first step in the reorganisation he had in view. Heavy Expenditure. "I was surprised indeed to find that during the years of the depression the Department had been steadily _ disposing of its plant to the highest bidder, until .wheelbarrows, picks and long-handled shovels seemed to be all that was leit, the Minister continued. "I find it difficult to follow the reasoning which dictated such a policy, but the result of it was ] that we were faced with a heavy expendjture in the purchase of new determination that the Department should be equipped as soon ; as possible, with the most modern and j efficient constructional gear availa lie, ; and I announced publicly that my policy would be to give first preference to New Zealand manufactures, second y to British-made machines and thirdly to the consideration of the best that the rest of the world had to offer. This policv has been adhered to strictly, but it lias been found that in many cases the United States is the only source from which to draw certain machines of the type suitable for New Zealand condition's. In fact, in some instances British-made machines of the type desired by the Dominion have not been available." Now the building Department of the State is equipped, as it should be, with excellent and efficient plant." 1 The steps taken to bring the Department's equipment up to date have had s an immediate effect, Mr. Semple , remarked. For instance, spoil which had j cost S/G a yard to shift could nc*v be , shifted' for 9d a yard. f No Trouble To-day. j Since he assumed office there had been ' some trouble on the Public Works caused j by men who wanted to get 10/ a day ( without working for it, but he had taken , steps to stop that sort of thing, and he was happy to say that there was ' no trouble on the Public Works to-day. • He had been attacked by Communists | from one end of New Zealand to the other for the stand lie had taken, but he was convinced that he had the people of New Zealand behind him. From the Engineer-in-Chief downwards he had received whole-hearted assistance from the officers of the Public Works Department, the Minister observed. Without that assistance he \\*ould not have been able to achieve what he had in the direction of making his Department up to date.