"ON THEIR MERITS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 226, 24 September 1938, Page 13

"ON THEIR MERITS."

PUBLIC WORKS SCHEME.

GOVKRXMENT'S IXTEXTIOXS

"The Government does not subscribe to the view that public works should be regarded as a palliative to be undertaken only when private enterprise fails to provide the necessary facilities or to offer the required employment," states Labour's election manifesto in referring to public works policy. "The Government's policy is to promote or expand public works on their individual merits as projects of public development. "The various public works undertakings already initiated will be completed and the programme of construction will 'be continued and expanded.

"Many of the public works undertaken in the last two or three years should liavo been carried out years ago. The changing needs of industry, transport and communication mean that public works must be modernised. To keep production costs down, transport must be cheap ami fast. Our roads and railway crossings need much improvement, not only to save lives but to provide a thoroughfare for modern motor traffic, which is playing such a great part in the development of the country.

"The development of air services and th* Air Force necessitates the rapid building of extensive aerodromes. This will be proceeded with. Men will be employed to build nationally jieeded assets. This policy will dovetail in with ithe work of national development."