CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 70, 23 March 1940, Page 8

CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS.

FAST WORK. (To the Editor.) In the "Star" of Tuesday it is stated that the Hon. R. Semple after sacking 5 57 men at Christchurch because the 13 3 scheme job was not proceeding as rapidlr - as it should have done, made a test - himself. As to whether the -men were 1 loafing or not I do not know, but what t I do know is that what the Minister . is alleged to have done with pick, shovel 3 and wheelbarrow is a physical impos- : sibility. He is stated in the Press Association message to have dug, wheeled r and emptied three yards of soil per hour. l True he Vas only 10 minutes on the' „ job when he dug wheeled and shifted six barrows loads. This is stated to .be at - the rate of three yards per hour, i.e. • 12 barrow loads per yard. Any man , who has had any experience on road work will know that to shift a yard in the solid takes M full barrow loads so that the Minister's barrow must have , been exceptionally full. To take the argument to its logical conclusion, we ' have arrived at the fact that the Hon, Mr. Semple dug, wheeled and shifted the ' soil at the rate of one barrow load in : one and two-third minutes. If he had 1 to put the soil somewhere —and I presume he- would —and bring the barrow back, he would, as the statement avers, be doing his three yards per hour! • Assuming he had to wheel the barrow half a chain, for the six barrow loads (or half a yard . according to the statement) this main* i that Mr. Semple would have to travel i six chains in the 10 minutes, in addition •to digging and loading. Would anv ) reader care to try the experiment of di->-j ging liis garden, filling six barrow load? ; and emptying them, say, even 10ft - away, in 10 minutes. If he can he can 1 wear the Semple badge. Mel.