UNIFIED CONTROL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 39, 16 February 1943, Page 2

UNIFIED CONTROL

PUBLIC WORKS PLAN

POST-WAR REHABILITATION

All housing construction, defence works, roading, erection of public buildings, irrigation and hydro-elec-tric schemes, hitherto under separate Departments, are to come under one control and administration, according to a statement made by the Minister of Public Works, Mr. Semple, to-day. Under the new system, Mr. Semple said, he would be Minister of Works and Rehabilitation and would have associated with him an executive of construction, comprising three or four highly qualified men and architects. They would plan for the future, but there would be a thorough examination of every project before money was spent. There was to be complete co-ordination of every phase of activity in relation to the construction of houses and other works associated with post-war rehabilitation. The Minister said that as the defence programme tapered off plans would be put in hand for the diversion of plant, labour and materials into other phases of State works. During the next few weeks earthmoving equipment now used in defence works would be available for roading and drainage for State housing projects. He had made an inspection yesterday of major defence works" recently completed in the Auckland district. Almost all the available labour was engaged in construction for troops from overseas, the works consisting of hospitals, stores, magazines and hutments. Construction of buildings outside New Zealand was also in hand, said Mr. Semple. Valuable experience had been gained in the construction of buildings which would make for considerable economies in the Governriient's post-war programme. Since the first store was erected there had been a reduction in costs of later buildings of over 50 per cent. Within the next few weeks experimental tvpes of buildings would be erected which should effect still further economies in costs. Illustrating the celerity with which work was done, he said that a hospital now being built with a capacity of 1000 beds would be completed "in the next month or six weeks and it had only been commenced 12 weeks ago. Part of the hospital was now occupied by patients.