Mr Young cannot recall seeing report

Press, 1 March 1984, Page 20

Mr Young cannot recall seeing report

PA Wellington The former Minister of Works, Mr W. L. Young, says he cannot recall any Treasury warnings against the economics of the Maniototo irrigation scheme in Otago. Treasury papers made available last week showed that the Treasury advised against the scheme in 1976 and 1980. Mr Young, who was Minister from 1975 until 1981, when he lost his Miramar seat, and is New Zealand High Commissioner in London, is back in Wellington on holiday. Mr Young said he had been away from the portfolio for more than two years and could not recall any Treasury warnings about the scheme. “Treasury always has a cautious approach to everything,” he said. “That is right and proper, of course. It shfiuld have a cautious approach because if everyone comes along with a

scheme and they get enthusiastic about it, the Treasury says, ‘Let us have a second look at it.’ ” There was a big difference between raising a question mark and putting a stop on a project, he said. But he could not even remember the Treasury raising a question mark over the scheme. Asked whether he had seen a 1976 report from the American consultant, Edward Winchester, which branded Ministry of Works’ control over capital works spending as crude and ineffective, Mr Young said, “I am pretty certain that no report of that nature was ever put in my hands.” Mr Young said he was not aware, during his time as Minister, of any serious faults in the Ministry of Works financial management. Projects seemed to go somewhere near cost mate, he said, and over runs* were not serious.