The Dominion. FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1936. PUBLIC WORKS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 195, 15 May 1936, Page 10

The Dominion. FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1936. PUBLIC WORKS

In announcing his proposals for the expenditure of £17,500,CL0 On public works over a period of three years, the Minister in charge of this department has made an interesting statement of the conditions under which they are to be carried out. If he can make good his undertaking he will be entitled to credit. Much of the success of his policy will depend upon the wisdom shown in the selection of the works to be undertaken, and upon whether the higher costs involved in the payment of standard rates of wages at 16/- a day. the introduction of the five-day week of forty hours, annual leave on full pay, and large expenditure on up-to-date plant, will be offset by savings effected by greater industry on the part of the workers and the use of labour-saving machinery. If this result can be achieved, then Mr. Semple will be able to congratulate himself, and to claim the applause of an admiring and grateful country. He is known as a hard driver, and at the head of co-operative labour parties has been able to show impressive ability and results. It is to be hoped he will be as successful in his new sphere as he was in the other. A Ministerial statement issued in the name of a State department, however, is not the place for ill-disguised attempts to score off political opponents. The country knows all about the conditions of relief i work, and about the suspension of public works. These arose from the necessities of the times, and were forced upon a reluctant Government by the strongest of all possible reasons: lack of money. In 1925 the value of our exports (excluding specie) reached the peak figure of £55,243,04/. In 190 l it was £34,950,698 —a drop of £20.292,349. That was why public works had to be restricted; and they would have had to be restricted even had Labour and Mr. Semple been in power. A Minister’s declaration of policy is not improved by such attempts to use the country’s discomfiture to party advantage. It should stand on its own merits; and on its merits Mr. Semple’s statement is worthy of commendation if for no other reason that it does convey the promise of greater efficiency on the part of the employees of the Public Works Department. His plan for the nationalisation of the main highways is sound, and if he had had the courage to restore entirely, instead of partly, the proceeds of the petrol tax to the Main Highways Fund, to which this money rightfully belongs, he would have done even better. The outlay proposed, £17,500,000 in three years, will almost bring back the pre-slump rate of public works expenditure. In 1929, 1930 and 1931 the amounts spent on public works were respectively £5,696,161, £6,237,585 and £6,547,883, a total of £18,481,629. It will be interesting to hear a little later how the Government’s programme is to be financed —from revenue, orthodox borrowing or “costless” credit —but the total cost is not extravagant. Individual works may be so, of course—with £17,500,000 shining on the horizon, sections of the country will howl for all sorts of costly undertakings beyond their needs—although it is fair to assume that the Government will be prudent in its early choices at least. At any rate, it can count on the goodwill of the people so long as it is prudent and able to show value for the money expended.