PUBLIC WORKS POLICY

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 151, 23 March 1938, Page 12

PUBLIC WORKS POLICY

Criticism By Chamber Of Commerce Members ACTIVITY AT WRONG TIME Dominion Special Service. Hastings, March 22. Dissatisfaction with the policy of the Public Works Department, was expressed at the monthly meeting of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce. The chamber was of the opinion that the activity of the department should be made to suit economic conditions. •'The Public Works policy, if there is a policy, should, in the view of most tieople, lie used largely as a cushion so that the inevitable ups and downs of economic experiences .should be levelled out to some extent,” said Mr. AV. E. Bate. "The Public Works Fund could be used so that in times of depression the onset of economic difficulties might be lessened and in times of growing prosperity public, works coiil'd be reduced."

Air. Bates said he considered that much of the present work was being undertaken by the department at the wrong time. There was a probability that unemployment would become a problem again and the work could then be used to cushion thq effect. There was no doubt that many of the overhead bridges being built were, most desirable, but he considered they were being built at the wrong time. The Government was in a diffeiTiit position to the ordinary business man, said Air. R. C. Williams. All it had to do was to call on the taxpayer.

“It is a rather expensive business, having a public debt so as to have a place to put the money,” said Mr. Bate.