PUBLIC WORKS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 146, 18 December 1933, Page 7

PUBLIC WORKS

"s MR. SEMPLE CRITICAL

Strong criticism of the Government's public works policy was made by Mr. B: Semple (Labour, Wellington East) in the.'House of Eepresentativcs on Saturday afternoon during the discussion on the Public Woilcs Department's annual statement. ' Mr. Semple said that it was a mistaken policy to spend £7,000,000 of public money on partially completing railways, then stop the works and continue to pay interest on that amount, while allowing the material to rot and the works to go back. On the WestportInangahua line rails were being pulled up and sent back to Wellington at a tremendous cost. Eventually the line would have to bo completed by somo other Government, and the rails would have to be taken back again. It made one feel ashamed to see slips and wholesale destruction that were taking place along uncompleted lines. When the works were recommenced, it would take thousands of pounds to put the completed parts in order, to say nothing of the loss on buildings. Many of the buildings and camps vjere being taken down and sold for a song. Wholesale destruction and criminal waste of public money characterised tho activities fi-om North Cape to Bluff. There had never been anything like it in this or aiiy otlicr country. ' Mr. Semple said that the minimum rate of pay for men employed by the Public Works Department was 10s per d'av, and.that rate was apparently the maximum also. In cases where tho men were on piecework the average rate of pay was often less, and if an abnormally strong man was able to inako a shilling or two over 10s his rate was cut down. The policy of the Department did- not tend to encourage tho men, and brought the best clown to the same level as the poorest. On the contrary, men were discouraged, and the Department did not get the best out of them. ___________