PUBLIC WORKS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 93, 17 October 1934, Page 7

PUBLIC WORKS

POLICY CRITICISED

RELIEF RATES OF PAY

MEMBERS URGE ACTION

The opinion that the Government should take steps to rcabsorb the unemployed into industry was expressed by Labour members, when speaking on the Public Works Statement in the House of Representatives yesterday. Members also criticised the rates of yay being paid to relief workers, and .contended that the time was opportune ii* c.a overhaul of the present Public "Works policy. Mr. W."E. Parry (Labour, Auckland Central) said that the present was a suitable timo for the Government to review its policy in respect of public works and unemployment. The Public Works Department today was only a starvation relief camp. It was time ■the Department stood on its own legs, and the Government should place the policy on the old foundation, and remove" altogether the relief work basis. Mr. W. E. Barnard (Labour, Napier) criticised the Department's administration on important works, and said, quoting a Napier case, that unless it was found that the men were earning more than 10s a day, and up to 14s a day, the rates were so altered as to make it impossible for them to earn more than 10s a day. INDICATION WANTED. .' Mr. J. O'Brien (Labour, Wcstland) said that the statement, should give some indication of what was expected for the coming year, particularly as far as the rehabilitation of the country was concerned, How many new ro.ads leading to land suitable for development had been made out of the Public Works Vote? How could the construction of huge public buildings, or the making of roads in the cities assist in the problem of the reabsorption of the unemployed into industry? Mr. W. A. Bodkin (Government, Central Otago) saicl that there should bo greater co-operation between the Public Works Department and the Mines Department in regard to water supply in Central Otago. The water would not only serve a large area of country for irrigation purposes, but would also :f rye a large area of virgin country known to be highly payable and to contaiu large quantities of gold. Mr. P. C. "Webb (Labour, Buller), referring to relief rates of pay' for national work, said that he would like the Minister to give somo reason why the relief workers employed on the Westporfc Aerodrome should be unable to earn more than 15s a week. Under the ordinary relief schemes, they could earn 30s a week. The workmen were not only justified, but were in duty bound, to stop work- as n protest against such treatment. Mr. R. McKeen (Labour, Wellington South) referred to the conditions in tho unemployed camps, and said they were comparable with the chain-gang system of years ago. He was not blaming the officers of the Public Works Department, but rather the policy of the Government. The unemployment taxation was being used for the purpose of supplanting men who had previously been employed at standard rates of pay. Men were not complaining about having to go to public works camps, but they were complaining about the conditions under which they had to work and live. Conditions had l>een improved considerably at the Wai■taki dam works, and there was no reason why a similar improvement should not be effected right throughout the Dominion. CARPING CRITICISM. Mr. S. G. Smith (Government, New Plymouth) said that if Labour members had paid closer attention to the consents of the Public Works Statement there would have been less beard in the way of complaints. Immediately an attempt was made to find work; for the unemployed outside the cities;-there was nothing but carping criticism of the attempts that were being mado to meet ■the position. There were' no' workers under tho Public Works Department

who were receiving less than £3

week. It was most misleading to suggest that there were men in tho Public Works Department who were receiving only 25s a week.

Mr. D. W. Colemau (Labour, Gisborne) said that he wanted to give an emphatic denial to the claim made by the member for New Plymouth that married men in unemployment camps were averaging £3 a week. The average would not reach half of that sum. It was absolutely wrong for the Government to depend on unemployment for necessary public works. Tlie NapierGisborne road was a case in point. That road, and especially tho section between Napier and Wairoa, was very dangerous and required widening and reforming in many places. Tho road was so dangerous than an announcement had been made, through the Press that it would be limited to one-way traffic during tho tour of Prince Henry. There could be no complaint about tho work being done on the road, Mr. Coleman said, because it was very necessary, but he objected to the men on the work being paid as little as l^d to 2id an hour. They certainly received their food, in addition to that miserable pittance, but seeing the work they were engaged on was a necessary national undertaking, the Minister should make it a proper Public Works job with standard wages and conditions. Mr. B. Semple (Labour, Wellington East) protested against the treatment meted out to the unemployed. Was 2d an hour sufficient for a job that would benefit posterity? It was taking advantage of the man-made calamity. Mr. Semple protested against the unfinished railway lines, and drew attention to_ tho waste of money which was involved. If the Government did_ not intend to complete a line, the national and business-like thing to do was to keep the portion of the line completed iv repair. Many unemployment jobs in the city were futile. He considered that it would be a wise step for the Government to complete the Parliamentary Buildings. That would create something of lasting benefit that would belong to the taxpayer and posterity. That would be much better than giving money to private concerns which could well do without the financial assistance.

The debate was adjourned on the motion of the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. J. Bitchener).