MODERN METHODS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 127, 25 November 1938, Page 16

MODERN METHODS

GORGE ROAD WORK

PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT

An inspection of the road reconstruction operations in Ngahauranga Gorge was made by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) yesterday, in company with the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R." Semple), the Minister of Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb), the Minister of Justice (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason), and the Hon. Mark

Fagan

Discussing his visit afterwards, th* Prime' Minister said it was a revelation to him. It was the first time h« had seen this modern machinery at work, and it was well worth while for anyone to see it.' "The methods I knew would not approach anywher* near those I saw in use on the Ngahauranga Gorge road," he said. "Therl* were machines operated by one man which did more in a few minutes than that man could possibly do on his'own in the greater part of his lifetime. I have heard criticism of the expenditure on public-works, but anyone can see values being created all round them by the use of this modern equipment. These machines working ia the gorge are shifting 5000 yards of spoil a day. One man is\ capable of shifting about four yards a day, so they are doing the equivalent of approximately 1200 men." LAND DEVELOPMENT. Mr. Savage said he wanted to se* the use of similar machinery for th* development of land for settlement. Modern machinery could be utilised to stumpy drain, and plough land ready for cultivation in one-tenth of the time taken under the old obsolete methods. He understood that there were agents arranging for exhibitions of up-to-date machinery capable of preparing,country for agricultural purposes. By. tht» use of modern machinery thick-tim-bered land could be cleared and cultivated at a mere fraction of the cost and time under the old methods..

"There are great possibilities for the development of land for settlement by the use of modern mechanical equipment," said Mr. Savage, "and the Government hopes to miake use bi these methods. Today a man goes tb the State Advances Corporation aii<i gets an advance to enable him to develop a farm for himself,* but by th« use of obsolete methods it takes him the remainder of his days to get a return. I think we can do better than that, and give that settler a chance of some immediate return. By the use of machinery we can clear land at one-fifth of the present cost, both for those who already occupy land and for the farmers of the future."