MINISTER DEFENDED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 30, 4 August 1939, Page 5

MINISTER DEFENDED

"PUBLIC BENEFACTOR"

The suggestion made by Mr. Jull that the Minister of Public Works was "Public Enemy No. 1" when it came to spending money was emphatically answered by Mr. E. P. Meachen (Government, Marlborough). Mr. Jull, he said, had inferred that the Minister had run away with the cash-box. "The people look upon the Minister as Public Benefactor No. 1," said' Mr. Meachen. "To make such a suggestion as the member for Waipawa has about a Minister, who has pursued such a wonderful energetic policy for the saving of life and limb is ungrateful." - Replying to the suggestion made by Opposition speakers that there were tradesmen still employed on Public Works and relief works, Mr. Meachen said that engineers on Public Works were crying out for carpenters and fitters, and they could not get them, yet the Opposition had accused the Government of holding tradesmen on Public Works and on relief works. That was absurd. No one would imagine that a qualified carpenter would choose to spend his time on relief work when he could get better pay and conditions -at his trade. A ridiculous statement had also been made by the member for Awarua, who said that it had cost the! State £300 for the Minister of Pub-j lie Works to go down south recruiting on the Public Works jobs. That! was incorrect, and no doubt the Minister would make his own reply to it. . ■. On the question of access for backblocks settlers, Mr. Meachen said it was a pity that all that was needed could not be provided at once. That was not possible, but Mr. Semple's five-year plan in that direction would probably be achieved in three years. The debate was interrupted by the adjournment at 10.30 p.m.

In the House of Representatives yesterday, Mr. W.. A. Bodkin (National, Central Otago) gave notice to ask the Postmaster-General (the Hon. F. Jones) whether* it was the intention of the Government to do anything to improve the position of those officers in' the P. and T. Department known as "depression juniors."