PUBLIC WORKS MACHINES

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 July 1939, Page 3

PUBLIC WORKS MACHINES

SAVE TIME AND MONEY

[PEB PBEfJS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON. July 16.

His claim that machines replacingmen have saved time, and money in public works was supported by Mr.. Semple. Minister for Public Works, with figures he quoted al a demonstration at the emergency landing ground at Paraparaumu on Saturday. Moving from 7000 to 8000 cubic yards an hour, four carry-alls ami three bulldozers made an impressive sight for a crowd of several thousands who attended the demonstra-i tiou of massed modern machinery at.’ the landing ground. The demoustra-; tion was arranged by Mi-. Semple, and' I here were present representatives of local bodies in the Wellington and Manawatu districts, the Minister for Labour, Mr. Webb, a number of members of Parliament, and heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Departments. Emergency landing grounds in modern aviation, both for military and commercial purposes, were a safety valve, said Mr. Semple, who was introduced by Mr. L. G. Lowry, M.P. Every country in the world had been taught that lesson and had paid very dearly for it in their lives, the Min-' later said. The closer one could have the grounds the greater was the de-

gree of safety for the aviator and those he carried. The Paraparaumu ground would be a valuable contribution in the link of emergency landing grounds throughout the country, not only for commercial aviation, but if needs he. for defence purposes. The total quantity of earth to be moved io build the aerodrome was 426.500 cubic yards, and so far 240.000 yards had been excavated. The average weekly output was 54,000 yards, the maximum weekly output being 63.000 yards. There were 24 men carrying out the work and the estimated time to complete construction was 10 weeks. The aerodrome covered an area, of 103 acres. MANUAL METHODS REPLACED 'Ey manual methods it would have taken 300 men a year to build the aerodrome. Taxpayers provided the wherewithal to build roads, bridges, aerodromes and railways, and In? felt it was reasonable that they should be given an opportunity of seeing the

machines at work. The Wlrenuapai aerodrome, outside Auckland, where the machines being used at Paraparauniu came from, was one ol the largest military aerodromes in New Zealand. There 1.100,100 yards had to be moved. In. the Ngahauranga Goige 450,000 yards of rock had to be moved and on the Paraparaumu aerodrome the quantity involved was 430,000 yards. That represented a total of 1.950.000 yards. The Whenuapai aerodrome would cost £81.700. the Ngahauranga Gorge £BO,OOO. and the Paraparaumu aerodrome £25.200. That was a total of £186.900. If these works had been done by hand the costs would have been- Whenuapai £272.000. Ngahauranga £225.000. and Paraparaumu £lOl.OOO. On those three jobs, all important to development, the New Zealand Government had-saved New Zealand £411,000.

A second factor, and all-important, was that the Whcnuapai aerodrome would have taken four years to build instead of less tha.n 12 months, the Ngahauranga Gorge road four years instead of less than nine months, and lhe Paraparaumu aerodrome one year two months instead of about 10 weeks, It meant that the Dominion was getting those services at less than onethird of the cost and eight and a-half vears quicker than any other way. Mr. Semple said he was prepared to submit the figures he had quoted to any tribunal of engineers. Parliament or. any one else they liked to appoint, and he would undertake, to prove that on these, three jobs his Department had saved New Zealand .£411,000 ami e,iven services in less tIiHU 12 mon tils against eight and a-half years.