Labour Troubles Delay Work On Haast Pass Road

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 October 1949, Page 4

Labour Troubles Delay Work On Haast Pass Road

Though new machinery is being dispatched to South Westland for work on the Haast Pass road’ to Otago, this does not mean a “speed-ing-up” of the project. In fact, according to a Ministry of Works spokesman, the tempo of work on the project has been slowed as a result of a shortage of labour. The motor-vessel Hauiti has just taken a full cargo of ,new roadbuilding machinery to Jackson Bay and this will replace worn-out material now in use on the road. Further equipment will comprise part of another cargo to be shipped south shortly. 'The new machinery includes motor vehicles, a bulldozer outfit and a Diesel shovel. The worn-out machinery, which this equipment will replace, will be brought to Greymouth for overhaul and repair. In the meantime, however, though some priority has been accorded the project, ’work is proceeding only slowly, with an inadequate number of men. Efforts to build up a full labour force have been unsuccessful, it is stated, and once again the attraction of - the whitebait season has made serious inroads into the number of men employed on the road. One of the major difficulties, it is stated, is to keep men in the district. Some workers stay only a short time, and, with wet weather complieating the situation, progress has been disappointing.