ROAD WORKS ON PUBLIC MONEY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22593, 23 March 1948, Page 4

ROAD WORKS ON PUBLIC MONEY

Sir—l should like to support the letter of "Constructive Criticism in vour issue of March 20. As he points out, the statement of Mr. Corson is incorrect and some figures should helD to make this clearer.

I have travelled past this job near Te Karaka and have noticed only from 15 to 20 men, three bulldozers, a shovel, a loader and some trucks employed there. It is straining one’s credulity to expect one to believe that in the two and a half months this job, has been going it has cost nearly £90,000.

This figure of £90,000 was obtained by the Chamber of Commerce from the Works Department last year and represents the amount to be spent on new construction in this district during the current financial year. To the best of my knowledge, there are no private contractors in this district who do earth-moving jobs on a large scale. The local plant is mainly tied up with farming activities and, even if this were to become available, it would only be at the expense of curtailing farming production. lam sure Mr. Corson would not want this to happen.

It would appear ttiat the president had better check on current ceiling prices for hire of plant and labour before he ventures to criticise the Works Department when it is at last getting something done.

“JIGGER JIM.”