PUBLIC WORKS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 22 October 1927, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS

DEVELOPMENT OF DOMINION.

A YEAR’S PROGRESS. IMPORTANT ITEMS REVIEWED. The Public Worlds Statement was presented to the House of Representatives at 'Wellington last night by the Minister, the Hon. K. S. Wild a ms. In this lie at length reviewed the* work of his department during the last financial year, dealing with the financial resuts and with the varying classes of work which his department was called upon to carry 7 out in the development of the* country and also for other departments. Below are given extracts from his report UNEMPLOYMENT. The oountrv is at present suffering from a temporary depression, caused by a general decrease in the value of our primary products. This state of affairs has occurred before, and will happen again in our history, and it would bs wise to bear that iin mind and prepare ourselves to meet such occasions. World prices for our primary products we cannot control; but we can increase production within our own country to ease the financial blow that this country inevitably receives on a fall of prices for our primary products. With a view to encouraging increased production from our country districts, it is my desire, by providing railway transport, hydro-electric facilities, and road improvements, to enable farming operations to be carried on economically and without hindrance, and by irrigation, flood control, and drainage to bring into full productivity lands not now fully utilised. I feel it my duty, as far as my financial resources will allow, to assist road construction to open up lands where production is hampered by want of ac. cess. In many places it is, until comparatively late in the season, difficult and expensive for produce to be taken from the farm to tne market. .This-is especially so in connection with dairy produce from back-block farms, and this hardship is reflected in reduced _returns to the producer. The Alain Highways Board is relieving the .position with regard to the main highways, *and_ with the services rendered by rail ways "great facilities are given for development, work in the rural districts within reach of such means of transit. There still is, however, the roadless fanner in the most remote parts whose farming operations arc restricted for want of proper access to the markets. Hi.s difficulties are accentuated by deflation in land values and the ever-increasing rate burden for the maintenance of existing roads, caused by the extraordinarv increase* of motor transportation. His case obviously and of necessity requires our special attention. The hydro-electric services. supplied by the Department are irapidly springing into favour both in the cities and country districts, and it requires but little imagination to realise the enormous claims that will in the future be made upon these services for power and domestic uses. I have been much impressed with the organisation laid down by my predecessor with regard to the workers employed oil construction works, particular iy in the case or railway works and hydro-electric installations, where large numbers of men ane concentrated for a fengthy period and additional expenditure* Is thereby, war ranted. The pieseiit. conditions of employment, for which be is responsible, are eminently satisfactory, and the result is a contented and efficient body of men "who have confidence in the Department. I do not intend to do anything to impair that confidence. Tb« Department has every reason to be .saipr-eci with, its workmen, and they are justified in expecting consideration from the Department, especially, so far as practicable, to receive continuous work in exchange for faithful service. It is my duty to the State and the men to prevent overloading the works with unemployed, with the inevitable result of inefficient and oostlv work and .subsequent slackening of hands. At the same time the conditions* in the Dominion during the past vear have been such that very considerable numbers of men have been unable to find work at their regular avocations, and it became necessary for flic Government to take vigorous steps to relieve the position. A great deal was done, and is be in ■ done, by local authorities in the way of startling works which wjere not included in their ordinary programme for .the year, and to assist them still _ further in doing this .special contributions were made by the Government in the way of subsidies on the cost of the labour emp’ioyed on such works. Til spite of these avenues of assistance, jt became necessary for the* Government to employ a great many more who required assistance, and as a result of this the number of men increased from 9700 to 1.1.939 between Julv, 1926, and August, L 927, and the number of relief workers still shows an upward tendency, though indications point to the probability that before long* a large number _ will find work at their ordinary avocations.

Whole the Government recognises that cases of hardship should be relieved, it does not wish, to create -n thi? minds of workers the feeling that there is no necessity to provide for a rainy day and that whenever they become unemployed they can look to the Government to find them work under standard conditions. EXPENDITURE.

The total net expenditure under all votes and accounts appearing on tine public works estimates fo 1 ' the financial year ended March 31, 1927, was £6,777,-. 474 Of this .sum £3,558,059 was expended out of General Purposes Account. and the balance. £3,189,415, out of special accounts. WAYS AND MEANS. On April 1, 1926,. the available ways and means for public works purposes were £526,421. Additional funds were received which brought the total to £4,827,965. Tile net expenditure on works and services against the General Purposes Account lor the year was £3,'832,685, tv hie expenditure under other accounts brought the total to £3,988,578. This left a credit balance in the account for general purposes at March 31, 1927. of £839.387. Legislative authority exists for raising a further £5,061,050. . It is proposed to ask for further legislative authority to borrow when, required £4,000,000, thus making available for public works, general purposes, a total of £9,900,437.. In addition surplus revenue as required up to £500,000 wPI be transferred from the Consolidated Fund is £4,287,750.. In addition the balance m respect to some of the more important public works, under .special accounts, plus existing and proposed legislative authority to raise additional loans amounted to £11,611,097. IRRIGATION AND WATER SUPPLY. No new scheme lias been commenced during the past year, but work has

been continued on the Arrow and Hawkdun. scheiniae. on Which construction had been on 6000 acres ha® progressed to the extent that the earthwork involved in the system of main and distributary races is practically compL-te. Hawkdun 6C i l6m e j which wtitli! irrigate 10,000 acres, substantial progress was made during the year with the re-conditioning and enlargement of the old Mount Ida system of mining siphons and races, bv which the water will be collected and delivered to the irrigation' races.

During the _ year the existing schemes were maintained in good condition, certain minor extensions were made, and a supply of water was given to all lands requiring it. The tota 1 area irrigated under all Government schemes was 31,102 acres, the number of irrigators being 288.

Further schemes are being 'investigated and will developed as funds permit and the areas already served become fully taken up, and the necessity for further lands for closer settlement arises. TRAINING ESTABLISHMENTS.

During the past year the developmont of the mobilisation base and training camp at Waikato Camp, Ngaruawahia, has been continued, particular attention being paid to the large ordnance building, which is approaching completion. A small quartermaster’s store and one married quarter were erected during the year. The ordnance office has been commenced. During the ensuing year other works will be put in hand, practically completing the camp, except for certain magazines for gun ammunition. Noxious weeds on the area have received serious attention, fences and roads have been repaired, and the camp generally maintained.

EXTENSIVE ACTIVITIES. It will be abundantly clear that during the past year the construction of all classes of deve'opmental works that are chargeable to capital has continued on a very etxensive scale.' The total expenditure against the Public Works Fund and other capital accounts amounted to £6,777,474 and that sum lias only once been exceeded in any one financial year. The expenditure, however, on works which arte directly carried out by the Public Works Department represents a total "greater than that in any previous period. The provision of transport facilities continues to be the most important of the activities that are chargeable against these funds, and this must necessarily be so in a young country where the success of primary industries is so dependent upon a sucoesful and adequate tranport system. Of the total expenditure from funds under my control the sum of approximately £2,360,000 wag. expended upon railway development, the construction of new lines absorbing £1,096,000, while the important railway improvements works and additions to open lines now in hand absorbed a rather larger sum. Portions of new line® under construction represent important links in the existing system, _ and as these are approaching completion it is reasonable to anticipate that during the next few years there will be a decrease in the expenditure on the construction of new lines. Next in order of _ importance is the expenditure upon highway and road construction and improvement. Under these heads a total sum of approximately £1,140.000 came to charge. .The expenditure of the very large sum of £1.130,000 from the Waterpower Works and Electric-supply Account is an ample indication of the great importance in which the utilisation of electric energy is held by the Government. THE STAFF. The staff throughout the lepart inent 1 have supported me wifcji their customary loyalty throughout the year, and, as an indication of the way they have risen to the emergency caused through the necessity of employing over two thousand more men than last year, I would point out that this has been done with an increase in staff of only eighty-six. For the past year the public expenditure lias been five times what it Was in 1916-T7, while the staff lias not increased even to twice its size at that time and the gross expenditure on supervision is only a little more than twice what it was. In other words, the amount of work, as measured by expenditure supervised per officer, is more than two-and-a-half times what it was in 1916-17, and twice what it was iu 1919-20. From tins it will be seen that everv officer has been working at very high pressure; in fact, in a great many cases, the break-ing-point is being approached, and if the number of the rank and file is to be kept at anything near its present number it will be necessary to make a very considerable increase in the number of officers in practically all ranks.