Public Works Expenditure

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 186, 7 August 1941, Page 8

Public Works Expenditure

Big Reduction Revealed STATEMENT LAID BEFORE HOUSE WELLINGTON, Aug. 6. The Public Works Statement, tabled in the House of Representatives this morning by lion. li. T. Armstrong, shows a big drop in activities, the roduced expenditure last year being £3,000,000. It is pointed out by the Minister that the resources of the de- 1 partmeut in staff, men and material j have been largely used for work arising out of the war, and paid for by the War' Expenses Account. Approximately one- j third of last year’s work came under this category. Of 14,797 men employed on all works at March 31 last, 3051 were employed by contractors engaged by the department, and 1940 on subsidised local body, works, leaving 9506 men employed directly by tho department, including •*877 directly engaged on defence work. Compared with the opening of too financial year, 4734 fewer men were on tho pay-rolls. Serving in the overseas forces are 485 members of the staff and 1912 workmen, while a considerable number of men required in essential industries related to war work have also been released. The shortage of important material has been partly overcome by redesigning works to utilise local material, but. a main, difficulty has been to secure regularity in the supply of structural and reinforcing steel for essential works. During the year the principal public w-orks activities consisted of the continuation of projects already in hand at the outbreak of war. Hydro-electric construction has been maintained, and the North Island demand will absorb all the energy of additional units as soon as they can be installed. After-War Preparations “It is realised,” continues the Statement, * ‘that after the war a large < number of men will be returning from i overseas service who will not be able 1 to immediately resume their former ; occupations, or who will bo required to be specially trained in vocations best < suited to their individual circumstances. I In the interim other work may have to i be provided for some of these men, and < with this object in view careful con- s sideration is being given to the selec- • tion of national development works . e where they could be employed pending 1 thek^-rehabilitation in normal civil s occupations. 0

“A comprehensive schedule of important post-war projects has been compiled, including provision for flood control and soil conservation measures, the improvement of access and transport facilities, and the resumption of construction programmes which have been suspended during the war. “It will be appreciated that, in respect of new proposals, extensive detailed services and investigations would be required in many cases before activities could be launched, and this factor is receiving close attention. Tho esti- , mates this year include an item for rehabilitation surveys, and although at present the shortage of professional staff does not allow of much being done in this direction, it is anticipated that later in the year, when staff becomes available from the urgent national defence works now in hand some of tho required surveys will be commenced.’’ Public Works Finance The estimated net expenditure under tho General Purposes Account for this year is £5,042,300, and arrangements are being made by the Minister of Finance to provide the necessary funds. This is the amount shown on the Public Works Estimates, which also show an estimated net expenditure of £2,957,375 from the Electric Supply Account and £2,742,200 from Main Highways Account, a total from nil these accounts of £10,741,875. An analysis of the expenditure for the current year under the control of the Minister shown that finances will be provided from the following sources:— Loans £5.508,300 Consolidated Fund .. £600,000 Special Revenue .. .. £3,070,375 , I rom the Consolidated Fund this year £600,000 will be provided for expenditure on maintenance of public works and services, including £IOO,OOO for housing workmen engaged on farm production. The expenditure on main highways (including permanent appropriations estimated at £307,800) is estimated to reach £3,050,000, of which a sum totalling £2,100,000 is expected to be raised by way of special revenue.

It is anticipated that the revenue from the supply of electrical energy will reach a sum of £2,288,000, which will be utilised for the payment of sinking funds instalments, interest, operating expenses and income tax. Proposed expenditure under the control of other Ministers is expected to total £5,315,000, of which loans will j provide £2,163,000, Consolidated Fund j 1 £270,000 and special revenue £2>831,800. j i Tho main lines of expenditure include > railway improvements and additions to 5 1 open lines, education buildings, telcgraph extension, small farms develop- * meat, native laud settlement, and linen ' : flax development. Main Highways ; I *‘ Having regard to the necessity for ‘ curtailing expenditure as far us possible on works that, although they may be ’ desirable under normal conditions, are j | not essential at the present time, it has 1 been the policy,” continues the {State- j meut, “to taper off all improvement or j ■ reconstruction works in hand, so that j , when they reach a stage where they can j be left without endangering the safety j : of the travelling public they can bo closed down altogether. Tho pro* 1 gramme for tho elimination of danger- j ous railway crossings lias been suspend- | cd lor the present except that particu- j lar schemes, which were well advanced, are being carried through to complotion.” . It is stated that the Main Highways Board’s proposals for the current year provide for adequate and reasonable j maintenance, the renewal of decayed j or dangerous bridges, and tho comple- . tion of contracts already in hand, along 1 with improvements of sections of highway considered necessary by tho Army authorities. Electric Supply * The report makes reference to the supply difficulties in the North Island, and, summarising the financial results of the whole hydro-electric system, reveals that units generated an increase over the previous year of 13.90 per cent, iu the North Island and 13.4.1 per cent, in the South Island. After paying net operating expenses J : the revenue for the year gave a return J« of 9.07 per cent, on the average capital | in operation, compared witu a return . of j 1 8.7 per cent, for tho previous financial < year. x Amending legislation last year Ten- j ' dered the Electric Supply Account liable * for payment of taxes, nnd tho sum of £336,049 was accordingly paid for t*.i- J come tax, national security tax and * social security charge. f With the exception of the proposed 1 scheme at Tekapo, tenders for which have not yet been called, tho Minister £ states that tho manufacture of gencr- 0 ating units for all other extensions is T

well advanced, and it is hoped that deliveries will be made in due sequence, notwithstanding the prevailing diffi culty of shipping during the war period. Railway Construction Railway construction, adds the Statement, is being confined to those rail--5 ways which at the outbreak of war had reached an advanced stage of completion, and it is expected that the Dargaville branch railway, the GisbornoNapier railway, and the WestportInangahua railway can be substantially completed within tho current financial year. Major development work was undertaken by tho department on the Moutoa estate in the Manawatu, which is being , developed ns a flax plantation, a total area of 4621 acres being handled on a

Question Time in Parliament

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Aug. G. The reported action of tho waterside rs in moving from such places ns Bluff, Wanganui, New Plymouth, Napier, Gisborne, etc., to metropolitan centres was mentioned when tho House met at 2.30 to-day by Mr. F. L. Frost j in a notice of question to the Acting- 1 Prime Minister (Hon. W. Nash). Mr. Frost expressed concern at the serious ( consequences to provincial centres of the concentration of shipping at big | ports and asked if opportunity would j be given to the interested parties to! discuss the question of overseas ship- j J ping allocations with tho Government.' I Intimation that the question of the sale of cheese on the local martcct in j tho Dominion was now under considera- j tion by the Government was given T7y tho Minister of Marketing (Hon. J. G. Barclay) replying to an urgent question by Mr. H. 8. Kvle who asked the Minister whether cheese hitherto produced for and sold on the local market 1 was to bo diverted for export in order | to make up the 160,000 tons required I for Britain. Full investigation into the

matter was now proceeding, said fhe Minister, and when a conclusion was reached a public announcement would be made.

j A statement that the New Zealand : Government had made representations regarding the sentence of four years’ imprisonment imposed on a young member of the New Zealand Forces in Fiji for an offence involving, violence was made by tho Acting-Primo Minister ! (Hon. W. Nash) after tho Defence

Committeo had reported on a petition lodged by the soldier’s mother praying that her son be returned to New Zealand and the sentence be reviewed. Tho Defence Committee recommended that the petition be referred to the Government for favourable consideration and this course was agreed to by the House.

Mr. «T. A. Lee said tho man in question had been severely punished and it was apparent that tho authorities in Fiji wished to make an example of him. The man was under 17 years of ago when lie enlisted.

j Mr. Nash said the ease was a difficult one because tho Government could not j interfere with the jurisdiction of the Fiji Government, but tho fact that [there was a largo number of New Zealanders in Fiji had given the New Zealand Government some concern. As soon as tho announcement had been made regarding this case the New Zealand Government had given it some thought and felt that measuring the offence in line with tho New Zealand procedure the penalty seemed heavy and harsh. The matter had been raised with the Fiji authorities, and Mr. Fraser had discussed it with the United' Kingdom Government and the Colonial Office. It was hoped some steps would be taken by agreement to ameliorate the sentence.

During the remainder of the afternoon consideration was given to written Ministerial replies to questions asked eariler in tho session.

! An announcement that the Government had considered the question of conscientious objectors and that a statement would be issued during the present week was made by Mr. Nash replying to a question by Mr. IV. J. j Broadfoot, who asked if the Government would' introduce regulations to compel conscientious objectors to perform alternative work at soldiers’ rates of pay.

I An explanation that the shortage of silk stockings had arisen because of the enlistment of skilled malo operators in the armed forces and the sinking by enemy action of additional plant arranged for was given by Mr. Nash in replying to a question by Mr. H. Atttiore on behalf of Hon. W. E. Barnard, who asked whether additional supplies could be obtained from Australia.

The Minister said adequate license? had been issued for both raw materia and plant if it could be secured.' {Supplies of local manufacture would be increased shortly and the Government was giving attention to a more equitable Distribution of supplies. The Government was making arrangements for each member of tno forces overseas to vote for his home doctorate

whetner ho enrolled before he left or I not, said Mr. in ask replying to a question Dy Mr. J. O'Brien, wno asaed it me men overseas would be enrolled on cue general electoral roll. Mr. JNask uiso seated that a memoers of the xorces , roil was k oeing prepared snowing each .nan's last address and electorate. Answering a question by Mr. Atmorc ..no wanteu to Know n tne Acting ! ■ rime minister wouid send on Denali -now Zealand a message oi goodwill auu congratulation to tne people of itussia on tne niagnincent lignt iney were waning against *\azisin, mr. i\asu said the Government associated itself with the l Minister and peopie of Great [ Britain in upi>reciatiuii or the magnneent lignc uy tne jfussiau armies anu would on an appropriate occasion seno a suitaoie message. Mr. *sasa gave an assurance to Mr. J. A. Roy 'mat the recent regulations i reiaung to tne use of military images , imposed no prohibition on me wearing ; ot naval, military or air xorce uauges 1 _ uy women, in fact, said Mr. i\asu, j specific provision nad been made in tlio icguiatious so as not to interfere with ■ me wearing of such badges by women. | j tinder mo charter conditions of hos- ■ p*lal snips owners must provide a | master and a lull complement of crew - j and officers, Minister of be- '; icuee (lion. ±. bones) replying 'to a i question uy Mr. Broaufoot wno asked ir 1 ' me Minister would see that stewards 1 , on hospital ships m future were drawn 1 ironi tuO army. Mr. bones said that tne I manning scales provided for a numioer ui stewards to oe included in the crew and tne award provided tnat suen stewurus must ue members of their union. The decision to place an embargo bn ' ( rhe export to the united ixingdoin of boneless veal was made by the united ! ixinguoui Government and communicated to the New Zealand Government on March 13 of this year. This statement was made by mo Minister of

Agriculture (non. J. G. Barclay) in reply to a question by Mr. n. G. Dickie wno asned if tne embargo nad Deen decided upon by tne new Zealand Meat, Producers’ Board or the Britisn Government. Mr. Barclay added that the British Government had stated that owing to tho snortage of refrigerated tonnage the following Categories oi meat were not to dc snipped: Boneless Door, ooueiess veai, cuopper pigs, noneless cuopper pork ana ooueiess ewe mutton.

Tne sentences of flogging which were imposed on escapees from me Aueicianu gaot nave not ueen earned out Decause of the Government's decision, said the Attorney-General (non. li. G. it. Mason; replying to a question by Mr. j Broadioot as to wny tne sentences had uot been carried out. Tne Government, added tno Minister, was opposed to liogI ging u» a metuoa oi punishment anu , was not convinced mao it was an en.ee- . trie deterrent, nvery possioie piecautionary measure was being taken ioi tne protection or waraera anu legislation wouid dc. introduced ueaimg wits iUo sdujuct of Hogging uunng tuo present session. Mr. v». h.. Bounin said he considered me repiy ueoideuiy unsatisfactory, f logging was oruereu omy in exceptional caaes and tuo Government should not set tne law aside. ME W. p. lmueau said it was cleai Cabinet nad tossed tne law of the lane, oa one side. Mr. Tiroadioot expressed the opinion that the less tue Government interfered witn justice tho better. Mr. Mason, in reply to tho debate | said that the law must uo amended be- • cause the courts could noa be cxpectec to act on Government policy.