“WILL NOT RUST”

Northern Advocate, 3 January 1936, Page 6

“WILL NOT RUST”

WHAT MR SEMPLE SAYS PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME THE TASK AHEAD. [Special to “Northern Advocate.’’! AUCKLAND, This Day. “We are going to wear out on the job—not rust out” declared the Minister of Public Works, the Hon, R. Semple, in discussing his programme of works. The Government had many problems to overcome and there was much work left in the departmental pigeon holes.” The GisborneNapier railway is one of the pigeons, he said, “and,” he added laughingly, “there are not very many feathers in its tail either.”

Mr Semple stated that he proposed to call a conference of all the chief engineers of the Public Works Department early in the New Year for the purpose of discussing every aspect of public works, and the engineering problems associated with them. They would then draft a national scheme of/ public works. There would be no fear of having one policy for one locality and another policy for another, but they would be all working along the same lines towards the same objective. “We are fully aware of the tasks ahead of us, but we are going ahead with determination. All we need ! is the co-operation of the people to help us through,” he said. The Gisborne Line, In referring to the Gisborne line, the Minister said the first step would be the clearing of the line from Napier to Wairoa. The major job would be the viaduct required and then the rest of the line would be ready. A good deal of the line had fallen into disrepair. It was rusted and overgrown with weeds. He had instructed his engineers to prepare immediately an estimate of the cost of putting the line back into repair, with* the intention of starting work immediately. “I will not be a bit surprised if it costs us anything from £50,000 to £100,000,” he said. Since work has stopped, the capital expenditure on the work already completed has cost approximately £500.000 in interest. He hopes to place between 1000 and 1200 men back at work on the line when it is started. ’