Modern Reading System Is Mr. Semple’s Ideal For N.Z.

Northern Advocate, 21 February 1939, Page 6

Modern Reading System Is Mr. Semple’s Ideal For N.Z.

(From Our Special Reporter). KAEO. This Day. Provision of a modern reading system, as a most vital factor in New Zealand’s defence preparations, was stressed by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, replying to deputations at Kaeo today. “Hitler realised that before he started to dictate to the world. Today Germany possesses the best reading system in the world,” he said. “If Wellington were bombed, people would 'be trapped for five days. With the straightening and improving of the Ngahauranga Gorge highway, they will be, enabled to leave in three hours;’ We are doing the same all over the country. ’

Higher Speed Means Higher Cost. “Machines are working every minute of- daylight to fill the gap created bp the past of vision, or compound .of stupidity, in ignoring the fact that the motor car has brought new reading commitments,” said Mr Semple to a Whangaroa county deputation,' dealing with the steadily increasing cost of road maintenance. “One of the main for the increased cost/’ Mr Semple said, “is higher speed. Failure to recognise the , inevitable had resulted in a lag which is entailing a tremendous expenditure. Without modern machinit would have been impossible to catch up in a generation, and that was * why I changed construction methods. “We have 2335 jobs in operation,” the. Minister continued. “There .are 240,p00 men and modern machines operating, and, notwithstanding this, there are demands from the North Cape to the Bluff which we cannot touch. Government Help Promised. “Some countries are too hidebound and stupid to take'advantage of the Five-Year Flan. Others, like yourselves, are too poor to contribute I|o the' progressive scheme of reading. Taxable; capacity here has reached its maximum. The problem is being accentuated in the north more than anywhere else by non-payment of native rates. We will see that you get a legitimate share, and you can be Sure that no money will be, spent on old-fashiohed systems,- and that the jobs will be carried out systematically. “Now we are limited in permanent surfacing to State highways, but I am contemplating an amendment to the law to enable us to assist the counties permanently to pave the roads,”