GREAT SOUTH ROAD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21346, 22 November 1932, Page 10

GREAT SOUTH ROAD

WORK FOR MARRIED MEN

FRANKLIN COUNTY SECTION

USING UNEMPLOYMENT FUNDS

[BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER]

WELLINGTON, Monday

It is anticipated that married men in the Papakura district will bo engaged on tho work of effecting improvements on the Great South Road between Papakura and tho Bombay deviation as a result of the Cabinet's decision to suspend the Treasury regulation in order to allow tho work to bo financed out of tho Unemployment Board's funds, as announced by tho acting-Minister of Public Works, lion. C. E. Macmillan, on Saturday. The work mainly consists of rounding off corners and building up worn shoulders of tho roadway. Hie expenditure involved is about £2BOO, of which labour costs aro expected to comprise about £2OOO.

Had the work been done under the normal procedure the Main Highways Board would have found about £2IOO of tho money and the Franklin County Council the balance of £7OO. However, the County Council has stated it has not the money for the purposo, and it also objected to the Highways Board's proposal to establish a camp to allow tho work to bo done by single men when there wcro married men in the district seeking work.

Tho effect of the Cabinet's decision was to allow tho Unemployment Board to spend its funds on tho labour costs involved in tho scheme, while tho cost of materials and supervision will be distributed between tho Highways Board and the County Council, the former paying about £6OO and tho latter about £2OO. The present estimate of the cost may be slightly increased by employing married men at slightly higher rates than would bo paid to single men, but the figures cited indicate the proportions in which the expenditure will be borne.

The Cabinet's decision does not mean that tho scheme can be proceeded with immediately, as the Highways Board and the Unemployment Board have to review the position in tho light of that decision. However, as far as the former body is concerned, 110 hitch is anticipated. The important principle has been conceded that unemployment funds in this special case may bo expended on work which would normally be carried out by the County Council and Highways Board under their estimates.

It is believed that the concession given to the Franklin County Council may cause oilier local bodies to urge that they be given similar relief from their normal obligations, particularly where they can show that money is being spent in their districts on No. 5 scheme jobs of doubtful value, whereas they can indicate more profitable tasks which would normally be carried out by them were it not for the financial stringency.

STARTING THE IMPROVEMENTS

OFFICIAL ADVICE AWAITED

[from our own correspondent]

PUKEKOHE. Monday

The arrangement approved by the Cabinet on Saturday for the employment of No. 5 relief workers from Papakura and Drury in improving the present metalled surface on tho Great South Road between Papakura and Bombay, particularly where the present camber has become sleep and shoulders inclined to be dangerous, was mentioned at to-day's meeting of the Franklin County Council.

It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the county chairman, Mr. J. N. Massey, M.P., to have a start made with the work as soon as formal confirmation of the arrangement was received, official advice of the acceptance of the arrangement by the Highways Board having not yet reached the council and Mr. Massey not being present at today's meeting.