PUBLIC WORKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22463, 6 July 1936, Page 11

PUBLIC WORKS

£17,500,000 PLAN ENGINEERS' PROPOSALS EXAMINATION BY GOVERNMENT THREE YEARS' UNDERTAKINGS "When J took over the Public Works Department 13,000 men were employed, while v,e now have 17,000 and probably more." said the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. I?. Semple, yesterday. The Minister said engineers of the department had submitted proposals for a three years' plan of works involving an expedituro of £17,500,000 and designed to employ up to a maximum of 20,000 men.

"We are submitting the proposals to close examination," said Mr. Semple, "classifying them into tho categories ot essential or non-essential. We want to be sure that works carried out will be some form of national asset, for it is no n.se retracing our footsteps." Not many men were yet employed on the three main railway construction schemes, for much preliminary work was needed, including the establishment of proper camps. However, the point had been reached when some preparatory work had started on tho South Island Main Trunk line on which it was hoped to employ 1000 men by tho end of the year. By the end of the

year it was also hoped to employ 1200 on the Gisborno line and 500 on the Westport-lnangaliiia lino. The Minister admitted that a great deal of money would have to be spent in repairing damage done to work undertaken by previous Governments on these railway construction works. Many slips had destroyed sections on tho Gisborno and Westport lines particularly. At least £IOO,OOO would have to be spent in repairs to existing portions of the Gisborno line and probably a similar sum on the Westport line. "Wo have no machinery whatever for some of this work, due to tho action of the late Government iu selling plant," said Mr. Semple. "We must spend iu tho vicinity of £IOO,OOO on machinery. We need compressors and tools. Picks and shovels were actually thrown into the Biiller Bivcr, rails have been sold, and timber taken out of tunnels. What happened was nothing more or less than an exhibition of pessimism in the form of political insanity. Kight through the department there is the need for proper gear. I found work on aerodromes being done with wheelbarrows at a cost of 8s Gd a yard, whereas such work could be done for Gd a yard if it were partly mechanised."