PUBLIC WORKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23718, 26 July 1940, Page 9

PUBLIC WORKS

essential projects CLAIMS BY MINISTER DEFENCE AND PRODUCTION [BY TELEGRAPH— SPECIAL REPORTER] Thursday .The Government appreciates fully that, however desirable public works may be in normal times, they must of necessity give place to the exigencies Of the present situation confronting our nation," says the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, in ins annual Statement tabled in the House of Representatives to-day. "The estimates for the current year," lie adds, have therefore been framed oil the basis of the elimination of all but essential activities, and the completion of those' projects which have reached an advanced stage where it would be uneconomical and undesirable to cease operations abruptly. As long as sufficient manpower and machinery are available, works in the latter category will therefore be continued. This applies particularly to hydro-electric construction, railway construction, irrigation' development and land-improvement schemes, the two latter having an important bearing on the Dominion's effort to increase primary production." Effects ol the War Speaking of the demands made upon his organisation as a result of the declaration of war, Mr. Semple states that the effect of diverting men and material to defence works was that normal operations were reduced or suspended, although nominally on this account the total number of men employed on public works was not decreased for a period. Tn the meantime a considerable number of departmental employees offered their services in. the defence of the nation and the normal construction programme was reviewed. The result of this was that at the close of the financial year the total number of men employed was 19,531, as compared with 22,728 at the beginning of the year, a reduction of 3197. At the present date the total number of men was 17,089, but of this number 2226 were employed by contractors Working for the department and 2112 were employed by local bodies on public works subsidised by the department, thus making the number of men paid directly by the department 12,711. Included in this figure were 2181 men employed solely on defence works. Public Utilities "It will be necessary, of course, to give special attention during the war period to the adequate maintenance of public utilities, such as electric-supply installations, main highways, public buildings, irrigation schemes," the Minister continues, "and steps will be taken to ensure that no undue deterioration of these assets occurs pending the restoration of normal conditions. With regard to other schemes of less urgency in the public interests, there has already been a progressive curtailment and this will continue in directions where the effect will not deprive married workers of their means of livelihood." The report includes the following table as showing the ratio which the various classes of work bore to the department's combined activities, the figures being gross, without the deduction of recoveries:— Per Roads .. .. 7,072,522 2 C 5.37 Hydro electric . . .. 1,485,512 5.96 Railway construction .. 4.302,555 17.20 Public buildings . . 1,825,390 7.32 Settlement of unemployed workers ... . 613.302 2.46 Lands improvement .. 194,347 0.78 Irrigation •. 444,838 1.78 Public buildings, roads, etc. (maintenance) . 234,414 0.94 Air defence . . .. 600,428 2.41 Telegraph extension .. 693,569 2.78 Native land settlement 1,052,502 4.22 Plant, material, and services for other departments . . 3,699,754 14.84 Miscellaneous .. .. 833,115 3.34 Revenue receipts .. 1.878,1345 7.54 £24,931,193 100.00 Expenditure This Year The actual gross expenditure was thus £23,052,548, and the net expenditure £17,390,979, after the deduction of recoveries. For the new year, the estimated net expenditure is given by Mr. Semple as £12,807,200. this being the sum of the £6,524,000 shown on the recent Public Works Estimates under the General Purposes Account, together with £2,750,000 from the Electric Supply Account and £3.533,200 from the Main Highways Account. With such extra allocations as that for housing, the, Budgetary figure was about £15,000,000. For the current financial year £650,000 would be provided from the Consolidated Fund for expenditure on public works and services, including £IOO,OOO for housing workmen engaged in farm production and £IOO,OOO for national emergency purposes. "I have on many occasions pointed out the necessity for an adequate and safe highways system," savs Mr. Semple when referring to his highways programme, "and never before in the history of this country has it been so essential that our internal communications should be up to a high standard of efficiency. Our national existence at the present time demands that our main arterial-routes should be of sufficient material strength and of adequate capacity to transport men and material in a most expeditious manner; otherwise we are likely to be severely handicapped in any military operations that may be necessary for the defence of this country." Supply of Materials Difficulties in obtaining materials is mentioned several times in the report. Speaking of hydro-electric development, Mr. Semple states that because of the problems connected with the supply of materials, the Government was exercising control throughout the Dominion to ensure that only extensions which have substantial returns were being undertaken. Last year the electricity account earned 8.7 per cent, compared with 8.4 per cent the year before. North Island earnings were 10.3 per cent, while those in the South Island were 6.5 per cent. Of railway construction the Minister savs that as a result of war conditions it "will not be possible to maintain the normal rate of progress. This was due to the fact that many skilled and experienced workers had enlisted and also to delays in securing material. GOVERNMENT PRINTING NEEDS NEW OFFICE TO BE BUILT [BY TELEGRAPH SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Thursday * The determination of the Government to proceed with the building of the new printing office at Wellingtonivas expressed by the Minister in chargo of Printing and Stationery, the Hon. P. C. Webb, in the House to-night. He said the present building was overcrowded, aangerous in the event of an earthquake and uneconomical to work. Economies in the use of paper wero suggested by the IH. Hon. G. W. Forbes (Opposition—Huruunui) and the Leader of the Opposition, the Eon. A. Hamilton. ....... , The Minister replied that all departments had been asked to economise and ilreadv a saving of 25 per cent has been made. With stocks on hand, afloat ■>r about to be shipped the department has 12 months' supply of paper in new. Explaining the increase of £50.000 in the vote for the office, Mr. . Webb ;aid the cost of paper had risen 130 aer cent since the beginning of the var. 1