EFFICIENT ENGINEERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19335, 27 May 1937, Page 4

EFFICIENT ENGINEERS

PUBLIC WORKS JOBS TRIBUTE BY MINISTER SAVING BY MODERN PLANT (Herald Special Reporter.) TE ARAROA, this day. A tribute to Public Works Department engineers and an outline of the policy of improved methods Jn public works was given by the Minister, the Hon. E. Semple, "during bis only public address of the present tour. Mr. Semple said the department bad a team of engineers equal to any in the world. He was proud of them. He bad received from them 100 per cent loyalty and efficiency. The Mohaka viaduct, 350 ft. high, 900 ft. long, and containing 13C0 tons of steel, one of the highest, if not the highest, in the Southern Hemisphere, was built by a young engineer trained by Mr. J. VVood! ongineer-in-cbief, who had never been out of New Zealand. With a team of raw men he completed the bridge four months ahead of time, putting up an Australasian record without a single fatal accident. The steel was fabricated by another New Zealandev in Tauranga. Not one piece ot steel was one-fifth of an inch out in measurement. That was one job worth taking notice of. Aerodromes and Grounds

The 'Government was now building a line of aerodromes and landing grounds, partly for commercial aviation and partly tor defence purposes, and the Government was faced with a big cost. The estimated cost of an aerodrome in Nelson was £175,CC0, and he was convinced that the country could not carry the cost of a chain of 'dromes on that basis, but by using modern machines the cost would be reduced to £35,000 and the work was done in 18 months instead of three years under the old system.

Last year the money spent on aerodromes was £600,000, and had modern machinery been used this could have been done for £2CO,COO, and the £400,000 saved would have completed all aerodromes iii New Zealand. By the new methods, more work was being done and the men were working better at higher wages to themselves, under the contract system, and cheaper for the country. There was up to 80 per cent reduction on some works.

He quoted a caterpillar tractor forming two chains of load in 27A minutes. Wigram aerodrome cost £75,000, but under the new system could .have been done for £13,000 to £15,000. That system, would be applied wherever possible, and was applicable to the roads as well. The new method would be used to speed up construction and reduce costs. At the same time, men would not be put out of work, because the money saved could be used for further work. He was trying to adopt the most scientific method in public works.