MONEY FOR WORKS

Southland Times, Issue 17483, 26 July 1915, Page 2

MONEY FOR WORKS

QUESTION OF SUPPLY LABOUR AND THE WAIL (.Special to the Times). WELLINGTON, July 2.1. "It will he a marvel if I got as much money to spend this year as last. I hardly think I will.” said the Minister for Public AA'orks (Hon. AV. Eraser) this evening in reply to an Auckland deputation with regard to the construction of lire North Auckland railways. "I am, however." said Mr Fraser, "going to take authority for that. Jf .1 can get the money 1 can spend it.” The votes, the Minister said, would be about equal to last year's, and in some cases probably a little more. There might, said the Minister, be some drTiculty with regard to the labour available. He supposed that fully 10,000 men who had been engaged in connection with primary industries had gone to the war, and it was likely that when shearing and harvesting time came there would be a demand for labour. If such were the case bo would have to release men from public works, as the gathering of harvest was of more importance than the construction of railways and roads. He would, however, take men from works in the north to send them to harvest work in the south, but there would probably be a certain amount of farm work in the north to he provided for.