LOOKING AHEAD

Southland Times, Issue 22474, 9 November 1934, Page 8

LOOKING AHEAD

AIRPORT SCHEMES CONSTRUCTION WORK PROCEEDING USE OF UNEMPLOYED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, November 8. An airport scheme of national dimensions in advance of huge aviation developments expected in New Zealand in keeping with the progress in other parts of the world during the next few years, has been put under way on a basis of co-operation between the Public Works Department, Aero Clubs, Defence Department, local bodies and the unemployed. A statement outlining the Government’s policy in this connection was made to-day by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe. Thousands of men may be engaged when the plans are developed, and if local bodies co-operate, as some have done already, it is likely that a very large number of unemployed will be engaged and enabled to earn more money without any stand down week, said, the Minister. The Defence Department is busy in an advisory capacity and is actually laying out the aerodromes and emergency landing grounds in both islands, following a discussion between the Minister and a deputation representative of flying interests last July. Since then, 90 ' airports, aerodromes and emergency landing ground sites have been reported on. Twentyeight have been surveyed. Construction work has been commenced on 21 and improvements have been authorized on 23. The Minister expressed the opinion that the conditions under which unemployed labour was being utilized were in every case more favourable than those of the normal No. 5 Scheme of relief work. Mr E. A. Gibson, engineer of the Public Works Department, who has made a special study of the subject, is technical supervisor acting as liason officer between the Defence Department, Unemployment Board and Public Works Department. “The scheme the authorities are engaged on,” stated Mr Cobbe, “started really in June last year. As yet there has been no insistent demand in this country for air transport as has occurred in many other countries overseas. This demand will undoubtedly come in the not far distant future. Opportunity is now being taken to utilize unemployed labour on the construction of aerodromes on the main air routes, thus creating an asset for the Dominion instead of, as in many cases, allowing that labour to be utilized on works of probably little consequence. Use of Unemployed Labour. "There has been criticism levelled at the Government in utilizing unemployed labour on this work. It has been contended that this work is of National importance and therefore should, be financed out of capital as whole time work. It must be obvious to any person with the smallest acquaintance with the subject that not only would it be impossible at this juncture to finance aerodrome work on the scale of development outlined in this way, but there is at present no justification for catering to this extent for the air transport needs of the Dominion. I think it can therefore be truly said that no sounder work can be found for surplus unemployed labour than aerodrome development.” The Minister expressed the opinion that the conditions under which unemployed labour was being utilized were in every case more favourable than those of the normal No. 5 scheme relief work. The overhead costs of labour were, he said, borne in part by the civil aviation vote, and in part by local authorities, aero clubs and others interested in the establishment of aerodromes in any given locality. . . “The impression has been gained m some quarters,” Mr Cobbe said, “that the contract system under which unemployed labour is used causes individual hardship among the workmen employed. This, the engineer reports, is disproved by results on the various works so far undertaken on aerodrome work. Generally the stand-down week has been eliminated and the average rate on which contracts are based raised to 12/- per day, but this has not been the cause of hardship and is proved by fact. For the last 12 months at Wigram aerodrome the unemployed working under this scheme have averaged in the vicinity of 12/- per day, and the poorest gangs have had no difficulty in exceeding 10/- per day. Some gangs have made much more than 12/per day on the contract prices allowed.”