"POLICY JUSTIFIED”

Stratford Evening Post, Volume IV, Issue 22, 4 January 1936, Page 6

"POLICY JUSTIFIED”

Unemployed Labour on Defence Works. NAVAL AND AERIAL OABE DEVELOPMENT. Press Association —Copyright. Auckland, January 3. The view that the employment of Public Works Department labour on naval and aerial defence works was justified and would probably be continued by the Labour Government was expressed to-day by the Minister of Publir Works, the Hon. R. Semple, who, is on a short visit to Auckland. During the day Mr. Semple visited the Hobsonville air base and area at Kauri Point where works in connection with the naval defence system are being carried out. He hopes to visit the Devonporf naval base during a future visit to Auckland. , Works now in progress had yet to be fully considered by Cabinet, Mr. Semple said, but he personally was impressed by their usefulness. It was selfevident that the Dominion had to have Some form of defence system, and to his mind an efficient air force and naval division were most important requirements. Consequently money spent in providing adequate facilities for these two services -was providing a national asset end, as the works under way or planned for early commencement offered employment to a large proportion of civilian labour, they were well worth while.