PUBLIC WORKS MUDDLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 508, 10 November 1928, Page 11

PUBLIC WORKS MUDDLE

MR. FLETCHER LAYS FINGER ON TROUBLE “DISSIPATION OF ENERGY” “How do you propose to deal with the Public Works muddle?” was a question put to Mr. J. S. Fletcher, United candidate for Grey Lynn, last evening. "If I am the next Public Works Minister ” began Mr. Fletcher, but was drowned in laughter. Starting again, Mr. Fletcher laid his finger on what lie considered the trouble in the Public Works Department. “I want to be very careful in saying I am casting no reflections on any man in the service,’’ he remarked. “The present head of the department it a very able man, controlling the expenditure on many large works, including railways, roading, hydro-elec-tricity, etc. In addition he has been appointed chairman of the Main Highways Board. No matter how capable a man is, if you dissipate his energies over so many things he can't give his best. "It would be better if the Railway Department - had its own construction department, with a man like Mr, Furkert as consulting engineer. I think decentralisation would be in the interests of all.” Mr. Fletcher cited Mangahao, AraPuni, and Westfield deviation as cases where the best had not been obtained. "I am not blaming the engineers,” he concluded. "I say no capable business man would allow things like this to continue.”