PUBLIC WORKS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 488, 2 September 1915, Page 8

PUBLIC WORKS.

it THE SCHEME IN N.S.W. A CONTRACT CONDEMNED. CENSURE MOTION IN ASSEMBLY (Received September 2, 9.35 a.m.) SYDNEY, September 2. In the Assembly, Mr Wade moved a censure motion on the ground that the agreement with Norton Griffiths was unsatisfactory, and fraught with grave danger to the State. He pointed out that the contract was condemned, two years ago because supreme control was given to a contractor to strike a blow at the vital principle of Labour. He referred to the absence of fair competition, and said that no limit was stipulated to the amount the company spent. There was no guarantee that the company would not be behindhand with the contracts at the end of five years. He thought the proper thing for the Government to have done was to have borrowed £10,000,000 over a period of five 1 f 1 M&l! Mr Holman replied stating that in December last 23,000 men were dependent on public works. The Broken Hill mines were closing down, and there were clear indications of an impending industrial calamity, and the necessity of the hour was continuity of work. There was an embargo on loans, except for war purposes, and the Government and the people lived, literally, from hand to mouth for foiir months. The firm offered the only financial service possible to keep the workmen from starvation. There were good reasons for condemning the scheme, but better reasons for applauding it. He deplored the abandonment of the day labour principle, but had accepted the lesser of two evils. The fact that the Government had entered into the scheme in face of serious Labour opposition ought to be a guarantee of its honesty of purpose. The motion was negatived by 37 votes to 28. [The contract with the Norton Griffiths Company Involves the expenditure of many millions' of pounds for public works.]