POLICY OF PUBLIC WORKS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1933, Page 7

POLICY OF PUBLIC WORKS

REQUESTS FOR RESUMPTION

WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED MEN. ROAD AND RAILWAY BUILDING. STANDARD RATES OF WAGES. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Discussing the Public Works Statement in the House of ..Representatives yesterday, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. M. J. Savage, protested against works of first-class importance being carried out under relief conditions. He said he had received complaints against the rates of pay on the East Coast railway works, and that if all works were carried out in that way the old conditions would disappear altogether. It was the Government’s duty to give some attention to the matter. It should be possible for the Government to make a schedule of works, both national and local, which would give widespread employment at decent rates of pay. The time had come when public works should once more be placed on something like a reasonable basis, added Mr. Savage. Surely that was within the capabilities of the Government. The officers of the Public Works Department should be instructed to prepare a schedule of useful works which could be carried out and the Government should set itself the task of arranging finance. The Minister said that the bulk of important railway* work and the hydroelectric system had been completed. Apart from the Waitaki scheme, which was under construction, he did not know of any major operation in this direction which had not been put in hand. The reading system of New Zealand was well up to date and had been favourably commented on by visitors. The Minister added that this year’s expenditure on roads was well up to standard. GOVERNMENT’S DIFFICULTY. Mr. Hamilton said Mr. Savage had complained against relief workers being allowed to be employed on first-class works. The Government’s difficulty was to prevent that happening. It was doing its best to prevent local bodies and other people carrying out with relief money work that should be paid for out of their own funds.

This argument had been presented in the case of the East Coast railway, but it had been contended that the work could not be carried out unless unemployed labour was engaged. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Ind., Wanganui) said that approximately £4,000,000 per annum was being wasted within the country in creating no permanent assets whatever. It was an unsound principle that money collected. in unemployment taxation should be expended on private property. The money should be diverted to useful purposes in improving public property. He urged that unfinished public works be re-surveyed and those that warranted completion should be resumed, the unemployment taxation being used to meet part of the cost and the remainder of the expenditure found out of road money. Mr. D. W. Coleman (Lab., Gisborne) said that the Gisborne-Napier railway line had been closed by the Government of which Mr. Veitch had been a member, despite the fact that Public Works officers had considered the line should be completed. Mr. R. Semple (Lab., Wellington East) said Public Works employees should be given an incentive to work. There should be an' agreement between the employers and employees. Mr. Hamilton said New Zealand had been so intensively developed in the last 40 to 50 years that it was difficult to find useful public works to-day. Mr. Savage: What about the backblock roads?

Mr. Hamilton: I agree with you there.

Mr. P. C. Webb (Lab., Buller) said one of the drawbacks in connection with the development of the Buller coalfields was the .Government’s neglect to finish the Westport-Inangahua line. This line was assuming even greater importance because of the proposal to establish an English company with a capital of £2,000,000 to develop the coal resources; but in spite of that fact the Public Works Department was advertising for the removal of material connected with the construction of the line and the lifting of the rails. It was to be hoped the decision would be reversed. Mr. E. F. Healy (Co., Wairau) made a plea for the resumption of work on the South Island Main Trunk line., The Hon. J. Bitchener, Minister of Public Works, said the Government was doing its best to absorb as many men as possible in public works, but it had to be guided by the amount of finance available. It was impossible to pay the men much more than 10s a day, evenon contract works. The estimates were passed after a brief discussion on small farms. The Hon. E. A. Ransom, replying, said no properties were taken over by the Government until a report on them had been submitted by practical men in the district. He pointed out that settlement lands when brought in and stocked cost in the vicinity of £l2OO, and it was unlikely that they would not be sufficient to enable a man to make a living, especially when it was possible for him to carry 25 to 30 cows on the land. The Agricultural and Pastoral Committee recommended that the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Bill be allowed to proceed as amended. The Finance Bill (No. 2) and the Motor Spirits Regulation of Prices Bill, which makes provision for the fixing of both minimum and maximum prices, were introduced by Governor-General’s message and read a first time. Mr. Forbes suggested the House should meet at 10.30 a.m. on Monday to enable the local Bills to be taken, and this course was agreed upon.