STATE’S UNDERTAKINGS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1934, Page 7

STATE’S UNDERTAKINGS

PUBLIC WORKS DISCUSSED MINISTER REPLIES TO CRITICISM. CONSIDERATION OF ESTIMATES. HOUSE PASSES FIVE OF CLASSES. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Hon. J. Bitchener, Minister of Public Works, replied to the comments of members on the Public Works Statement in the House of Representatives to-day, his remarks being mainly confined to local matters that had been raised. Early in the evening the House considered the Public Works Estimates and good progress had been made with these when the adjournment was taken at midnight. To-morrow Government Bills of a minor nature will be discussed. Mr. Bitchener said that generally speaking the remarks were gratifying. The stability of the Arapuni power house was so good that it was being extended. He thought the former criticism was unjustified and that it was the machinery, not the foundations, which were then at fault. He thought he could rely on the advice of the engineers that the position was 1 perfectly sound at the present time. The Gisborne-Wairoa railway was a policy matter with the Government. Parliament had decided what was to be done with that and other railways. No doubt much material was wasting, but the Railways Board said the line if run would cause a greater loss than at present. From some of the speeches made one would think the department was receiving all its moneys from the Unemployment Board, but that was not so. It received last year about £500,000, which was not much when the works in hand were considered. The money was being well spent. . NO WASTE OF MONEY. He did not think it could be said the department was wasting the money, it ■received from the board. The waste that was going on was in the cities. If the board could supply more money the department could find good use for it in the country districts. Even Opposition members were not unanimous as regards the wants of the Dominion. Some urged that public buildings should be erected. Others deprecated that and said -the money should be spent in the country. Referring to the aerodromes mentioned, the Minister said they were not public aerodromes, so far as the department was concerned. . If they wanted to pay the men better the people should supply more money. He favoured the payment of standard wages and would be pleased to see men receiving them. First-class men could always find work for themselves, but there were others who were not first-class labourers, and who had to take relief work for a living. The department was at a loss to know what to do with them. The department went to pains to break them in to hard work and often paid them more than they earned for a month or so. He did not think all men should be paid the same. The better workers should receive more than poor workers. ' INTERJECTORS WARNED. There was some interruption during Mr. Bitchener’s speech. The Speaker stopped him and said there were a few members who were making nuisances of themselves. If they continued to interrupt he would have to deal with them. His patience was sorely tried and he trusted the interruptions would cease. The number of men in single men’s camps, Mr. Bitchener continued, was becoming less. Their pay in the past had been 10s a week and found. Now from October 1 it would be raised to 15s a week and found. He knew there was room for improvement in some camps but he thought some of the complaints made were unreasonable. There was still room for money to be spent on roads in New Zealand, but a record stretch was metalled in the past year, and as far as money was available he would do his best to give settlers better roads. When the House went into committee to consider the estimates a Labour member protested against the payment of £250 a year to Mr. F. W. Furkert as technical adviser to the department and asked what he had done to justify it. Mr. F. Langstone (Labour, Waimarino) moved that the vote be reduced by £250 as a protest against that payment. Mr. Bitchener in reply said the payment of £250 was the arrangement when Mr. Furkert retired, and it would have three more years to run. He would do nothing to upset the honourable arrangement made at that time. When the retainer was paid it did not mean it was earned in one year. Some years might be light but others would be heavy. Mr. Furkert had done a month’s exploring work in the south early in the present year. The Minister did not say the retainer was justifiable, but the arrangement was made. He agreed that while other good men were available th?ir services should be used. Members continued to criticise the payment to Mr. Furkert.

After two hours of discussion a vote was taken shortly after 11 o’clock, the amendment being rejected by 32 votes to 28. Five classes of the estimates were passed and progress was reported. The House rose at midnight.