PUBLIC WORKS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 152, 30 June 1932, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS

GOVERNMENT’S POLICY WELLINGTON. June 29. The Government’s policy in regard to Public Works is criticised in a statement made to-day by Mr. A. Cook, general secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union. He contends that certain works which, under ordinary circumstances, would have been completed in from twelve to eighteen months, will now take twice as long to finish and will prove more costly in the long run owing to their being under-manned. Mr. Cook considers that after so much money has been spent on the Waitaki hydro-electric scheme the only sensible policy to adopt is to complete the work and make it revenue-produc-ing at the earliest possible moment. Yet, he says, during the past few months man-power has been reduced by 50 per cent., and it will probably be another live years instead, of two .before the work is completed.

Referring to the Tawa Flat deviation, Mr. Cook says there can be no doubt that it is quite justifiable since its completion will mean a saving of per annum, but it also is un- • ’er manned and will take another four ears to complete instead of 18 months . • two years. He suggests that there mild not be the slightest difficulty in r ising an internal loan more than sufficient to contylete the deviation am? the Waitaki scheme without delay. In Mr. Cook’s • opinion, the completion of the Napier-Gisborne railway at a cost of one and a-half million pounds should bo proceeded with as it could be done more cheaply now than at any futwe period. Many thousands of pouwls’ worth of workers’ accommo daiiln is going to ruin, and if the worl lies idle much longer it will cost £5- ■ to rehabilitate. This applies also ‘t o the South Island Main Trunk. Mr. Cook maintains. The also deals with rates of pay and irv r >, costs on Public Works, and it is urged that married men with large families are finding it impossible to buy adequate food and clothing on 10s a day in isolated parts of the country. On the irrigation works in Central Otago, Mr. Cook alleges, the cost of living for the 300 men employed is quite 30 per cent, above that of the main centres. The facts were brought before the notice of the Minister of Public Works by a deputation from the New Zealand Workers’ Union and an investigation was promised, but, Air. Cook adds, to the best of his knowledge, nothing was done.