MR SEMPLE ON TOUR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 11, 14 January 1936, Page 8

MR SEMPLE ON TOUR

FORKS IN NELSON AREA REPLIES TO DEPUTATIONS MORE ABOUT those boards [ F«r Pre«« AasociaCoa. ) NEI -SON, Jan. 13. The H«»n. R. Semple, in the course of expediting h.> decision to make himself personally conversant with the various public works in hand or contemplated. has been visiting the Nelson •listrict. He met several deputation* to-day. all of them stressing the need for various action bv the Government. The Midland Line Replying t<» a Mun-hisvn deputation regarding completion of the Midland railway line, Mr Semple pointed out that the Government was not responsible for the promises of previous Governments nor for the sins of past Governments. Up expected the Government would, in time, ha- 4 enough of its own sins to account for. At the present time the question of getting bark the control of the railhr the Government instead of bv the board was being gone into, he s aid. The Government would undertake the responsibility for pubiiv pk penditurp and would not delegate that responsibility tn ancone else. In regard to the Midland line there wou< 1 he a full investigation into the possibility of completing the full line and of partially completing it »s far »• Murchison. The investigations would be broken in two parts for that purp<v4>. When the Government completed anv line it would expect that the people would g ve !«-■<• per cent, lornltr to the railway. The Government would W't interfere with individuals’ rights. but if the peeople a<k*d for a line for access and the work was done, the Government wou’d •xpect them to give their support to it instead of tn throat-cutting competition. The Government had buil* road* on rail routes and then motor trarviport had commenced <-onij Ptifion. in some rases unfair. through the wages paid to some dr era being a disgrace. Sweating and rut-throat ettrnper-?inn would not be tolerated. It wes the desire of the Government r*" 1 giip rhe people rhe best transport and rn-ad facilities so that fhev could get their produce to the markets. A good reading system was one of the he*! •**t« a nation could have. The Minister then outlined :he ex pen*e incurred on the Gisborne line, which had not been completed. Before the Government spent monev on a line it would investigate it first tn see tf it was justified and then go ahead and nr*r get it partlv done and leave it to rot. The matter would ba considered from the developmental aspect. If. in consideration with the Midland line i* wa.s considered justified, the Govern men! wou’d go ahead, but. if it wa* derided nor to complete it. then the people would be told whv. The Government would not ask »h* "Railway Board r-o .to its thinking. The people had elected the Government to do it* own thinking without consulting anv poonl*. ff it was derided to comp'etp rhe work, then a convenient time table would b« arranged so ths’ the people could use it. Anv excuse* fo»cot wring it would be removed before it wa c opened. The Lewis Paas Road Replying to lhe Murchison dentation, the H'»n. It. Semple said the de port mem wor d go into the matter *»f ? 4ie Lewi* Pa«* Road. In regard to road matters there was a board which limited th* power of tp Government and reconstruction would h»»e to bo made. However, when a.I the possible oformation regarding rhe proposal had beer placed before his department, if wculd bp Mining Policy Asked For Tfep chairman of the Mi.rc-iiix»n Com’y • mil *»a d t«haf ;n l-«e Murvhi~on Countv me •* was h g‘» ‘d don of mining. He. a-\ed thn Mini Met f he would onli ne the p» i« v of the Government in regard to reef prospect ing. The men engaged < n reef pros petting were <»n tu • >«:»•.»• Mibri-iv aother pri»>;»ettvi>. toose in the lai lei category being in a better vn becrush they UMtaliy found a lilt.e go ’. The Minister said his depait-ment had noth ng r> du with the -übsidv paid to prospectors, which was handled by the Unemployment Boaid. At the pie-ent time his department had no money to assist mining but the I’netup oyntent Board ha i sx mpai-heto a'lv assisted in the prospecting of quartz tppf*. In some rases it bad granted np tu full time wage* for such men f they were practical and quaiilied. If the peop'p of Murchison had pravtica* men nod inspectors and olli • er* could recommend the expenditure of money t r such prospecting, he fe’d sure something would l-e done t«» assist them. Flip money *houi«i i»e spent jud viou-dv and profitab.v. In most cases now t was necessary to hit out with large capital and with the use ol scientific methods, lie gave an assurance that the Mines would be a rea’ }»■ * dopar.'inei’t wh ch would be reaJv tn a-ssi-t t h >?e who wished i.« nt me. but it would g-' the death senteuve to tbo*? who went into mining as n speculation. The Government would nut encourage tho e who wisbe t to tie up development by holding ia ge unused water right.*. In regard to the request made, he ad' ised them to submit their rase to the Unemployment Board. Where there wa- a prospect of finding a rppf or goo,j alluvial prosper every sympathetic he p would be Takaka Hill Re’ ef Work Three men from rhe Takaka Hi fl re ! of worker*’ camp met Mr Semple at Motueka to discu.-* the general conditions of work in connection with road widening. In connection with rhe rates of poy. it was contended that the engineer varied rates paid on spoil moved without giving notices as provided for in thp contract. A good worker was making £6 per week. In December the men were shifting rock, the maximum rare being on rhe marble while ies-« was paid on looker material, wore quoted where the pr : re had been reduced for apparently no »eason. Further representation was made in connection with accommodation. Some of the private houses rented by the rren were not in a fit state tn live in. They asked if better accommodation eould be provided on rhe job.

The engineer. who was present, stated that the formation of the countiy varied. For the hardest type 3s per vard was paid and the rate for loose material was corresponding!less, i'he average rates earned bv the men were !."»< 4d pet dav in October. 17s Id in November, and L'*s 5d in December. No vontra.-t prices had been cut. but I'he various types of s-j>oil m»\ei were measured and paid for at The Miuis’ci then told the men that there had evidently been a misunderstanding about the contract and from what the engineer had said there hail been no breach. Regarding arcommodation. the Go'ernment was at present going into the whole question. All men on su.-h work* would be properly hoiise«l and provision would l>e made >*o that it would not be nerftsisary for the men to keep tw<» homes while they were engaged on works. It was the intention of the Government io abolish relief works and convert th rt m into puldic works at proywr wages. “If a man is a trier and does not earn the amount fixed for the wages he’ll get those wages, but if he’s a scrounge! then he will got the order of the boot,’’ ■commented the Minister. Hearty receptions were accorded Mr Semple and the Hon. I*. C. Webb at Motueka and Murchison by very large ga t heri ngs.