“ENORMOUS BENEFIT”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 188, 12 August 1941, Page 10

“ENORMOUS BENEFIT”

PURCHASE OF BULLDOZERS DEFENDED BY MR. SEMPL) > P.A. > Paliament Bldgs., Aug. 7. The Minister of Railways, the Hon. FL Semple, said it was true that £20,(XX),000 had been accredited for Public Works expenditure in the Estimates, but it had been explained over and over again that this total was to be divided up among quite a number of different departments. The honourable gentleman who had spoken previously (Mr. Polson) said the money had been wasted. Sir E. Ransom (Nat., Pahiatua): “How many of the railways being built will be an expense on the country?” Mr. Semple said that if there were anyone to blame for the starting and stopping of railway construction then it was the Opposition. The Government had also been criticised for its purchase of bulldozers and other Public Works equipment. The Minister said he had been sneered at in the House for the purchase of such equipment. (Opposition cries of “No.") Mr. Semple continued that he had said at the time that these machines would be of enormous benefit in peace time and would be a blessing if war came. This had proved correct. Aerodromes had been built by them throughout the country, and if this had not been done we would not have been able to send airmen overseas on the outbreak of war. Those boys of ours had put New Zealand on the map. Over 100 of them had won decoration. Now, he said, we had sent these machines overseas to build aerodromes elsewhere, and we had none left. Britain had asked for them.