PUBLIC WORKS

Wairarapa Daily Times, 17 September 1936, Page 2

PUBLIC WORKS

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. WELLINGTON, Wed ncaday. “Since I took control of the Public Works Department in, December last my Avholc energies have been concentrated in endeavouring to revitalise the activities of this .important Department,” said the Minister of Public Work (the Hon. R. Semple) in. his annual Statement presented to Parliament to-day. “On assuming office 1 found there was not in existence a policy Avhich could be relied upon, to give sufficient guidance to the head of the Department and his staff and which Avas necessary if the- Department was to function in the: most efficient and satisfactory Avay. My effort has been to frame a policy such as I believe wi 11 ultimately result in clearly defining tho system upon Avhich tlm Government intends: to carry out its public Avorks, and which Avill give to the Department that lead Avhich it can rightly expect from the Minister in control.

“I Avas quite prepared to find, oAving to several years: of financial depression, that there might not be a settled policy and I make due alloAvance for such difficulties, but I AA 7 as not prepared to find that the Avhole of the public Avorks activities had been converted into a system of relief for unemployment.”

• The Minister Avent on to outline the changes that have been made in Avorking conditions and methods. During the current year it is proposed to spend £8,543,700 on various projects as folloAvs'-:

(1) Construction of means of communication,. and transport railways, roads, harbours, and aerodromes, £5,605,700.

(2) Land development, including settlement of unemployed Avorlcers, £959,000. (3) Erection of public buildings, 1 £1,215,000. (4) Development of electric- poAver, £764,000. The total vote for maintenance of public Avorks and services under the Consolidated Fund is £1,182,500, as compared with an expenditure of £145,492 from that fund last year. “X am anxious to pursue an energetic policy of public works so as to provide national assets, and at the same' time assist in relierring the distress caused by the drastic cessation of constructional works by the late Government, ’ ’ the Minister observed. “From. 1919 to 1931 expenditure increased from £1,350,408 to £8,388,542, in 1933 to £1,727,076, and during the years ending 31st March, 1934, 1935, and 1936, expenditure was £2,087,781, £2,242,535, and £2,484,561. When it is remembei’ed that business dev-elops under settled conditions, it will be realised that any sudden disturbance is fraught Avith farreaching consequences. The reduction in expenditure from loan money of £6,661,453 in tAvo yearsi Avas disastrous, as AA r hen public works should have been expanding am opposite policy Avas being folloAved. The present Government is attempting to remedy the position by providing for a reasonable development of the national resources, using ordinary revenue to assist Avhere the Avorks are of such a nature as not to realise a full return of the annual cost. A study of the proposed expenditure on public Avorks for this year, as indicated in the Public Works estimates, islioavs that much the greater portion thereof is needed for means of transport and travel. ’ ’

“RailAvays Avill this year form a much larger proportion of the cost of the first item than they have for the past feAV years,” said the Minister. “Work has been recommenced on the NapierGisborne raihvay, the South Island Main Trunk raihvay, and the WestportInangahua raihvay. Additional railAvay construction under the control of the Public Works Department will be the Turakina-Okoia deviation on the Wellington-NeAv Plymouth railway. “The proposed expenditure on road communications is A*ery much larger this year than it lias CA-er been in the past, and is more than half the total for all public Avorks. On main highAA r ays alone it is proposed to expend £3,050,000 but more than £2,000,000 of this is received from revenue. “The Government is anxious to embark on an extensive programme for the elimination of raihvay level crossings OA 7 er main highways', and is prepared to place a very considerable sum of money on the Estimates for this purpose. The design of these crossings, hoAA r ever, involves, in each case a problem! of its oaaui, and some time must elapse before the full effect of the programme is felt, but I have instructed the Department to expedite the Avork as much as possible. In a feAV months’ time a A T ery large number of these Avorks Avill be under AA'ay. • “I am particularly anxious to improve the roads to our backblock settlers in order to give them easy access to their markets and ports of export, and! this year over a, million pounds Avill be provided for this purpose, and for the opening up of further lands for development. With the policy of land improvement and reclamation, and improved methods of transport, our reading system must be brought up to a higher standard than lias existed in the past. “As Minister of Transport I have a particular interest in improA-ed road conditions,, and propose to do all I can to render our roads safer for modern methods of transport and travel. RailAvays and roads are our chief means for the transportation of the products of the country, and the necessities of the community in general, and are still our principal .means of passenger traA T el, but I believe the day is not far distant Avlicn tarvel by air Avill play a big part in the passenger traffic of this country.

“Road transport facilities are vital to our national Avelfare, and communication by land depends at all times on our main traffic arteries being kept up to a high standard of efficiency,” the Minister observed. “Under the present system of control, it has happened that trunk routes remain uncompleted because of the inability or uiiAvillingness of a local authority to contribute

a reasonable share of the finance involved. In order to unify the control of the principal arterial highways.,, and to ensure that such highways are properly conditioned for continuous service, it is proposed to place approximately 4000 miles under the direct control of the Main Highways Board. This mileage will bo selected from existing 'main highways and classified as a State highways system, so that the full cost, of improvements l to a reasonable standard' and the proper maintenance of that standard, will bo provided wholly from the Main Highways Account. This will also relieve local authorities of some financial obligations and enable them to devote needed attention to secondary highways of local importance, as well as ordinary county or settlement roads. The necessary legislation to give effect to the foregoing proposal will be brought down in tfc* near future. I have discussed with the Main Highways Board some of the details involved in the change contemplated, and tentative arrangements have already been made in anticipation of the scheme being brought into operation. ”—(P. A.)