D.—l.

1938. NEW ZEALAND.

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT (BY THE HON. R. SEMPLE, MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS).

Mr. Speaker.,— This is the third occasion upon which I have been privileged to bring forward an annual statement of the progress made on public works and proposals contemplated for the ensuing year. The number of works of a necessary character which the ever-increasing development of the country demands has become so great that the number of men on public works has had to be increased during the year by upwards of two thousand. The works undertaken are to a great extent indirectly, and in most cases directly, remunerative or reproductive. The expenditure last year by the Public Works Department was a record one, the gross amount being £11,868,931. I feel sure, however, that the ability and experience of the officers of the Department, and the energy and willingness of its employees, have resulted in full value being obtained for every pound that has been expended. As far as possible all men are placed on co-operative contract at prices which necessitate a good day's work for a good day's pay, and no better incentive can be given to encourage a reasonable output than this well-tried system of employment. Wherever co-operative contract work is not feasible or advisable every effort has been made to obtain sufficient and competent supervision to ensure adequate results without undue hardship to any one. Under both systems full use has been made of modern plant and machinery on the principles set forth in my last year's statement. Here I indicated that some works might quite economically be carried on with a large proportion of man-power, but others again would simply result in wasteful expenditure unless machine-power was employed to its maximum capacity. Where this is the case my engineers have not hesitated to use a maximum amount of machinery and a minimum amount of man-power. The satisfactory progress made on all works undertaken throughout the year has shown that it is quite possible to employ a large body of men in conjunction with a comparatively large amount of machinery. It must be freely admitted, however, that in the classes of work likely to be undertaken in the future machinery must play an ever-increasing part if such works are to prove reasonably productive or remunerative.