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1941. NEW ZEALAND.

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT (BY THE HON. H. T. ARMSTRONG, MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS).

Mr. Speaker,— In accordance with the provisions of section 8 of the Public Works Act, 1928, I submit my report on works carried out during the year ended 31st March, 1941, together with a statement of expenditure certified by the Controller and Auditor-General. As I assumed the office of Minister of Public Works only in February last, this report relates more particularly to public-works activities which were directed by my colleague, the Hon. R. Semple, during the greater part of the year. In the Statement presented to the House last year reference was made to the Government's decision to curtail public-works construction and to confine activities principally to those undertakings which had reached an advanced stage where completion should be effected and where special considerations demanded. The effect of this policy is seen in the reduced expenditure under the General Purposes Account of the Public Works Fund, which for the past year amounted to £6,280,127, as against £9,238,447 for the preceding year, a decrease of £3,000,000. Honourable members will appreciate that the public-works organization has not been engaged entirely upon operations normally associated with the publicworks programme. The resources of the Department in respect of staff, men, and material have been utilized by the Government for the prosecution of a large amount of work arising directly from the war and which has been financed from the War Expenses Account. It would be erroneous, therefore, to assume that the scope of purely public-works activities is reflected by the actual operations of the Department. In order to afford a reasonable conception of the position it can be said that approximately one-third of the activities of the Department over the last twelve months has been absorbed by special war work carried out at the request and on behalf of the Army, Navy, and Air Departments, the cost being a charge against the War Expenses Account. The military works carried out by my Department were numerous and extensive and comprised the design and erection of many hutments, administrative buildings, stores, and hospitals, including major institutions for the reception and treatment of returning sick and wounded, as well as other works of a special nature. The

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