PARLIAMENT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19150, 5 November 1927, Page 19

PARLIAMENT.

DEBATE ON PUBLIC WORKS. NEGLECT OF SOUTH ISLAND. (PSSSB A3SOCIATIOK lELEOBAU.) WELLINGTON, November 4. „ The House of Representatives was given an opportunity to-day to discuss the Public Works Statement. To bring the subject before the House the Minister for Public Works moved that the statement be referred to the Government for consideration.

Mr Sullivan (Avon) urged that in view of the seriousness of unemployment during the past winter the Public Works Department should look ahead and plan its programme of works so that if next winter should unfortunately find economic conditions still bad, the provision of some worK should be 'regarded as a national question, and the various employing Departments ought to organise works programmes so as to meet the requirements of the workless. Touching on Lake Coleridge electrical scheme. Air Sullivan suggested that the Government enquire carefully into the capacity of that scheme. Many people ni Christchurch believed consumption would overtake capacity by 1929, while the Government experts considered that the works would suffice till 1931. It was too important a matter for industrial enterprises in Christchurch to be allowed to go without careful consideration, and therefore he hoped the question of seeing that sufficient power supply would be made available to meet the ever growing requirements would have consideration.

Arapuni Troubles. "Mr Wilford (Hutt) said he desired to draw attention to happenings an Arapuni. He recalled that when Mangahao was under construction lie had made statements about its probable extra cost that were poohpoohed at the time, but events had supported his contentions. At Arapuni, which was probably the largest public work the present Government had ever undertaken, the engineer reported that work on the power house was at' a standstill, and serious delay was inevitable in fulfilling undertakings with the various Power Boards. This meant that .there would be heavy expenditure on interest charges, etc., until the works came into operation. Mr Wilford suggested that outside expert evidence should be obtained to give the Government' a lead as to what should. be done. The Government should see that steps were taken to keep faith with the country. The expenditure was now over £600.000. The contractor had. announced that the work could not be carried out in the time permitted under the contract, and it was due to the country that the Minister should make a full, frank statement of the whole position. .Mr Hudson (Motueka) contrasted public works expenditure on railway construction in the South and North Islands. He pointed out that the treatment of the Midland railway was most unfair, especially to the people of Murchison. The year's expenditure on railway works in the south was £85,000, compared with over a million in the North Island. • '

Mr Parry (Auckland Centrals supported Mr Sullivan's plea for timely consideration of the position in • relation to unemployment. He agreed with Mr Wilford's criticisms of the Arapuni works. There seemed tOv.bo a difference of opinion ' between' the engineers of the Government and'- of the eompany as- to the foundations on which the.power house:was to be built. He understood the_ company was riot satisfied that the site was .a safe one and he asked that the Government, should, for tJie satisfaction, of. the people, who had to foot the bill, give some guarantee that the would be safe when completed. .' Mr Potter (Rpskill) urged that in view .of the failure of legislation covering transport to produce l any j 'benefit, the Government should admit that failure, and permit. private enter- J prise to enter again into" the provision of transport facilities.

South Island Main Trunk. Mr Forbes (Hurunui) thought the matter..ln dispute at Arapuni m relation to foundations ought to -be referable to arbitration with every possibility of reaching an agreement. The, country was wondering how long the present rate of expenditure on public works and the public service was to continue. The people wanted v close scrutiny of expenditure, and 'were hoping to see* some reduction of'the. taxation burden at no . distant: date; Expenditure on roads meant assisting competition wijth the railways, and this was a matter over which; the House should have greater control. He asked that the. estimates of the cost of the unfinished link in the South Island Main Trunk railway between Christchurchvand Blenheim should, be ma'de known. It was known to be difficult country to work, and for his part' if the construction of a railway was not likely to prove to be economically sound, he would be prepared to let it drop and devote attention to a road. ..-.•..:.

•Mr H. E. Holland; Leader of the Opposition., said he hoped the Minister would, in his reply, furnish the wtfth' a comprehensive statement on the Arapuni hydro-electric scheme. He declared that the Government must explain why it \proposed to expend £892,000 oh railways in the North Island, and only £85,000 in the South Island-

Sir Joseph Ward (Invercargill) said that the national memorial bad been erected to. the memory of the late .Mr Seddon on the heights above Wellington, where everyone might see it. Now it was proposed to erect a building directly in front of it, blocking it out from public view, and he thought the Government should step in and prevent such interference with a national monument.

The Hon. Mr McLeod justified the Government's. petrol tax proposals oh the ground that the motorist was the man who used the roads.

Mr Armstrong . (Christchurch East) thought the Government was "motor tax mad," and had gohe too far in imposing a tax of 4d per gallon on petrol.

Difficult Negotiations. The Prime Minister, in reference to Arapuni, said the position was most difficult, and in the public interest the Government could not put all their cards on the table. At the same time he believed they would overcome those difficulties. In connexion with the work a* Arapuni the Public Works Department did a certain amount of exploration into the banks of- the river, and when the contract was let tbe contractors were told what was done, but {the responsibility of finally determining what strata existed rested with the contractors, and so far they had not revealed any strata other than they might have expected to find. The Government was satisfied the job could be carried out as at first specified, bnt negotiations which he could not disclose, were now in progress, and he was hopeful of a settlement. The Government was desirous of being fair to everyone. The loss to the Government would be great, because the work would not be completed up to time, and the Government would lose revenue, because they would not be able to supply power to Power, Boards as anticipated.

Mr Wilford asked if the specifications set out that certain strata of rock

would be found which in fact had not "been found!> ••,'.'

The Prime Minister said that so far as his recollection went, the tions stipulated'only where the power house was to go. Certain things were assumed, -but all the time responsibility rested with the contractors. Possibly the contractors would say something different, but it was often found that in, cases of professional disputes ithe layman could come in and make a satisfactory settlement. Responsibility for carrying out their contract rested with, the contractors. He wanted to make that quite clean If unexpected difficulties were met with, the \ Government was not mean, and woaldmeet^the'position liberally. .They, had .talked round the teble'a good deal, and. he expected that they would-talk a good deal more, and he was hopeful that an amicable settlement would be arrived at At the samo time he asked members- no,t to press the Government to disclose its band, because in the present stago of ne-, gotiations it would not be wise' to do so.

Referring to railway: construction, tbe Prime Minister said they were about 18 months behind their, •programme with most of the railways undertaken, and one of the first railways pushed on would be the Buller Gorge line, on which it was proposed to spend £30,000 this year. .

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

(FSKSS ASSOCIATION TILJGBAH;)

WELLINGTON, November 4..'-, x, Tu «J ie legislative Council .to-day the Shops and Offices . Amendment Bill, the Fertilisers Bill, the Introduc* tion of Plants BiU, and the Mining Amendment BIT! were put through their final stages and passed. Th e Council adjourned at-4.50 >m; until 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday.