PUBLIC WORKS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3141, 20 July 1917, Page 6

PUBLIC WORKS

NO MONEY-LITTLE LABOUtt

A MODEST PROGRAMME

An important statement on public works,policy was made by the Hon. W. l-Vaser yesterday in reply to a deputation of Otago members which waited upon the Prime Minister and himself to urge consideration of Otago needs.

They must bear in mind, said Mr. Eraser, that the country was at war. Our efforts must be devoted to continuing the war, and the amount that could ber spent on public works this year would, not he so much as in past years. The second difficulty was the lack of labour. He had been faced with this trouble last year, and it would become worse if tho war continued. It was through the lack of labour last year that a iot of tho money authorised hud not been spent, and he had had to stop the construction of seven or eight lilies. These had & right to he gone on with before fresh ones were started. The delay in commencing a> number of works would end as soon as the war was over. Immediately the war ended every endeavour would be made to get people.back into the country, and though many would have jobs to return, to every effort would have to be made lo find employment for the others, and that would be the time for a vigorous public works policy. The Government in office at tho time should have the power to raise sutlicieut money apart from tliat raised at ordinary times in order to do this. At the present time only 2000 men were employed on public "works, as against 10,000 in ordinary times. Last session Parliament had voted him only half the amount on the Estimates for roads and bridges. In addition to these unauthorised votes, there were the authorised ones for which the money had not been expended, so he would be lucky if he scoured half of ivliat he put on the Estimates It was only patcli work that could" be done at present—bigger undertakings could not be gone in for. Referring to arterial roads, the Minister stated that until the war was over it was only possible to go in for patcli work and keep them mended as far as possible. As soon as things permitted, a Bill should be Jbrought down making local bodies responsible for the expenditure on roads.'Such a measure was. a crying need. ]t was an absurdity that'the Government should maintain these roads that people living near tnem should escape liability for tlieir upkeep. People using roads would have ,to learn that they must pay for them the same as was done in every other country in the world. "What the country was suffering from now: was a, multiplicity of local bodies which were too small, and in consequence had much, of their income eaten up in administrative expenses. He hoped that a Bill ,yould be brought dowu uniting tliesß snlall bodies into bigger ones.

The Prime Minister stilted ihnt during the war period, with {lie very heavy expenditure that was going 011, and with the large .number of men out .of the country, it was quite impossible to carry on a public works policy 011 the old lines." That must be understood by the people as well as by members of Parliament. Referring to arterial roads, Mr. Massey stated .that we vjere now in .1 transition stage due to the advent of motor traffic, heavy vehicles as well as ears, which rendered it absolutely necessary to improve our roads, especially tha main ones. When tko war came to an end a main road improvement policy would have to be considered because the advent of motor vehicles would do much to improve country life. It was a matter that would not be lost sight of by the Government, who fully realised the position.