PUBLIC WORKS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 26, 25 October 1919, Page 8

PUBLIC WORKS

COMPLAINTS OF "GO-SLOW"

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S CRITICISM, Tho House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. , On the motion to go into Committee of Supply on the Public .Works Estimates, SIR JOSEPH WARD (Leader of the Opposition) said ho was sure that every member of the House would regret, on personal grounds, that this Statement and Estimates would be the last that Sir William Fraser would present to the House. He could assure the honourablo gentleman that he had the esteem of every member of the House, however they might disagree with'ihim on occasion. He (Sir Joseph Ward) hoped that Sir William Fraser would, in a quietor sphere, have many years ;of happy life! and this wish was certainly that of every member of the House, (Hear, hear,) Little Work on Many Railways, Referring to tho Public Works State-, ment, the Lender of tho Opposition said that tho fault to be found with tho document was that the Government had not adopted a courageous policy for tho development of tho country. Thero were fifteen railways in course of construction, and on these, as well as on additions to open lines, it was proposed to spend i:850,000. There were liabilities against these votes of .£220,000, and this deduction left a far too small sum for -the carrying on of so many lines of railway. Sir William Fraser said that the liabilities could not bo counted fairly. Thero wero always liabilities in these accounts. Sir Joseph Ward said that if no account was made of- the liabilities the amount of .£600,000 for railway construction was still not adequate. It would r.nt provide more than live miles of railway for any one of the lines, about a miio for most of them, and less-than a mile for somo of them. This snail's pace on a large number of railways was a bad policy, and was going to cripple production. It would bo a killing policy so far as settlement on the land was concerned to allocate only such small amounts of money on railways.

Sir William Eraser: Wo shall not be ablo to spend half of it.

Sir Joseph Ward said he would refer to the labour difficulty later. ■ Ho disapproved of an expenditure of .£839,000 proposed for public buildings. The people of tho country wanted first of all railways, roads, telephones, and such aids to communication, and while they lacked liiesn facilities it was not right to spend JESOO.OOfI on public buildings. The policy was quite mistaken—"a policy without vision." He referred also to tjie amount of X'GOO.OfIO for hydroelectric schemes, an amount quite inadequate. It would -be tcu or twelve years at this rale before the works could be completed. In Southland and Olago the people had obtained for themselves a,million for each scheme, and at tho present rate of expenditure it would take five years to spend a million on any one scheme. Labour and Immigration. It was said that labour was not available, but what was being done to get labour? Admittedly immigration was not possible in the war years, but this country must have workers if it was lo carry on. More provision should be made for immigration in order to enable railways to be finished and completed at most three years. He would have and earning interest and sinking fund in

adopted a new policy, and lie would have provided four millions for railways. Tho "go-slow" policy lie lind never agreed with. Fifteen thousand for tho South Island Main Trunk lino, with 70 miles still to be built! Why tlio money would not build moro than a niilo and a half of it. Sir William Fraser: It ia only for fivo months. Wo will never spend tho jnonoy. Sir Joseph Ward said that he still ■urged the spending of move money. Sir William Fraser: Thero is no lab--olSir Joseph Ward said that, somo effort otitjlit to be mad© to got labour. Sir William FraserCould tho labour have, been obtained ? Sir Joseph Ward: Thero are people in the Old Country wanting to get here. _ Sir William l'raser: Wo cant bring them hero. There are no ships. Wo haven't got our soldiers back. ■ Telephone Charges. Sir Joseph Ward, referring to telephones, said that the.flat rate of charge for a telephone service would have to lie abandoned. ■ Bv the flat rate the heavy users of the telephono paid too little, and private people, using the telephone but little, naid too much. He was sure that tho other system of chaiginu according to the servico given would become popular and it would mean that most of the users of tho telephono would pav less than thev paid now. Iho measured r&to for "town and countiy would cost moro to the bis businesses in tho cities, but tho private residents in tho suburbs or in the country districts would pay less. The time had arrived for the dronpinff of the old methods of railway, road, and bridge building, and to adopt a policy of ranid construction to hasten the development of the country. Southern Members. Mr. J. M'COMBS 'T.vttelton) complained about the paucity of .votes for his district. „ . , ~ ~ , . Mr. 1!. M'CALLUM (Wairau) said that more money ought to bo provided for railwa-" construction. Ho suggested tliat moro wages ousht to be paid to attract labour for public works. Also it appeared that "our favoured friends in the north" wfcre getting their votes spent in unite of the shortage of. labour. This was evidence that labour could have been obtained. He doplored the dropping of the voto for tho lnaiigahao-Westport lino He advocated the adoption by the (Government of the betterment policy. Mr. Coates: Is that part of tho Liberal policy? . , Mr. M'Callum: It is part of tho Liberal policy to come i perhaps tlio policy of *ke next Liberal Government. Slow Work at Mangahari.

Dr. NEWMAN (Wellington East) said that not a penny had been spent on railways in Wellington last year. Ho congratulated the Minister oil having authorised the Paekakariki deviation. Some years ago he had induced tho Minister to- survey a little lino from Wellington to Porirua to five a practically flat route to Palmcrston. He would urge that a vote be "rovided for this railway from Neahauranja to Tawa Flat. He did not think the Martinborough railway was reallv needed now. The vool enmo now from Maryborough by motor wagon. In fact if roads were made better there would not be need for branch railways. Ho hoped the Prime Minister would 6tudv this matter •luring the recess. More and more the Trains and trams were becoming antiquated. They would be replaced moro and moro by motor vehicles. Wellington representatives were dissatisfied with the blow progress being made with the Mnngahao scheme. " He would not accept the statement that labour could not bo obtained. There were hundreds of mon on rnihvnvs in Auckland while there were 40 men at Mangaliao. This part of the country suffered badly bv the coal shortage, and the neonle had a right to demand more rapid nroeress of the works. Ho honed the new Minis-ter-of Public Works would show more onerer.

Mr. G. FORBES (Hurunui) said that works wero retarded b- lack of labour and lack of engineers. More inducements should be offered. Ho condemned (he polioy of little votes to railways. Workers' Dwellings. Mr. P. FRASER (Wellington Central) expressed disappointment with the amount provided for workers' dwellings, '.£150,000, enough for only about 200 houses. He hopwl tho Government would build not 200 houses, but at least 1000 houses, but if this were to bo done 'organisation of labour would have to be tinderfaken by the Government. Regarding Mangahao, he said that at present wages, and with present conditions of living, it would be impossible to get sufficient lahou.r for 'he works. The men had to live under rough conditions, and tho wages were lower than a man could earn in. the cities. In Wellington the City Council had'aprreed to par its men "a minimum of £3 15s. per week. and to par for time Inst bv bad weather.

Mr. E. P. HUDSON (Motueka\ expressed hii appreciation nf tlio kindly courtesy always extended to him by the Minister nf Public Works. lip had very little fault to find with the Estimates, lie said. He supported the request that the Government should pres-o on with the buildinir of workers' dwellings. He thought higher wages ought to be paid to workers on public works, and that better salaries should be given to experts in thp J)r>nnrtmonts ■Mr. G. WITTY fPiccartonl said lie was sorry that Sir William Fraser was relinquishing control of the Public Works Department. The most etrnmrly marker! feature of Sir William Fraser's character was bis aljsolu.te straightforwardness. His word wus al-, wnvs his bond.

Mr. G. J. ANDERSON (Mntav.ral said that, he also l regretted that. Sir William Fraser was retiring from the position of Minister of Public Works. • Back-blocks Needs. Mr., W. T. JENNINGS (Taumarunui) raid his tribute to Sir William Fraser. He said that he had travelled with the Minister in the back-blocks, and ho hnd been absolutely astonished at the Minister's knowledge of back-blocks reading problems, and he could testify also to the Minister's sympathetic consideration for back-blocks settlers. Ho agreed with other members that in railway construction we should concentrate on a ln*s number of lines, but the Ma-mo- for the pr»s°nt unsatisfactory system of diffused olfort must tin taken bv members of the Tfnu.=e. With' n general FC.rjunbl<* for railways no Minister of Public Works could hrt'.p himsdf. No other country but New Zealand would tolerate our methods of railway construction. He adv : sed tho Government that, more wages and better conditions would to lip ;;iven to men on public works. Thov lived now under h<ml conditions, their nav was lcm-, and they had to pay extortionate rates for all provision*.

The Hon. R. IV. RUSSELL (Avon) rod that New Zea.ln.nd must have-more people to develop its resources in order to t.lie' war burden, and to carrv pifo the burden of defence which wruld bevo to be lionry if the country adapted Admiral JeUicoe's schom<>. As well vis our nwri soldier" we should attract to th"=c short*! Hie poldiers of other .Allied nations. An-r-isted would not suffice: we should offer free pa.«*a?p<!. especiji.Ty tn men with families Ho had no fear tint nti influx of. peon'n ivmil;l 'Hsturb the labour market. Mr. Russell suggested that miMic works vote.? were being m?de for nnnws.. Tho money onijlit to l)f> nlloiwW bv an independent bodv. which wo»'d have regard c olo'v to mib'ic. interest. AV.is there not. more Tiolit.ici'.l patronace -'n connection with ruib'ie works exn"nditnm than there, would 'm in connection with appointments .to tho Public Service? The Shortane of Labour. Mr. I{. SEMPLK (Wellington South) eaid that after five years of stagnation, duo to the concentration of effort ou the war, the country might luivo expected a progressiva policy. But tlio old wiailliko pace was being maintained. The amount that was being provided' for workers' homos in the Estimates was absurdly small. A courageous policy was required to meet the acute housing shortage. Tho shortage of labour for public works was duo to the conditions of employment.

Tho'Hon. J. A. IIANAN (Inverenrgill) asked if immigrants were expected to remain labourers nil their, lives. II: did not appear that they would bo able to obtain land. Tho Public Works Estimates told the. old story of electioneering and party manoeuvring, Roads and railways were being provided in the old bad wuy.

Mr. H. lIOIJ-AND (Grey) urged the needs of llio c.it Const in tlio iho-Ugl* of railways. „ ~,,, Tho Hon. W. 1). S. MACBONALD (Bay of I'bnty) said tliero was moro work available in Now Zealand 10-day than ever before, and men would not accept employment on public works under the old conditions. Men must be attracted to tho works, and the duty of tho Minister of Public. Works was realise that changes were necessary. Tho Public Works 'Department must improve its methods of treating labour. It was useless to authorise new lines when labour and materials were lacking, and ho believed tho proper policy would be to concentrate on the completion of tho iines already in hand Mr. MacDonaut urgod the claims of certain works -n his own electorate. Ho added that nuhvay and road construction should be pressed forward. It would he better policy to complete tlio works in hand by ofteiing higher wages than to allow these works to drug along year after year. Wairarapa Needs. Mr G. R. SYKES (Masterton) 6poke first of tite need for the Rimutaka deviation, urging that in the interests Of Wairarapa and the Bush Districts thero was no moro urgent work in New Zealand. Ho understood that engineers were now making estimates and calculations as to the cost of the deviation, and he hoped that when the calculations were made tlio Minister would call for tenders. He hoped that the development of the Mangahao scheme would bo speedy for the supply of cheap power would be of importance to the industries of the Wairarapa. . Ho agreed with the Labour members that the housing problem ought to bo dealt with at once, and that wo should provido housing for our own people before inviting workers from other countries. \ SIR JAMES CARROLL (Gisborne) lmd a few words of advice to offer to tile Minister of Public Works about going on with the Waikarenioana hydro-electric scheme. Mr. E, A. WRIGHT (Wellington Suburbs) said that although there might bo faults about the present system of distributing public works moneys, it was a fact that tho Minister could not be accused of partiality. Indeed, it' seemed that-his opponents were more favoured hy him than his supporters. For his (Mr. ■ Wright's) part he had always "drawn n, blank." There had been votes on tho Estimates for several years, but not a penny was ever spent. If the' Department would add interest to tho votes from year to jear they would be big enough to do tho 'works required. Ho spoke of some of these votes. Among thein one of .£IOOO for a police station at Island Bay. Mr. P. Fraser: But' you don't need a polico station in tbit well-behaved district!

Mr. Wright: Well, the honourable gentleman's friends are increasing in that district, and I fear it may yet be needed. The Main Lines. Mr. J. P. LUKE (Wellington North) said that the Government f.hould concentrate on completing tho main lines of tho Dominion. He mentioned among these main lines the, North Auckland Main Trunk, and the South Island Main Trunk to join up Picton with the Hurunui-Bluff section. If these main linss wero pushed through he thought the needs of the districts would be met by improved highways and -motor transit. He spoke of other main lines-die Stratford-Ongarue and the East Coast Main Trunk. He pressed also for the deviation of the Wairarapa railway line and for the deviation of the Mnnnwatu line to avoid the Paekakariki Hill. Other topics he referred to were the need for larger school grounds and inoro houses for workers. He supported the demand made generally for energy in carrying through the hydroelectric schemes, which, he eaid, would prove profitable from the date of their completion.

Mr. T. E. Y. SEDDON (Weslland) supported the demand of the Otira tu.nnel workers for a wage, of £1 a day. in view of tho high cost of living and the severe character of the work. The excuse offered by the Minister for slow progress at the Otira end was lack of suitable labour, but the cause of the shortage of labour was to be found in the conditions of employment. )> •. . Mr. V. H. REED (Bay of Islands) thought that more' money ought to be' provided for roads. The cost of roading virgin lands was about .EtOOO a mile, and the money that was bping made'available would not go far. The'Pnblic Works Department ought to use more plant and so economise labour. Mr. W. J. DICKIE (Selwyn) thought that all main lines of railway should bo pushed to completion as quickly as possible. Light railways ought to be tried. Mr. F. MANDER. (Mnrsden) said railway construction had been progressing very slowly. A blunder made in the nast had held back the North Auckland line for years, and had cost the countrv a great deal of money. Mr. C. J. TALBOT (Teniuka) suggested that the South Island was getting less than its due share of public works expenditure. The North Island had been getting more than its share of-all works, even prisons nnd mental hospitals. Southern people had to come, north to get a sharo of miblic money. Mr. G. HUNTER (Waipawa) urged tho claims of the East Coast railway and tho Waikaremoana hydro-clcctric scheme, Both these works oupht to receive the attention of the new Minister of Public W«rks.

Mr. P. W. SMTH (Waimarino) agreed that the Public Works Deportment ouqlit to offer more attractive conditions of employment in order to attract labour and do justice to the men, No other employer was paying only 12s. a day for labour performed under'disadvantageous condition". Tf the rate was not increased (lie work would not be done nnd the country would suffer.

(Left sitting.)