The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1939. PUBLIC WORKS.
In the House of Representatives yesterday the Hon. (R. Semple, who is in charge of the Department of Public Works, presented the Customary annual Statement. The object of this document is to give' an account of what has been done in the past year, and to disclose the plans for the future. On this occasion the normal course has been disrupted so far as the coming yeay is concerned. The Empire is at war, engaged in a fight for the liberties of the world, and New Zealand as a matter of imperative duty will have to throw the whole of its weight on the side of the Mother Country, There can Jjc no argument about this. Wo are engaged in a life and death struggle, and incidentally there is a threat to this Dominion such as never existed before. In these circumstances it cannot he expected that the Minister will be able to make available for public works the sums that he has outlined in his Statement. During a discussion in the House yesterday the Acting Prime Minister said the fact of the Estimates having been passed, whether the Main Public Works or the Supplementary Estimates, will in no way bind the Government to use the amounts voted. It may be expected, as the plans of Ministers unfold themselves, that the greater proportion of the thousands of men now employed in the public works camps will be engaged on duties that are enormously more important. No one would for a moment suppose that there is any deterioration in the spirit and courage of the youth of New Zealand.
There is no doubt that the Public Works policy of the present Government has boon one of wild extravagance, and the unfortunate aspect is that a large part of the money expended has been eaten up by unprofitable and uneconomic enterprises, especially in railway construction. Each year since Labour assumed office has seen a substantial increase in the Public Works bill. Last year’s figures were a record, and according to the Minister’s plans they would have been greater in the next twelve months, but for the tragic developments overseas. The Minister’s estimate of expenditure for 1938-39 was £12,757,000, and of this total £4,784,000 .was taken from revenue, representing approximately 38 per cent, of the total. The major portion was obtained by borrowing. In addition, £4,479,023 was expended by other departments. According to the Minister’s statement, the estimated net expenditure under the general purposes account for the current financial year is £13,160,000. and arrangements were being made with the Minister of Finance to provide the necessary funds. In the altered conditions there is no'need to go into details on a programme that was conceived and framed before the avalanche of war descended on the country. The policy of public works expansion initiated by the Government will have to be halted till the dawn of a happier day. Mr Fraser shows the way of escape by his statement about the Cabinet not being bound to use the amounts voted. A supremo task faces the Empire, and this small country must lend its will and its energies to giving its full share of help towards the accomplishment of a great purpose.
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Evening Star, Issue 23370, 13 September 1939, Page 8
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545The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1939. PUBLIC WORKS. Evening Star, Issue 23370, 13 September 1939, Page 8
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