PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 October 1917, Page 4

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE.

Sir Joseph Ward, in reply to Mr Ell, stated that the supply of telephones was running short, and that the department would not be able to supply those asked for. He would make a statement on the subject next week.

Mr Craigie complained that though the Lake Coleridge electric power had been promised to the whole of Canterbury, and not to Christchurch alone, the people of Timarn were now told to wait until the Avar was over. Tim Minister said it would cost £IOO,OOO to take the power to Timarn.

The Hon W. Fraser, in reply to a remark by Hr Forbes, as to tlie slow progress made in public works, said : “ If you haven’t got the labour you can’t do the work.” Mr Anderson said the first duty of the Public Works Department was to see that new settlements, especially in virgin country, were properly roaded. Certain railway works, such as the Otira-Bealey tunnel, might be entirely discontinued for the present, and the labour diverted to roads and bridges. Mr Webb said that the Arthur’s Pass tunnel was within 60 chains of completion. He contended that to close the work now would mean a. heavy loss. Had the Government ■ placed the work under the Mining Act, instead of the Quarries Act, with proper management the work would have been completed two years ago. No man should be com- 1 pelled to work more than six hours a : day in the tunnel. He had tried in vain to secure an inspection of the tunnel by the mining inspectors. Replying later in the evening to Mr Webb’s remarks regarding the Arthur’s Pass tunnel, the Hou W. Fraser stated that his engineers were perfectly experienced men, and knew their work well—not that lie questioned the qualification of the inspectors of the Mines Department, but he was not going to have a slur cast on his men. The two ends of the drive were now within thirty-six chains of one another. Once a connexion was made be tween the two ends, there would be no more talk about bad ventilation. Of course it was not pleasant, but J;he men were not obliged To work there ; there was plenty of employment to be obtained' elsewhere in these days. He could not agree to the suggestion that the inspection of the tunnel should be made by the

Mines Department. Referring to the Rake Coleridge scheme, the Minister stated that it did not yet pay interest and sinking fund. He could easily make it do so, but he did not think it would be a wise policy. Mr Parry, Chief Electrical Engineer to the Department, and he had considered that the main thing to do was to show the public how cheaply electric power could be supplied to consumers, once there was a sufficient number of them. During the past twelve months the revenue had jumped up, and he hoped that this year the. results would be more satisfactory still. The scheme was an object lesson. Starting as an experiment, it proved that it could pay. Unfortunately it was impossible to do anything to secure power tor Wellington and Auckland just yet, except the performance of preliminary work, owing to the war conditions.