WELLINGTON NOUS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 February 1919, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOUS.

PUBLIC WORKS

SUPPLY OF LABOUR

(Our Special Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, February 21

. Tile Minister of I’ubJic Works lias been excusing himself for not pushing on hydro-electric schemes and other development works auhorised by Parliament with the plea that he is unable to obtain necessary labour for these undertakings. He has plenty of money, he has told several impatient deputations from the districts specially affected by the delay, but be cannot obtain the men. Mr J. A. Nash, the Mayor of Palmerston North, however, is not accepting this explanation in the case of the Mangahao hydro-electric scheme. He has made a' definite offer to find the men required to undertake the initial work in connection with this scheme and has suggested that the New Zealand Tunnelling Corps, which such splendid work during the war, should be induced to remain in the services of the State for undertakings of this description.

A SEASONABLE SUGGESTION. Mr Nash who in addition to being .Mayor of Palmerston North is member for the thriving district in which the borough stands, is ready to make his word good at once and no doubt Sir William Fraser will be glad enough to have his assistance in obtaining the men he requires. Labour has been his difficulty since the beginning of the war, and though lie accentuated it to some extent by fixing too low a maximum wage he has since repented of that mistake and is now offering a rate that should attract suitable labour. The suggestion that the members of the Tunnelling Corps should be ;employed upon hydro-electric works follows upon the admission by the Chief Electrical Engineer that the scarcity of skilled tiiniiellers was the chief obstacle to the speedy prosecution of his proposals

A NON-POLITICAL BOARD. The formation of ‘‘progress leagues” and “development leagues’'' in various par! of the South Island, largely, it would seem, for the purpose of bringing nrossure upon the Government in the expenditure of public money has revived tlie proposal for the establishment of a non-political board to determine (he allocation of public works expenditure, it is maintained that, such a board, while listening to any representations tint might be made to it, from any particular district would not • be subject to Ihe “squeezing - ’ that, is always applied to -Ministers by members of Parliament and their constituents when the mblic works estimates arc being pro>nred. The Board it is also contended would be able to put a stop to the shockingly wasteful practice of keeping a dozen scraps of railway progressing at the rate of a mile or two a year iiid eating their heads off in the way of interest before they are completed. PARTY POLITICS. The announcement, telegraphed from Auckland, that the Prime Minister is likely to be opposed by the organising secretary of the Franklin branch of the Fanners’ Union at the next general election has not occasioned must per- ’ rbntion in official Reform circles ltcr' Os a matter of fact, the Reformers Inking a somewhat less quixotic view f the parly truce than Sir Joseph Wird and his Liberal Colleagues in the National Cabinet do, are much better organised than the Liberals are, and they In Vo no fear of Air Massey being disturbed in Ids representation of Franklin if he should choose to seek re-election for that constituency. The “if,” they explain is used in deference to tln> stories that are Hying about: not on account of any hint they have received from the Prime Minister himself,