MR F. W. FURKERT

Hokitika Guardian, 6 April 1927, Page 3

MR F. W. FURKERT

RETURN FROM OLD WORLD. [liV TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION., WELLINGTON, April (j. Air F. W. Furkert (Eiigiiieor-in-Chief and l nder-Seeietary of Public Works) returned to Wellington after nearly a year visiting Canada, United States, England and Scotland, where he noted advances in hydro-electric power provision, making of roads and developments in machinery for public works purposes He was greatly struck by the work done in the irrigation area in California, and spent an interesting time at Niagara Falls, inspecting power plants there.

United .States officials in Washington gave him every opportunity of studying the latest public works methods and activities.

-AH- Furkert made a. special study of hydro-electric power distribution in the state of Vermont, where the general conditions approximate those in New Zealand. After investigation there, other parts of the world were visited. He has come to the conclusion that New Zealand has a wider distribution of power than any other country. Air Furkert believed the value of concrete roads is established. He noticed such roads being constructed in many places and had arrived at the opinion that where heavy traffic is to he carried, roads must have a concrete foundation. An International Hoad Conference in Alilan recently affirmed that concrete is the host road foundation, hut it must have it carpeting of somethin.'.: else to make it. lasting and effective. “Concrete,” said Air Furkert. “is all right if we can afford it. It resolves itself finally into a question of money.” His investigations in England and Scotland show that industry was not going back despite the strike troubles, and the general feeling was that the outlook was hopeful regarding unemployment. A gentleman prominent in the industrial world at Home had told Mr Furkert that the measure of unemployed in Britain was roughly the measure of the number of women who had gone into industries during the war and remained there. About one million more women are now emplovcd in' industries than in pre-war times and they are there to stay.