BY MAN POWER

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1931, Page 5

BY MAN POWER

MALTA LIKES WORK. Malta’s solution of the unemployment problem, or rather .its acceptance of inconveniences and expense to avoid unemployment, is described in a letter from a resident of Yaletta to a Wellington relative. Malta is evidently by no means over-mechanical, and apparently is alb the happier. “This little island,” he writes, “is one of the most densely populated spots

in the world, and is becoming more so, as the people .'will ,not leave it - . Consequently, it. is thousands of years behind in many • things, as the introduction of machinery, etc., would throw so many out of their jobs.' The ships lie in the harbour, and you have to; go off to them in boats, and they are unloaded into barges which are towed alongside. The water is deep right up to the rocky shore, and they could easily come' alongside, and could be reached by a gangway. This would throw all these boats tuid barge men out of a job, and that, the Government dares not do, so everybody is put to the expense and inconvenience of boats and barges.

“They have just completed a new entrance road into Valetta. Formerly the entrance was over- the old- drawbridge, with narrow gate arches in the fortifications. Traffic was thus much held up, so they built a big bridge over the immense ditch, and carried a new open road over the "•"'l I watched' all this with great interest, as they carried out the work- in much the same way that they built the Pyramids in Egypt thousands of years ago. Not a 'single wheelbarrow or crane was employed. The excavators split up the rock with wedges, and raked it into little baskets, and -a string of men carried these away. All the stones for the building of the ar'di**® were cut with tools like axes, and planed smooth by hand. They were then slung on chains from poles, and half a dozen men shouldered them and • carried .up inclined planks to their destination. If they had blasted the rock and had a few. cranes and wheelbarrows, not one quarter of/the labour .would have been necessary. •

“It is the same in everything. < A : one-man job is made to provide work for two if possible. Even in watering the' streets ;'they have a man ; driving a barrel of water with a loose hanging out behind. A rope ‘ is tied to the end;of the pipe, arid ano.her man walks- behind with the Tope in his hand, swinging it from side to side. Curiously enough, they also have the, very latest motor watering wagfen, but they don't seem to use it often.”