GALATEA

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 83, 28 November 1931, Page 6

GALATEA

WORKER.

(To the Editor.) Sir, — I have read with interest your correspofident's views * regarding the work done by the Public Works Department at Galatea and having been a close observer of the work I would like to point out a few of the salient points. The roading work generally on the estate has praetically all been done ( by the use of heavy mechanical i plant, such as tractors, caterpillars, and heavy graders. This is, of course, quite sound, and economical from an engineering and constructional point of view, since it means that many thousands of pounds will be directly saved on roading and metalling alone. However, would it not he more in keeping with the times if this use of mechanical plant were more or iess discontinued, and the work done by manual labour thereby increasing many times over the number of men who could be found work. This would surely be better than having "unemployed" trimming sidewalks and grass on the streets and even working on unimportant country roads. Of course this would mean that the work at Galatea would require to be subsidised up to about 66 per cent. by the Unemployment Board. It is apparent, too, that steps are being taken to do as much scrub elearing at Galatea by use of machinery, etc., consequently it is somewhat difficult to see when the common labourer can he made to fit into the scheme of things. Surely no one should lay the blame on the engineer in charge, who though perfectly fair to the men, is always out to get the work done as cheaply as possible. The matter is merely one of policy to he • decided upon by the Unemployment Board and the Government. — I am, etc.,