HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 July 1920, Page 4

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

NEW; DEPARTMENT PROPOSED. PUBLIC WORKS POLICY. "WILL GET A MOVE ON." (By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. An important statement regarding hydro-electric development \vlis made by the Minister for Public Works in reply to a deputation of Canterbury members. Mr. Coates said that he had decided in favor of the establishment of a branch of the Public Works Department lor hydro-electric development, and he had recommended this change to the Government. This branch would devote itself solely to the construction work of hydro-electric schemes, the headworks tunnels, (Uims, and so forth. The generation and engineering parts of the schemes would be in the handß of another branch containing electrical and 'mechanical engineers.

"I admit at once that the organisation is far from complete," said the Minister. "It is not anything like perfect, but I think we have men in the Public Works Department, and in the hydroelectric branch, who, if given support and encouragement, will acquit themselves sith .credit, and give satisfaction to the' country. We all get irritated at the delays and the time it takes public departments to get moving. We ore trying to remove these difficulties, and to bring about first the production of machinery that is going to do the job." A Minister, he said, could not secure satisfactory work unless he had his staff behind him ready to swing into line with his way of doing things. He felt that the war period, with its stagnation of normal activities, had left its effect upon engineers as well as upon everybody else. The engineers were trying now to adjust themselves to new conditions, and he could tell the deputation that important changes were taking place in the Public Works Department, He could not yet state the details. He was endeavouring to get the department into a position to tackle the job in the way he vaulted it tackled. These things could not be arranged iii a moment, and he felt that it was much better to take men along with him than to drive them. "I want to assure the engineers and the staffs as a whole that I am with them as long its we get a move' on," said the' Minister.' "We may make mistakes, but it is better to make mistakes than to stand still. Ido not anticipate thai mistakes will be made." He proposed that the sale of current and so .forth after the construction work was complete should be handled by business men. Mr. Coates added that he was trying to set out objectives to which the department could work in fixed periods of cne year, two years, and so on. He wanted to lay down schemes of work for the various periods with attention given to the supply of materials and labor, the completion of contracts, and so forth. Contracts were apt to be delayed under present conditions. A definite working arrangement on which the plans of the construction 'branch could be based would assist progress. He could assure the deputation that the memb'ers of the Government were in earnest about • hydro-electric development, and they had placed it in the forefront of their policy.