PUBLIC WORKS ACTIVITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 February 1921, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS ACTIVITY.

EXPEDITING URGENT WORKS. SUPPLIES NOW IMPROVING. Some interesting observations regarding the prosecution of public works were made by the Hon. J. G. Coates when interviewed in Christchurch. The Minister visited Westland last year and is now engaged upon a comprehensive tour of the rest of the South Island. Mr. Coates said’ he was seeking first-hand knowledge of the different districts in order to form his own estimate of their needs and of the relative importance of proposed works. “When anyohe talks aljout a place, I want to know what he is talking about,” he explained. “We are limited now only by supplies of men, money, and material,” he stated. “Material is giving us less trouble than it did some time ago. Steel is coming down in price, and we are getting it in good quantities. We are keeping a very close watch on the markets, and are buying to the very best advantage. A good deal of new plant is arrivingsteam diggers, mBtor trucks, dump waggons, hydraulic stampers for metal, tunnelling machinery, and much more. Before long the department will have a plant such as it never had at any time in its previous history. We are getting machinery, and we are going to use it.”

On his return to Christchurch from Otago on February 22, Mr. Coates will attend the conference of the New Zealand Institute of Civil in company with Messrs. Furkert and Birks, for the purpose of discussing matters affecting the training of young engineers, the relations between his department and engineers employed by local bodies in private practice, and other questions. He wishes to cooperate with the for the sake of the many young engineers who have lately gained rapid promotion in the department. There has been a radical change of policy in this respect of late, and it seems clear that the Minister himself a comparatively young manhopes for much from the brains and enterprise of his younger officers in planning and executing the big works which the country so muck needs.