PRAISE WANTED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 August 1938, Page 5

PRAISE WANTED

THE BUDGET AND PUBLIC WORKS CLAIMS BY THE MINISTER OF MINES. COMMENT OVERSEAS FAIRER THAN HERE. (By Telegraph—Press Association). WELLINGTON. This Day. “Overseas comment on the Budget has been much fairer than the comment of newspapers in this country,” said the Minister of Mines, the Hon P. C. Webb, during the Financial Debate in the House of Representatives yesterday. "I have looked in vain for some word of praise from newspapers here, yet the Budget, and the public works estimates are the most wonderful documents that have ever been placed before the country.” The member for Waitomo had made the most unfair criticism that money allocated had not been spent. That was because in many instances counties could not go on with work that was eligible for a Government subsidy. The money was there, but the delay was not with the Public Works Department. Almost every member of the Opposition, said Mr Webb, complained of the huge expenditure on public works. The money had been spent on useful works and, as well as providing the facilities that the country needed, was giving useful work to men who would otherwise be unemployed. “I have travelled this country very widely,” said Mr Webb, “and I can truthfully say that there is not one county in which there is not work that is needed urgently. This young country is still in need of reading development. Members themselves are appealing for works in their electorates and the proof that the work is needed lies in the incessant demand for roads, and bridges. We are not spending enough on public works.” The Government had spent £2,000,000 on main highways, said Mr Webb, but among other work, 310 miles of paved highway had been provided from that sum. More than £260,000 had been spent on level crossing elimination. Fifty crossings had been completed,’and 53 were under construction now.

The Minister of Public Works had had a survey made 9! the reading facilities of the. backblocks, and had found that the expenditure of £5,000.000 was needed to give access to 13,000 farmers, said Mr Webb. It was hoped that the programme would be completed in three years, instead of the original estimate of five years. Approximately £1,000,000 had been spent already on aerodromes, of which 38 had been constructed. Work was going on on 32 more, and more still were under investigation. “Not one member of this house would stop one of these works,” said Mr Webb. “Every road that has been constructed reflects the energy and opportunity of men who would otherwise be unemployed. The Opposition has failed dismally in this debate, because it has been unable to criticise a' single piece of legislation that the Government has-put through."