DOMINION DEFENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 February 1939, Page 4

DOMINION DEFENCE

GOOD PROGRESS BEING MADE ON AERODROMES. MR SEMPLE BELABOURS CRITICS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. February 16. An emphatic assertion that the Government was alive to its responsibilities regarding the defence of the Dominion and an expression of confidence that by mechanised methods of preparing aerodromes the Government was making the greatest haste in strengthening the most essential aides to New Zealand's defence were made by the Minister of Public Works, Mr Semple, during an inspection of the construction of the new military aerodrome at Whenuapai. He expressed gratification at the rapidity with which the construction of the aerodrome was progressing. "I want to congratulate the contractor and the men on the remarkable results they have shown on this very important work in so short a time,” said Mr Semple. "They have made wonderful progress. Those who have been criticising are talking through their hats. If I had not introduced these methods of construction we would not have done this work in the next 20 years with wheelbarrows, horses and carts. There is no system greater in the world than this for this type of job and I challenge anyone to deny it.”