MINISTER REPLIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 July 1940, Page 5

MINISTER REPLIES

IN PUBLIC WORKS DEBATE OPPOSITION AMENDMENT REJECTED. ESTIMATES APPROVED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. On going to a division, in the House of Representatives yesterday, the Opposition amendment moved by Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Waitomo), to refer the Public Works Statement back to the Government with a view to a reduction of expenditure other than that required for 'war purposes, was rejected by 36 votes to 17. Dealing with contentions by members of the Opposition that there should be a drastic curtailment of public works other than those purely for war purposes, the Minister of Public Works, Mr Semple, replying to the debate. said that many of the projects had been started long before the outbreak of war, and no new works had been started since the war began unless they were of a military nature. A considerable, curtailment had been made this year in civil expenditure. Mr Semple paid a tribute to the enterprise of the pioneers of hydroelectric development in New Zealand, and emphasised that the possibilities in this direction were as great as in any country in the world. Mr Broadfoot: “Could some consideration be given to the harnessing of the smaller falls so that we can disperse these schemes and render them less vulnerable?” Mr Semple: “We have a pretty good idea of every place in the country where we can develop power.” The Minister said one of the major public works activities of the future should be the extension of irrigation, because he was satisfied it was one of the most profitable undertakings in which it was possible to engage, as well as being an exceptionally fine method of bringing about closer settlement and paving the way for a greater population. In his opinion, the Canterbury plains and Central Otago could, with irrigation, feed the whole of New Zealand. Replying to criticism by Mr Jull (Opposition. Waipawa) of the closing of the Paekakariki Hill road, the Minister said it would cost £3OOO a year to keep it open, and. in any case, anyone with sense would not use it when there was a tine level road, one of the best of its type in the world, running along the coast. The Public Works Estimates were subsequently approved. In view of the carlier debate on the Statement, there was little discussion on Ihe Estimates, and all items, totalling £12.807.200. wore passed in about half an hour. The House rose at 5.40 p.m. till Tuesday.