NATIONAL SAFETY

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20909, 14 September 1939, Page 14

NATIONAL SAFETY

PUBLIC WORKS FACTOR MILITARY CAMP CONSTRUCTION (By Telegraph.— Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Wednesday In the course of the discussion on his department’s Estimates In the House of Representatives to-night, the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, said: “When it comes to a collective effort in the interests of national security everything else sinks into insignificance—we are not wedded to any one of the public works jobs, and if the whole lot had to be stopped in the interests of production and the safety of this country they would be stopped. The Government was not going to throw men out of work willy nilly, but production had to be kept up, and men would have to he found lo replace those volunteering. “We have to speed up production in New Zealand as it was never speeded up before,” Mr Semple said. ‘‘We must have increased production.” Mr J. Hargest (Opposition—Awarua) complimented the Minister on the work that had been done in getting the defence camps ready. The Minister had made a noted contribution in that direction. He said the work was going on with remarkable expedition, and the men would be going into camp under conditions that could not be excelled anywhere. The Minister in reply said the department was working three shifts nipht and day. The Government was not going to send the men into camps where they would contract disease. Proper drainage systems, water supply and other necessary fa ditics were being provided.