CO129-626-3 Labour Department- report to Labour Commissioner 1-3-1951 - 30-6-1952 — Page 77

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190.

(a) to place in reserve, in periods of prosperity, re-

sources necessary for carrying out works prepared for periods of depression,

(b) for the carrying forward of unexpended balances from

year to year

(c) for financing by loan, in periods of depression, works

likely to stimulate economic recovery.

The Department of Labour has however responsibilities for unemployment and the co-ordination of schemes devised by employing departments and others, and the maintenance of these records, might well be regarded as one of them.

191.

It is accordingly recommended that a plan be devised which will require all Government Contracting Departments such as the Public Works Department and the Railway Authorities and possibly other undertakings to plan ahead and to agree to earmark certain projected developments as "relief works".

192.

It should be insisted, where this is possible, that whenever any relief work scheme is carried out in advance of an emergency it should immediately be replaced by a further scheme providing an equivalent volume of work measured in man hours. By such an arrange- ent there will always be available a known volume of work which can be carried out when the necessity arises,

193.

For the purpose of this plan the following types of development work should be considered and the aim should be to devise and earmark schemes which will provide an adequate volume of work at the lowest cost.

(a) roads bridges and tunnels

(b) railways and tramways

(c) agricultural land reclamation and irrigation

(a) preparation of sites for new buildings

(e) building construction

(f)

land reclamation

(g) foresting work

(h) water supply

(i)

port and dock work

(j) shipbuilding

(k) airport construction or development

(1) playgrounds and parks,