THE CLAUDE PETITION.
DISCUSSION IN PABLUmq^ MINISTER SAYS DRIVER 6AVED THE TRAIN. (By Teleßraph-Parllameutary Rep^ WELLLNGION, this day The report of the committee on L lion for a compassiona*. allowancf, the widow of the late Mr. QaudeLi was so largely instrumental in a v«rT an accident to the Main Trunk o™ "* at Wesfcfield on Easter Mondav presented this afternoon. Mr Ho*** in presenting it, stated ifcat the ' mittee had concluded that Governm*' should give favourable coojdderationT the petition, and recommended acW ingly. "^wru, Messrs. Lang, Poole, and Glover • urging the appeal, each referred t*>'«T heroism of Mr. Claude's action and tt need for generous appreciation on £ part of the Government
The Hon. Mr. Millar said that altW he did not want to detract from W S was certamly a very meritorious deri he wished to correct tie wrong inn^ h°h l ha Vf\ ClaUde the «p£ Had Mr. Claude never been there hsion would have occurred, as the away train was already on an up grade, while the of the express was aware ot the nosi tion, and had his train well in haJ The Minister remarked that th« W , Mr. Claude being able to leave his J: house, run across, and jump two gatei and then catch the runaway tr? showed that the pace could not Jar •been very terrific. As far as the Kn ' tions were concerned the public of AnA land .had apparently not done one thte to recognise Claude's action.
-Mr. Massey: Jt is the business of th. Government.
Mr Millar: "It is not the business of the Government to give compassionate allowances to every widow whose hun band dies under natural causes. Claud" died of pleurisy, and there is not a tittle of evidence that what he did contributed directly or indirectly to his death. The doctor said in all probability it contributed, but there is no evidence that it did." Mr. Millar wentoitto say that it would be raising a dangerous to give an allowance under such cireumstances.
•Mr. Massey expressed the opinion that the Minister was not putting th e generously,- or altogether in accordance with facts. He was quite willing to admit that had not the engine-driver of the express been on the alert the fact of Mr. Claude stopping the runaway would not have been sufficient to avert a collision, but Claude did his duty and that nobly, while there could be mdoubt that the shock of the night hastened his death, as he was in a weak strfe t [ health at the time, and died a foftnijAj later. He certainly hoped the Government would take that fact into cooperation, and make necessary provisioifor the widow and young children. Aafor the Minister's comment on the peoplLf Auckland, the people of Auckland loolrf upon it as the duty of the Govenunii to take the matter up. T Messrs. Herries and Glover also urgt the strong claims of the widow an children to the generosity of the Go* eminent. l Mr. Myers, while agreeing.tbat it ma very gratifying to know that .the engine-] driver of the express was alert, emphasised tho fact that Claude, irrespective of personal consequence, performed a heroic deed. As for the citizens of Auckland, he was quite sure that witb their characteristic generosity Ahe people of Auckland would respond liberally if the need arose.
Mr. Buchanan urged that as a matter of policy any one, whether laymen or official, who performed such acts should be generously recognised.
After a good deal of discussion, in which practically all the speakers urged generosity on the part of the Governr ment, the report was laid on the table.
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Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 209, 2 September 1911, Page 8
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606THE CLAUDE PETITION. Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 209, 2 September 1911, Page 8
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