ADDINGTON INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 444, 1 March 1909, Page 6

ADDINGTON INQUIRY.

STATEMENT BY THE HON. J. A. MILLAR. In tho course of a function at Duncdin on Friday, tho Hon, J. A. Millar, Minister for Railways, speaking of tho Addington Commission, stated that those who had been appointed by tho Government, wero thoroughly qualified men, and it would bo their duty to. ascertain all information as to tho method of working and workmanship, and report to tho Government. Their report would satisfy the public of Now Zealand. They woro absolutely free from all Government interests. They had 110 axe to grind, and their duties wero to report matters exactly as they found them. Ho hoped that their report would show that the workmanship and methods of working prevailing at Addington wero satisfactory. Ho would not like- to think that the Government employees wcro guilty of shirking their work. All they wanted was a fair day's work'for a fair day's pay. Tho Minister announced to an "Otago Daily Times'' reporter that the commission would open its inquiry early in March. The thrco commissioners appointed by the Govornmont to inquiro into tho stato of affairs at tho Addington railway workshops aro all men of standing in tho engineering world. Professor Scott has had a great, deal of cxpcrienco in the inner working of railway affairs, and is well acquainted with the Addington Workshops as they were somo years ago. As a matter of fact, ho was "works manager tliero for somo years before he was appointed professor in charge of the School of Engineering, Electricity, and Technical Science at Canterbury College: He was also works manager at Hillside, Duncdin, for somo years. When ho first arrived in Now Zealand, in 1881, lie immediately went into tho railway service, and remained in it until 1890. Ho has acted as consulting engineer on several large undertakings of a private character in New Zealand. Mr. James Just Nivon is recognised as a leading authority on matters pertaining to mechanical engineering and foundry work'. Over a quarter of a century ago, 'in conjunction with Mr. W. F. Galloway, lie established tho prosent Hawke's Bay foundry at Napier, then only in a small'way, but it has since, largely under his guidance, grown to bo one of the foremost foundry establishments in tho Dominion. The foundry now employs ovor threo hundred hands, and its appointments aro among the best in New Zealand. Mr, E. Roberts has been a consulting engineer ill Duncdin for some years, anil prior to that was managing tho business of Messrs. R. S. Sparrow and Co. Before ho went to Duncdin, Mr. Roberts occupied a prominent position with engineering firms in Victoria, and also in New South Wales.