THE GAS TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 28 July 1917, Page 8

THE GAS TROUBLE

EFFICIENCY BOARD'S ACTION

MR. FERGUSON'S PART

Some criticism of the part taken in dealing with tho gas strike by tho chairman of the Efficiency Board was made by Mr. G. Witty in tho House of Representatives la9t night. Mr. G. Witty criticised tho action of Mr. Ferguson, chairman of ttie Efficiency Board, in interfering in tho gas strike in Wellington. Mr. Ferguson had at , one timo been chairmail of the Gas Com.Pany, aijd ho was ono of tho biggest Solders in the company. In viow of his close association with tho company. • it was not right for him to interfere as lie had, ; by calling tho gas industry essential.' Mr. Ferguson had once been engineer' to tho Wellington Harbour Board, and while ho held that position - an expensive wharf had boon built, wlr'ch was of great advantago to tho Gas Company. It was also a fact worthy of remark that whilo ho was engineer to the Harbour Board gas had been led on to tho wharves for the lighting system, 110 disapproved strongly of tho Government's action in setting up theso boards, and sheltering behind them. Tho House should not allow tho Government to get rid of its responsibilities by handing over its functions to boards. Ho pointed out defects in tho meat purchase scheme by which companies and syndicates were enabled to mako profits by handling tho moat on tho British market. 'He liad hoped that tho Prime Minister . would havo been nblo at Homo to nr-. range that the surplus would go on tho 'British markot, and bo sold in such a way as to allow tho profit to gtf to tho British people or tho farmers. Mr. B. A. Wright, who is a member of the Wellington City Council, referred to . the statements of tlio member for Riccarton in regard to the chairman of the Efficiency Board, and tho declaration of gas-making as an essential industry. Tho real facts were that when tho trouble arose in the gasworks the directors of *the company waited upon tho council to uTrarn tho council that the trouble was coming. Tho City Council and the directors'of the Gas Company then approached tho Govornment or tho Efficiency Board—ho was not suro which— to ask that tho industry Iw declared essential. The council and the directors •were the prime movers in this matter. 'The chairman of the Efficiency Board did nothing moro than to carry out instructions.