MACHINERY INSPECTION.

Grey River Argus, 26 July 1922, Page 3

MACHINERY INSPECTION.

CHARGES AGAINST OFFICIALS. WELLINGTON, July 24. Charges against the Inspection of Alachincry Department were macle by Air I. Turley, speaking as a member of a deputation from the Timber \V< r. ! - ers’ Federation to three Alinistevs of the Crown. “The Inspection of Machinery Act has simply been flouted by various inspectors,” said Air Turley. ::The Alinister of Labour (Hon. G. J. Anderson): AVill you give mo the names of one or two? Air Turley: I will give you tho name of one. Air. Air Anderson: Y’ou said “various inspectors.” AV ho arc th c othe rs ? Air Turley: 1 spoke gen-erally from the point of view of what was said at: our conference by other members of the federation. Air Anderson: You will give me an official statement regarding th-e meu you say are incompetent? Air Turley: I did not use the word ” incompetent. ” I say the Inspection of Alachi nery Act is not being carried out us it ought to be. After some further ‘exchanges. Air Turley promised to give tho Alinister a list of the officials about whom ho wished to complain. “I suppose,” ho said, “you will give me an assurance you will not use it for the purposes of a libel action against us?’’ The Prime Alinis**':*: Tf you libel those people you must take the consequences of course. Mr Turlev asked that inspectors of machinery should be transferred every five years. He then made a statement which the Primo Alinister required him to repeat. He said that a certain inspector nine years ago “practically condemned” a boiler taken from a dredge. T’he inspector “made it so hot” that the o’< not 7(‘pair the boiler. Some time afterwards the official bought the boiler and sold it to a certain firm. Again the same official condemned a boiler. Tho owner was rather angry about it. He sold it for about £4O. Ho was paid by money-order. He found out who sent the order, and tho sender was the inspector. That boilpr, condemned some, two years ago. had recently been sold for £240. If that sort of thing went on, said Air Turley, inspectors ought to be moved round every twelve mouths.