RAILWAYS BOARD

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 112, 13 April 1936, Page 2

RAILWAYS BOARD

MINISTER’S STATEMENTS. A FURTHER REPLY. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, April li. A further reply was made by Mr D. Reese to-day lollowing Hon. D. G. Sullivan’s statement relative to the Railways Board published on Thursday. “It appeared to me that enough had been said,” said Mr Reese. “Mr Sullivan's latest statement, however, has two effects. Firstly, it gives me ground for dealing briefly with two points. 1 have had examined the whole of the records covering the last five years’ operations of the New Forest Sawniilling Company. 1 now find that, notwithstanding my care that no business should be done with the railways, there was one instance of tendering—the instance quoted by the Minister —and that was for a local inquiry for the Addington Workshops. That tender was not accepted. Neither Mr Sullivan nor myseif hacl any knowledge ot this tender when we first spoke. The second point is that the NVest Coast Sawmillers’ Association is alleged to have tendered against the Mama-ku mill. It never did; it may be upon one happening that Mr Sullivan’s original statement was based. During my absence from Christchurch with the Railways Board on an extended tour of inspection a departmental inquiry for one million feet of timber which had been circulated among the millers on the West Coast was submitted by several of them to-the secretary of the association (Mr A. 0. Wilkinson). These millers suggested that, as this was a specification which no one mill could handle, whatever could be handled should be divided amongst these mills. Even then, only half of the original one million feet was tendered for-—unsuccessfully. On my return, to Christchurch Mr Wilkinson told me of what he had done. I pointed out that I had always insisted, that the association should, while I was a member of the Railways Board, refrain from business dealings with the Railway Department. At the next meeting of the association my point of view was accepted and a resblution was passed that the association, would not tender. The secretary had considered that it was not really an association matter, as he was acting for only a small group of association mills who were interested in the tender. Mr julkinson interviewed the General Manager of Railways for the purpose of explaining to him that his (Mr Wilkinson’s) action had been without my knowledge, and asked that this information be reported to the board in order to make my position quite clear. Mr Wilkinson informs me that shorthand notes of his interview with the General Manager were taken. . ‘‘Tn one wav, /and in one way only, could the Manisjku mill be mentioned in connection wash tendering—the cost at which the department said the 'lauiaku mill, if operating, could have cut the timber was used for purposes of comparison with tenders. All this happened nearly 12, months after the Mamaku mill had ceased operation, and nearly a year ago. As to the other effect of Mr Sullivan’s statement, quoted fully from Hansard it adds sathcient to make it clear to me that Mr Sullivan originally intended, as he says ho intended, to condemn the metliou of control and not to attack individuals. He obviously could not have realised that, despite his assuiance of his speaking impersonally, his mode or attack was bound to be regarded as reflecting on the members of the board personally. Misunderstanding is at the root of the controversy,” Mr Reese added.