HAURAKI PUMPING ASSOCIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6061, 21 April 1881, Page 6

HAURAKI PUMPING ASSOCIATION.

A few weeks ago Mr. J. F. Heighway, engineer in charge of the big pump engine, lodged a - complaint which showed that his position and that of Mr. Robert Comer, the general manager, did not al»vays harmonise. The gist of the matter lies in a small compas3. For a day or two the machinery was working very stiffly, and during this time Kamo coal was being used on trial. It is alleged that Mr. Heighway was assured that the fault must lie with the engineering department, as the pump was in good order. Ono night Mr. Heighway was called out of his bed to examine into the state of affairs, eo badly was the engine ■working. He insisted upon going down the shaft to examine the pump for himself, and found the gland screwed down so tight that it was impossible for the pump to work freely. A sub-committee consisting of Messrs. Brodie (County Chairman), W. Wilkinson (Mayor of Thames), and Ronald McDonald was appointed to examine into the matter and report. At a meeting of the directors of the Association held on Tuesday forenoon, the sub-committee's report was read, the salient points being as follows : —"The evidence adduced before your committee left no doubt upon their minds that the pumps had been tampered with about the dates mentioned, but every effort to discover the culpable individual failed. There 13 no doubt, however, upon the minds of your committee that the interests of the Association would be conserved by such alteration in the management as would leave the pitman under the sole control of, aad answerable to, the engineer in charge. The latter should also have full control over and be responsible for the efficiency of the men connected with the machinery in every capacity. Your committee have the highest opinion of the competency and integrity of the engineer in charge of the works, and regret that he has not also the complete control of those who should be called upon to act under his directions in the inspection of the underground portions of the pump. If this -had been the case, your committee believe that the cause of the irregularity complained of would have been discovered earlier, and more active steps taken to remedy tho same when it was discovered. On the other hand, your committee have the fullest confidence in the ability and efficiency of Mr. Comer, and do not consider that any blame attaches to him. A considerable amount of evidence on the subject was taken by the sub-committee. Mr. Heighway deposed : He did not think the screwing down the gland on one side ■was an accident. A man might do it with an imperfect light, but not to any great extent. He considered it was advisable the management of the shaft, as well as the machinery, should be vested in one man. He and Mr. Comer were on good terms, but he considered Mr. Coiner had endeavoured to slight him several times. He believed he could work the pump at a little less cost by economising coal and dispensing with one of the hands. • On the night he was aroused he found the pump on half stroke, and it was fully twenty, minutes before it came down. For some time after that the pump ted to be dropped every time it came to tho top ; that was the only way they , could get it to work at all. Kamo coal did not answer quite so ■well as the mixed. At'first he was of opinion the engine was wrong, but afterwards found the plunger was at fault. John Phillips, pitman, deposed that he did not think the machinery workdd badly, because there was obstruction below. He did not tighten the gland the way- he found it. Alfred Wood, one of the engine-drivers, deposed that from the first he.was of opinion that the stiffness was caused by the gland having been screwed down too tight. There was plenty of steam on when the machinery was working badly ; Kamo coal was being used. Richard Casely and Barnes O'Reilly, engine-drivers, were also examined. Several of the witnesses were of opinion that one man could not have screwed dowu the gland so tight as to bring up the engine. The directors passed a resolution in accordance with the recommendations contained in the report,- so that the engineer will have control, not only of the engine, but the machinery, in the shaft.