WASTE DENIED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25022, 12 October 1944, Page 6

WASTE DENIED

MILITARY EQUIPMENT HAMILTON DUMP CASE Allegations of the destruction of military equipment and clothing made in the House of Representatives on September 5 by Mr F. Findlay (Opposition —Hamilton) were replied to in a Ministerial statement made in the House today by the Minister ol Defence, Air ,I ones. Mr Findlay had displayed in the House a pair of service boots which, he said, had been retrieved from a dump at Hamilton. Mr Jones said that exhaustive inquiries had been carried out, but they failed to disclose any evidence to substantiate the member's complaints, except for the unsupported statement of one man. No Suits or Ground Sheets .Regulations were laid down for the disposal of worn and unserviceable articles, said Mr Jones in outlining the procedure. On August 21 a Board of Survey was appointed at Hamilton to consider the disposal of 4099 articles and 1491 were condemned, but all of the more valuable articles were made use of and none was destroyed. The articles ordered to be destroyed included brushes, collars, ties, boots, clogs, shoes, goggles and gloves. They were transported to the Hamilton borough dump and burned under the supervision of a member of the Board of Survey on August 22. Mr Findlay had declared in the House that when he visited the dump on September 4 smoke was still there and that be saw whole motor-cyclists' suits and many bundles of ground sheets. _ "1 would like to emphasise," the Minister continued, "that no such articles were included in the goods that were destroyed." '•> Other Allegations at Hamilton Those who carried out the investigations into the allegations were able to trace the person from whom the member obtained the lour boots, including two odd ones. "The man holds the position of caretaker of the Hamilton Borough Council dump and there is every reason for concluding that it was on his statements that several newspapers published articles," said the Minister. No petrol was spread on the dump as alleged by Mr Findlay. old oil and used restar being used. The caretaker had given various and conflicting reports as to how he was able to get from the pile the pair of boots which Mr Findlay had produced. Allegations of destruction of serviceable material had also been made at a meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council. which appointed a sub-committee to investigate. It had visited the dump and the caretaker had confirmed his previous statements that useful material had been burned. .The Minister said, he had communicated with the Mayor of Hamilton, who had replied that in the event of a public inquiry being held every facility would be afforded to obtain evidence from borough emplovees. Members of the council who made allegations had admitted that they had been unable to verify them. Comment on Allegations Mr Jones also said he had obtained the opinion of two Wellington bootmakers on the pair of boots. Both of them said the boots were definitely unfit to wear. "It is very much to be regretted," the Minister concluded, "that men holding responsible public positions express such serious allegations by readily accepting statements made to them unsupported by any proof." The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Holland, obtained leave to raise some points, stating that the Minister had made an attack on Mr Findlay. He asked who constituted the committee making the inquiry. He felt that there should be an opportunity .to discuss the whole matter to enable the member to reply to the Minister's statements. Opportunity to Reply The Prime Minister. Mr Fraser, said that if Mr Findlay felt he had been misrepresented he should be uiven an opportunity to reply. "On the question of having a special discussion on two pairs of boots —definitely no<" said Mr Fraser. "There will be a Finance Bill when members can discuss the matter. It would be degrading the "House to have special discussions on every miserable complaint made." Mr Findlay said he was very much disturbed in mind, as he had in his possession a letter giving him a definite promise that there would be no publicity at all about the man who informed him of the case. The letter stated that no name would be mentioned. Mr Findlay said he had accepted the position in good faith and had seen the two men concerned. Several members desired to speak further, but the Speaker ruled there could be no discussion of a Ministerial statement. USE OF DOMAIN HOME FOR BLINDED MEN A statement that, although the One Tree Hill Domain Board had no objection to the use of an area of its land adjoining Cornwall Park for blinded exservicemen, it expected to be consulted if it were proposed to use the land for this or any other purpose for longer than the duration of the war and .six months thereafter, was mode by the chairman of the board, Mr M. H. Wynyard, yesterday. The land concerned, which was less than five acres, was administered by the board, but some of it was under lease to the Maungakiekie Golf Club. The club built its clubhouse on this area, said Mr Wynyard, but when the Cornwall Park trustees decided to end the golf club's lease of the golf course, which was situated on the park, an arrangement was made with the Domain Board for the club to continue occupancy of the clubhouse area and to continue to pay ground rent for the duration of the war and six months thereafter, on condition that the building was used for war, hospital or other public purposes. An official of the golf club said yesterday that the club had sub-leased its area to the United States forces. It was understood that the Americans required the land for a servicemen's rest home. Later the use of an additional adjoining two acres was arranged between the Government and the Domain Board for the duration of the war and six months thereafter, said Mr Wynyard. On this area the sleeping quarters for a servicemen's rest home, in the form of detached cottages, were built. While the Government had the right to use the land for any purpose within the agreement, if it wore to be used for a longer period than that stated it would be necessary to apply to the Domain Hoard for permission. The matter would then be given full consideration by the board. DEAThT)F business man An inquest into the death of Horace Moodv, who was found lying outside his house at Titirangi on the evening of August .'lO, with a bullet wound in the head, was concluded before the coroner, Mr A. Addison, yesterday. Deceased's wife stated that her husband had practically owned the business of Moody's Dye Works, For some weeks before his death he had been very worried over excess profits taxes. On August -'!0 lie left the house after the evening meal, and n short time later a shot was heard. Witness went outside and found her husband lying on the path, with a wound in the head, and a discharged rifle was lying beside him. The coroner returned a verdict that deceased died as a result of a selfinllicted bullet wound.