HUTT RAILWAY WORKSHOPS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20867, 6 November 1929, Page 11

HUTT RAILWAY WORKSHOPS.

QUESTION IN THE HOUSE. (From Oub Pxbliamenxxb's: Repobxeb.) WELLINGTON, November 5. An urgent question relating to work being carried out at the Hutt Workshops was asked by Mr J. T. Hogan (Independent member for Eangitikei) in the House of Representatives to-day, addressed to the Minister of Railways (Mr W. B. Taverner). The question was as follows:—“ Is the Minister aware that notwithstanding the statements of himself and the Prime Minister that all work on points and crossings would be done at Easttown work was now being done on points and crossings at Lower Hutt, and night work, at extra cost to the department, was being carried on to cope with the work on hand, while the same work could be done comfortably in ordinary working hours at Easttown. The Minister replied that, with the exception of foundry work (i.c., castings) and wrought iron work, which was made by blacksmiths, all points and crossing were manufactured and assembled at Easttown. These castings and wrought iron details were manufactured at the Hutt Workshops, but were also assembled at Easttown. • The castings could not be manufactured at Easttown as there was no foundry there. Easttown had never had a foundry. With regard to the wrought iron details, when the points and crossings work was transferred from Addington to Easttown, the stock of wrought iron work at Addington was sent to Easttown, and that, with the addition of a few parts which were made at Easttown, was sufficient for requirements until the beginning of October. At that date it was found necessary to commence to manufacture those parts, and the workshops manager at Easttown asked for six additional men for the purpose. Under the reorganisation, added the Minister, it was never intended that wrought iron work for points and crossings should be undertaken at Easttown. This work was allocated to the Hutt Workshops, where better facilities were provided, and where the majority of the work could be performed more economically than at Easttown. Staff arrangements were made accordingly. Certain of the parts that would be required could not be manufactured at Easttown without providing special facilities which were already provided for at the Hutt.