ANOTHER PUBLIC WORKS MUDDLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2368, 20 July 1899, Page 11

ANOTHER PUBLIC WORKS MUDDLE.

EXTRAORDINARY STATE OF

AFFAIRS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, July 11.

To-day Mr Guinness asked the Minister for Public Works whether the attention ol the Government had been drawn to the unsatisfactory manner in which the works on the Jackson-Otira section of the Midland railway are, being carried on, and, if so, will they set up a select committee of this House or a Royal Commission to inquire into the method of carrying on these works. He referred to what he termed an extraordinary state of affairs on this'- line. There had been such differences be(vyeen the engineer in charge and the assistant engineers that the latter had received summary dismissal. Charges and countercharges had been made by the engineers, and that the department had had to send down, someone high in authority. Moreover, engineers, /contractors,, and others passing along had observed the manner in which the work was being carried on, and had unanimously condemned it. Money was being lavishly wasted, works were -being constructed in the middle of a mountain torrent, and every time the river rose works that had taken some time to 'construct were washed away in a few minutes. Mr Kelly : That gives the men mor* work. — (Laughter.) Mr Guinness continued that the line waa being constmcted under the co-operative sj'stem, and the department had been working at 12 or 14 miles now for over three years. The Under-Secretary for Works had recently visited the district, and it was then reported in a press telegram that the section would be opened at Christmas. It was not stated which Christmas was meant. — (Laughter.) The co-operative labour system was also causing dissatisfaction. — ■ (Hear, hear.) Some of the men were earning £1 a day, and others had. said they had to " loaf " to keep their rate of pay under 12s a day.

Mi- Monk : Wise fellows. — (Laughter.) Hon. Air Hall-Jones replied that he had perfect confidence in the engineer in -charge. Mr Buchanan : He lias never built a railway before.

Mr Guinness : Hear, hear !

The Hon. Mr Hall-Jones : The hon. mem* ber does not know what he is talking about. You will always find some discontented men in a. case like this;- but I feel sure the engineer in charge has done his duty Accarding to the reports' of my officers, lie has made bigger progress since he was .in charge than ever before, and the services of the assistant engineer were not dispensed with on account- of any inquiry. As to money being lavishly wasted, fhe department had largely adhered to the plans of the Midland Railway Company, excepb where they found that by deviation they could save money or adopt a better route. Part of the work was up the middle of a river bed, and there would always bo danger of some of it being washed away. The work would be finished by Christmas this year. As to wages', he was not aware that any of the men were earning £1 a day. He saw no necessity for the appointment of a select committee or commission.

At a later, stage Mr Taylor said utter confusion prevailed on the Midland railway works, and he would have something to say on this subject on another occa sion.