LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 47, 18 October 1912, Page 6

LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES.

(Per Press Association.) Wellington, October 17

Further reference to the Remuora loan was made at to-day’s Parliamentary inquiry into the allocation of loans under the State-guaranteed Advances Act.

Mr Arnold Wilkins, foreman inspector of the Remuera Road Board, called by the Hon. Mr Allen, said on 13th December, when the general election was proceeding, the chairman (Mr Corkwell) of the Road Board, addressed the men employed on the works, advising them to support the then Government, as if the Government went out the money advanced would bo very much reduced. No particular candidate was mentioned, but Sir John Findlay, a member of the’ Government, was standing. At the conclusion of the speech (in listening to which in the rain the men had become drenched), the chairman suggested that they should go home and he paid as if they had been working. It was not customary to pay men except for time worked, but the Board agreed to the payments.

Replying to Sir Joseph Ward, the witness said Mr Cork well merely expressed his own opinimr as to the wisdom of voting for the Government. Answering a question hy Dr. Newman, witness repeated Mr Corkwcll’s statement that if the Government went out' of power the loans would bo reduced. Sir Joseph Ward: A very wise thing to say. That is just what has happened. The Chairman; Who put in the £SOOO limit? Sir Joseph Ward: That was before tiio election. Witness said that about six of the men on the works were in the Parnell electorate. Hugh Wilson, engineer to the Remuera Road Board, said Mr Corkwell told him that he had given men a holiday on pay, and that there would ho no difficulty about arranging for payment. Mr Aillen: Did he say how it would ho paid for? Witness: Well, it may have been in a joking way, ho said, “Sir John Findlay will pay for it.” Witness added that two men not at work were paid that day. The pay so far had been charged to the Road Board. Mr Allen : What were those two men doing? Witness: Canvassing. Mr Allen : For whom ? Witness: Sir John Findlay. Sir Joseph Ward: Do you suggest that Mr Gorkwelhdid it at the request of Sir John Findlay? Witness at first replied that the chairman did not do it from kindness of heart, but when the question was repeated he gave it a direct negative. Alexander Scholes, chairman of the Waitomo County Council, said his Council had received a loan of between £25,000 and £28,000 from the Department. This was £SOOO less than the amount applied for. No political influence of any kind was used to obtain the loan.

BAD CASE OF RAGGING. (Per Press Association.! Wellington, October IS. A highly dangerous form of ragging has been discovered in the engine-shed among the cleaners at Dunedin rail-

way station, where they are mostly lads of 17 to 20 years of age. This led to the prosecution of Charles W. Foster, of unlawfully assaulting Victor Hercules Main. The latter had just joined the service and was under an engine at night with the usual lamp fixed to his cap, when Foster blew kerosene from his mouth at the flame, with the object of fright-

ening Main. The vapour landed on the latter’s cap and ignited, and burned the hair off the lad’s head and the skin off his forehead, The Magistrate accepted the explanation of defendant that he had no intention of doing bodily harm, and said that had lie been a man he (the Magistrate) would have inflicted a very heavy penalty. He was fined £3, half of the fine to go to the injured boy. The Department intimated their determination to put down this kind of thing. Foster was previously employed at the Addington workshops.