HANDLING EXPLOSIVES

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 15, 7 October 1929, Page 8

HANDLING EXPLOSIVES

MINISTER REFUTES STATEMENT WELLINGTON, Oct. 5. ''There is no foundation' in fact for the allegations made against the Public Works officials by Mr Cook, president of the Alliance of Labour, in regard to the handling of explosives on our works," declared the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works, when his attention was directed to an interview on this subject. "In a statement, Mr Cook blamed the Engineer-in-Chief of the Department for failure to issue instructions in the handling of explosives to Departmental officers in charge of men. Instructions issued on this subject are very explicit, and take a number of forms. With the object of impressing men.and officers in charge with the danger of the improper handling of explosives, in 1927 the Department issued a circular on these lines and on August V last .followed this up with iV 2?> paged booklet containing diagrams showing how to make up charges, how safe storage places should be built, and full instructions for the safe use."

Kefcrring to the accident at Waikarcmoana, the Minister said the Department received a report from the officer in the following terms: "The workman was examining the gelignite in a tent in the morning before work and dropped a plug on the hot iron hearth. The o-elignite was not frozen, but, in any case,, there was a warm pan and hot water. A special man, detailed to give the gelignite attention, was in camp." A previous accident was duo to warming gelignite in a frying pan when p-oper hot water appliances were available but were not used. "In the face of these facts," the Minister concluded "it was unfair thai the Departmental officers, who have taken so much care to impress on employees the danger of improper methods in handling of explosives, should be blamed for rcprettahle awirlen's, and it is only just to them that Ueso facts should be placed before the public."