RED TAPE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11093, 2 June 1914, Page 1

RED TAPE.

OFFICIAL JHOMAITY. ' : TEE CASS: INCIDENT. "'• INQUIRIES TO BE MADE. On May 25 particulars were published, in' the " Star" concerning the case of a man nained Patrick Crowe, a railway employee, who was frightfully injured at • Cass, and who was compelled,, owjng to the red tape methods of the.Railway Department, to, remain at Cas?- for several hours, suffering excruciating agony, before .means cornel bo obtained io convey him to • the. Cliris.tch.urck Hospital, where he.ultimataly arrived many hours late. Everything was in readiness at 7 p.m. The line was clear; the money (£SO) subscribed; all that was required was that the' consent of the railway authorities; for the train to proceed should be given. Brit the Chriitchurch authorities refused to allow the' public works engine to proceed. ■ They insisted that the engine and van at Springfield, many miles away, should proceed to Cass for this purpose, thus adding £7 to the cost, already sufuciently heavy. This involved a delay of four hours, and it was 11 p.m. before the Springiitjkl engine arrived at Cass, and '2 a.m. before the . unfortunate . man , reached "the Chr'istckuich Hospital, having had no medical attention during the many ;hours since the accident happened. >

..As soon as the particulars of. the case were/published, Mr Geprgo Witty, member for Riccarton, in a stronglyworded letter to' the Minister of Railways, made a vigorous protest .against man's inhumanity to man resulting from slavish adherence to the red tape methods of the Department, and asked that full inquiries should be made into the facts of the case. Mr "Witty lias now received the reply from the. Minister, the Hon W; ; H. • Herries:—... . , > ■■.

" I. am in receipt of your letter-of May 26, forwarding an extract'from the 'Star'' 'with reference to the delny which occurred in conveying by special train an injured man to the Chri ; tchurch Hospital. . I thank you for bringing the matter under notice, but previous to the receipt of your communication instructions were given for full, inquiries to bo made into the incident."