ARAPUNI CONTRACT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 233, 2 October 1928, Page 16

ARAPUNI CONTRACT.

COMPANY FINISHED. NO LONGER CONCERNED WITS WORK. STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER. •By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Monday. A more or less laconic statement regarding difficulties at Arapuni was made by the Prime Minister in the House just before midnight. The question of Arapuni was raised in the afternoon by the mepiber for Eden.. "Nothing more than petty vanity seems to have kept the Public Works Department from making a proper explanation regarding the delay at Arapuni," declared Mr. H. G. R. .Mason. "There has been loss of money, and loss by reason of interest on money; and, apart from that, a great deal of inconvenience. Auckland has not been fairly treated. No explanation has been made. If there was an explanation to make it should have been made twelve months ago. It seems that every effort has been made to save the face of the Public Works Department. Of course' it may be said that the difficulty was not insuperable, but everyone knows it is a pretty knotty problem that cannot be solved these days. Providing sufficient money is expended, if a power-house site more suitable than the' one selected could have proved cheaper, it would have been easier to admit there was a mistake. That such large expenditure should be incurred, and such long delay permitted in order to make it appear there was no mistake is astonishing. The thing that puzzles me is that we should have reached this stage without any hint of an explanation." . , Hour# later, when Mr. Coates- replied to criticism voiced during the debate, which extended till after midnight, he said Mr. Mason had referred to facts concerning Arapuni,' but had failed to mention any of the alleged "fact 6." What were these facts? Mr. Mason: Ob, just facts that everyone knows. Mr. Coates: Well,' I listened for them, and the member for Eden didn't give any. Mr. Mason: The twelve months delay. - A Labour member: The Prime Minister won't give us any facts. Mr. Coates: I understood it to be said that the company was given no end of compromises in addition to the delay. * In response to a chorus of Opposition queries Mr. Coates said the contracting company had sought £500,000 to £1,000,000 compensation. What the company got would be another fact.- No one would suggest that it would be wise to make known negotiations as they were proceeding. 'That would have been no way to do business. No compensation had been paid. There had been differences as to costs, and they had been met. ,;Mr. Fraser (Wellington; Central): Wajl, tell us what the country? Mr. Coates;, Tfiwe were certain deifyß, but I can't what it cost. I call say. that practically, everything i 6 out 6f "the Way now, and the; company is no longer concerned with, any-portion of the contracts they took. A number of suggestions - had been made, but they were very' wild and >yere only suggestions. '