MR. FISHER EXPLAINS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1535, 3 September 1912, Page 2

MR. FISHER EXPLAINS.

CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT'S VIEW

ixQrißir.s uEi.vci made. The Minister r«r Customs dh;> Hon. !■'. M. 11. l'i>lu.j) mud;. » reply l«> Mr. llnriarty's allegations toil Dominion reporter ypslerdyy.

"Tho methylated spirit regulations," he fnid, "were varied l;ecau>c it was lound thai methylated >pirit. was being used as .i boverage. Special comment wns made concerning a ease quite- recently in Christenurch by a stipendiary ma«i.-lr<ite upon the necessity for so treating melhvlated spirit that it oaiinol. be uwd to take, the place of drinkable alcohol. Tho Department framed new regulations and nadir those-regulations they made provision for the sal? without restriction of'methvlated finish,' without pyridine, consisting df rectified-spirit mixed with 11 per cent, of wood iiii])tha,.«nil at least 10 per oenl. by weight of shollac, copal, or other resins, such resins having been <li«»lvfd to the satisfaction of the supervising officer before delivery. Packages cont-jining this finish must be marked "Methylated finish, W.I 1 ." (without pyridine). Kvi-ry employer of labour in New Zealand today ought to bo aware that (he special preparation kno.vn as finish can be obtained for polishing without ajiy pyridine at fill, and that even should an cnrnloyev' decide to use tho preparation containing pyridine, (he proportion of pyridine that may be used is limited to half a gallon in 111 gallons of rectified spirit ami approved wood naptha. Xo application for finish containing less than 10 per cent, of resins has ever been made by Mr. Moriarty or anybody else, to die Customs Department. , i

".Mr. Morja.rly communicated with nie in reference to this mntler, and the reply of the head of the Department was that tho Department of Customs had no power' to make regulations to prevent furniture manufacturers from using methylated spirit with pyridine. And when Hie Secretary for Customs added that this was a matter that could only he dealt with by an amendment of the Labour laws, what he meant was that it would require an amendment of the law which would insist upon employers using that form of metiiyldted spirit, which did not contain pyridin?. .

"I havo already stated that after considering the representations of manufacturers a few years ago, the Department had approved of a finish without pyridine, so that the alleged evil , results from its use might be prevented. In point of fact, so far as the Customs Department is concerned, there has been only one ease reported to the Department, that of a man in Auckland who was supposed to be suffering from the effects of pyridine, and this man was awny from his employment for a.few days. Further than this. I have taken steps to ensure that the fullest inquiry shall be made, and at the present time Mr. Cameron, of the Customs Department, is engaged in making inquiries through the various factories in Wellington, with a view of ascertaining what the position is. Had Mr. Moriiirty taken the trouble, a ten minutes' interview, either with me or with the head of the Customs Department, would have absolutely cleared the atmosphere, but since he has preferred to take some other course, T don't offer any objection.. TV mailer will he gone carefully into by the Department, and-when we hnve full information at our disposal I shall confer with the Prime Minister,.and if an evil exists, and it is necessary in the interests of the employpes •to legislate to cure it, 1 have no doubtwhatever that the necessary, legislation will be- placed upon the Statute-book this session. In the meantime, it would be-of interest to the public, and certainly of interest to the- Customs Department, if - Mr. Moriarty would give specific eases in. which men engaged in 'the'trade in Wellington are suffering in-any way directly from the effects of pyridine," .-,■„;, ,-..-,