THE LAKE COLERIDGE WORKS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1560, 2 October 1912, Page 4

THE LAKE COLERIDGE WORKS.

MORE COMPLAINTS. SPECIAL REPORT TO BE OBTAINED. The dispute between the contractor at the Luke Coleridge liydvo-elcctrical works ami his workmen was again mentioned in the House of Representatives yesterday, when Mr. T. li. Davey ((.'hristchurch East) asked permission to read a letter from the mincers at Lake Coleridge. It w.ie la the effect that the signatories (employees of Mr. M'Williiini) had read : n the press (he report made to Parliament by (lie Hon. \V. Eraser on the troubles and conditions at Lake Coleridge, and desired to .state that it was absolutely untrue and calculated to mislead Parliament and the public. The Prime Minister at this stage interrupted the reading of the letter by raiding a point of order. The letter, he said, referred to a- statement made by the Minister for Public Works as untrue, i Mr. Davcy: Untrue refers to the report. Mr. Hemes raised another point of order, asking whether members were entitled to read letters commenting on the proceedings of the House. Mr. Speaker said that tho letter did not .'■tate that the Minister for Public Works had said what was untrue, but that inferential!} , it did. It was his duty to strictly guard the privileges of lion, members. As to the second point of order any letter commenting upon any ! proceedings of the House or'of any member of the House had always been deemed to be out of order. Mr. Davcy: Then I understand that the letter cannot be accepted.?' Mr. Speaker: No. Mr. Davey said that he regretted- that any letter sent to him should contain a reflection upon any Minister of the Crown. The Minister would fee that it had been his duly to produce the letter. Mr. Oavoy went on to siy that tho men at Lake Coleridge complained that, owing to insufficient timbering, the tunnel was unsafe. Complaint was also made regarding the engine and plant. The men said distinctly 'that only a single loud had broil placed uiwri the engine going down the shaft when the rope broke. ; The Hon. W. Eraser said that he. had not himself raised objection to the phrase which the lion, ge.-illeman had read out of the letter, because he did not think that the writer of the letter intended to charge him with making a false statement to the Home. Mr. Davey: Hear, hear. Mr. Eraser said that: it was a pity thatsuch phraseology had been employed. The objection raised was a perfectly proper one to take because if statements, of that kind were allowed there, was no saying whore the matter would end. He assured the member for Christchurch East that ho did not regard tho statement in tho letter as a personal reflect ion on himself. The Minister continued that in presenting the report to tho House he had not spoken of his own knowledge. From the report it appeared that there had been very grave complaints against the manner in which the contractor had carried out Ins work and that he had been informed that unless he did it properly it would be (lone for him. He (the Minister) had also stated to tho House that improvements at the Lake Coleridge works had Ken carried out by the Public Works engineers. The want of safety for men working in the tunnel had been remedied also. Late reports showed that: the timbering now w.is sufficient although at first there, had been cause , for grave complaint. The letter to which the lion, gentleman had referred was evidently coin? back to tho old. state-of affairs and tljrinot deal with the present stale of affairs. The Minister continued that he had told the House that the workers at Lake Coleridge were employees of the contractor and n-it of. the Crown, biit it was clearly tho duty of the Government o see f nut the contractor carried out his work with due legardto the safety cf the , nen He , , • •"< J .junction, .to his engineers that this waV to bo done r ; Finally, Mr. Fraser stated that he was rendins down an officer to -special y report upon: the. position at. ; , Lake Coleridge. He was determine! that proper provision shoii'.d. be made for the r " m ? n, i, The - °!" cer nifJitioned l'OUld leave for the south either on that nay or on the morrow.