HUNTLY DISASTER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2293, 29 October 1914, Page 6

HUNTLY DISASTER

DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. Another brief discussion in' regard to the Huntly disaster and tho workof the Royal Commission took place in the House of Representatives yesterday S Sir G. W.' Russell asked the Minister of Mines if ho could give any indication as to when the report of :. the Huntly Commission would be laid on tho table. He had previously drawn attention to tho action of tho commission in closing down for nearly a fortnight after finishing its sittings at Huntly before resuming in AVellington. lliere was a report in circulation to the effect that tho commission did not intend to braig in its report until Saturday nostj the day upon which the session,-was supposed to' close. It was desirable that some indication'should be given that Parliament expected that the report nhoulcl bo brought down m ample tune to allow of it being discussed before Parliament rose, and. in order that it necessary it could bo discussed at the ! same--time that the Coal-mines Bill was discussed. Hβ was not.making any com-' plaint against the commission, but Parliament ought to show that_it viewed' with crave consideration tho tact tnat vo had closed down for nearly a fortnight after its Huntly sittings. . .. An Opposition member: Did it giro anv reason for doing that? ■ ■ Mr. Russell said he had no means of knowing the reason.. He hoped .that tho Minister would bo able to give the Houso an assurance that the report, .or tho commission-would bo sent to .the House in timo to give it an opportunity, of considering what responsibility attached to either the. mme-ownors, tho Government Department, or ernment. itself in connection, with the administration of tho coal-mines of tho Dominion. It had also been suggested to him to' ask whether the Government proposed to pass the Coal-minee Amrwlro<mt BUI this session. The Minister of Minos said that there was no reason why the • Ua.l Minos Bill should not be passed this session unless the Opposition wanted to prevent it. •.-■'■. ■ . Mr! Russell: You may bo sure that wo do not want' to"- prevent it passing. - Mr Fraser: I am not so sure about that. As to the Huntly Commission and its report ho need hardly say that he could not interfere with the work of a Royal Commission. Mr. Wilford (Hutt): You could suggest that it should speed up its TβFraser said that tho delay of a fortnight referred to was occasioned bv tho time occupied in transcribing the evidence. After the Huntly sittings he' communicated with the chairman and indicated that ho hoped the Commission would, prepare, its report as early as possible, as Parliament desired to have it. The reply ho received was that the whole of tho evidence would be typed by Thursday or l< n-dft-y last. Ho. had not heard from the Commissioner since then. "I have no right to approach them, that would ho improper," added the Minister I cannot do it nnd I am not going to do' it." As to the" criticisms of the Opposition, if there were any accusations to bo made against tho Government he hoped they would be made, because it would soon bo proved uoi\ groundless thoy were. Statements or an absolutely scandalous nature had been,made regarding tho Government in connection with this unfortunate accident.