THE DEFECTIVE RAILWAY WAGGONS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2003, 26 July 1880, Page 3

THE DEFECTIVE RAILWAY WAGGONS.

The following is that part of Mr Saunders' speech whioh deals with this question : The first motion that stands on the Order Paper in my name is—" That a oopy of the report of Mr W. N. Blair, the Engineer-in-Chief for the Middle Island, which was read in this House on the 30th of last month by the Minister for Publio Works, denying the accuracy of statements made in the report of the Civil Service Commission as to the condition of certain railway waggons built in Danedin, and asserting that ' There is not the slightest ground for thinking then defective,' and that' They have in every instance been well made, with proper materials,' be laid before this House." Sir, the paper that I move for may not be in the position of hon. members. It is a very short one, and I will read it:—

"Wellington, 29th June, 1880. "No waggons built by contract under this department at Dunedin were delivered in Ohristchuroh at the end of last year, and I believe the same remark applies to the railway department. " The last contract for waggons in Dunedin was finished in August, 1877, consequently they had been running for thirteen months before the line to Ohristchuroh was opened, and nearly two and a half years before the date referred to. I may add that, bo far as waggons built under the supervision of this department in Dunedin at any time are concerned, there is not the slightest ground for thinking them defeotive; they have in every instance been well made, with proper materials.

"As the proposition laid down in asking the questions is incorrect, they cannot, of course, be answered otherwise than at above. " W. N. Blaie, "Engineer in Charge, Middle Island."

That, sir, is a very short document, but to my mind, it is one of the most important documents ever asked for in this House: in fact, I may go further and say it is one of the most humiliating documents ever produced in this House. The statements there made are, whether wilfully or carelessly so, every one of them incorrect. We are told that the last contract for waggons in Dunedin was finished in August, 1877, and consequently they had been running for thirteen months. When hon. members see the way in which those waggons were constructed they will see at once that it was impossible for them to have run thirteen months, or that, if they did so run, they must have run empty; the only wonder is that the nails in the flooring boards were sufficiently strong to keep them together long enough to travel empty from Dunedin to Ghristchurch. We do not say where or when those waggons were built; we simply say those delivered in Obristchuroh about the end of last year were in a disgraceful state. Hon. members can see the specimens that have beon sent up, and I will describe them farther as Igo on. The hon. member for Tuapeka, a few days ago, moved—but in some way it was rather irregular—for copies of the telegrams and letters whioh passed between the chairman of the late Civil Service Commission and Mr Alison D. Smith, of Christchurch. Strictly speaking, there were no letters and telegrams, because I had no communication with Mr Smith until after the Civil Service Commission had ceased to exist,; all the letters and telegrams I received from Mr Smith were received sines that time. They are as follows : "Christohurch, 11.40 a.m., Ist July, 1880.

—I can substantiate every ward I told you in evidence, and will forward by first mail complete report to yourself. I have abundant proofs, and have at present four waggons in sidings, which are available for inspection. The Hoc. Mr Oliver saw two of these waggons when going through workshops. Will send you specimens of timber and workmanship by mail. I thank you for giving me the opportunity of verifying my statement. —Alison D. Smith. A. Baunders, Esq., M.H.E., Wellington." " 2nd July, 1880.—Confirmatory evidenoe and case of specimens forwarded to you last night per Stella, addressed ' House of Representative.' I earnestly trust that you will have the question thoroughly investigated, as, from the reports of the Hon. Minister for Publio Works and Mr Blair's letter, the lie direct has been given to evidenoe. —Ambon D. Smith."

" Ohristchurcb, Bth July, 1880.—Will it be neoessary for me to send further information re bad work in waggons, or more specimens. I have a great number collected. I could also produce many expert witnesses to verify evidence.—Alison D. Smith."

"Christohurch, 10th July, 1880.—Here are no less than twenty-six waggons standing in workshop siding, requiring to be re-built. All bad workmanship, and built in Dunedia.— Alison D. Smith."

Then there is a rather long letter, which I think it is scarcely necessary to read.— (Read, read.) —If it is the desire of the House, I will do so : " Sir,— In reply to your telegram just received, asking me to explain my statement made when under examination by the Oivil Service Commissioners, I have the honor to state that the only question upon which there seems to be the slightest doubt is, by whom was the stock really constructed ?

" Now, I beg to explain that my assertion that the stock was built by the Public Works department was based upon a letter written by the Locomotive Engineer at Dunedin, in which it was stated that the waggons were built by the Public Works department, and for the bad work in which 'he was not responsible;" and this letter was indorsed to me *>y the Commissioner for Railways. And I beg to call your particular attention to the attached copy of my reply to that communication, dated 'lst May, 1879.' " I attach confirmatory evidence and copies of report on this subject, and at the same time forward you a case of specimens o£ the timber and workmanship hurriedly collected by me this morning. " I have done all in my power by written and verbal reports to have this abuse put a stop to, but with apparently no result; and about a year ago the locomotive engineer in Dunedin accused me of ' trying to damn him ia the oyeß of the Commissioner ' by reporting this matter —the correspondence before tbiß having assumed a very personal character. "As my veracity has been questioned in this matter, and as, apart from my personal feelings, thiß is a question of vital importance to the welfare of the department, I hav« the honor to Bolicit you to afford this explanation as much publicity as my evidence obtained by being laid on the table of the House. And, as I have in the sidings at Aldington at the present moment waggons in a condition somo what similar to those already reported, I again ask for an impartial investigation into the facts, as requested by me in my letter to the Commissioner dated ' Ist May, 1879.' " Ab I was aware of the inefficient condition of the stock on the southern section, I waß very anxious, at the time of opening the through line, to have the accounts for repairs kept distinct, as my letters of 12th November and 2nd Decembor, 1878, numbered 1a and 2, will fully Bhow. "This, however, was negatived, and instructions issued to charge cost of repairs to a common account.

" I regret that, owing to the shortness of time at my command, I hsye been unable to write at greater length, but every fact can be amply proved if the investigation asked for is permitted; but, at the same time, I consider ft unnecessary to offer any explanation of many points which are rjferrsd to in the attached letters, as they themselves fully explain the state of thingß which existed in the southern sections, and which to the present time have not been properly correoted.—l have, &0., " Alison D. Smith, " District Locomotive Superintendent, &;. " A. Saunders, Esq., Chairman, " Civil Service Commission, Wellington." Now, sir, with suoh evidence as that before UB — w ith the possibility of seeing with our eyeß, with the knowledge that the present Minister for Publio Works has seen two of the waggons himself, and with the knowledge that twenty-six more of them are now lying at tho siding at Addington waiting to be rebuilt—what are you to think of such a letter as that, written by one of the highest civil servants in the colony, and placed before thiß House by the Minister for Public Works ? Sir, when I think o the position Mr Blair occupies, and of the millions of expenditure that we have entrusted to his capacity and veracity, such a report as this from him appears to me to be one of the most serious things we ever had to take into consideration. What is the value of a man in such a position as that who is capable of misleading this House to the extent to which that letter is calculated to mislead? I have not the slightest intention to attack any person to-night. I intend to stand here fearlessly, and assert the truth ; and it is a matter of perfect ndifference to me whether Mr Blair, or Mr Conyers, or Mr

(Any body-else shall oome under the reprobation which truth will find for them. It would have been easy for the Commissioners to have steered a safe and easy oourse; it would have been exceedingly easy for them to have brought in a report similar to that brought in by the last Civil Service Commission, recommending an easy and generally comfortable reform—that the Civil Service should be made more comfortable and secure. That report received universal approbation, but it was ono which, I believe, produced no effect, or, at all events, none in the direction of economy. We were determined not to do the same. We felt that, if our work was to be of any good, we must state definite facts—we must investigate matters for ourselveß, and ma the information we obtained public, so as to put the Government in a position to act upon the information so obtained. I notice that, in this House, if you get up and say there are far too many Civil servants and their number should be reduced, there is a general clapping of hands and cheering all round, and everyone believes the statement; but put your finger upon one person who can be dismissed and say, "There is the man," and you find at once that you have put your hand into a hornet's nest, and have the strongest body of men in any colony ready to a*, tack you. We knew this quite well when we were framing our report. We knew that we should have the highest Civil servants in the colony doing everything they could to damage that report, and describing it as a misleading and careless conclusion from facts. But I am glad to see that the report has stood the fire so well as it has done : that it has stood the first attack made upon it, although backed up by one of the highest Civil servants in the colony, in a letter like the one I now ask to be laid on the table, and a letter that must inflict everlasting reprobation upon him."