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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 251, 3 October 1884, Page 2

In the House of Representatives replying to Mr. Turnbull, the lion. Mr. Richardson said the contractors who supplied the defective axles were the Lancashire Waggon Company (Limited) and the Staffordshire Wheel and Axle Company (Limited), and the inspector (name unknown) in the employ of the engineers, Messrs. Falkner, Tancred and Hernans, and Mr. John Carruthers (acting for the Government of New Zealand in England). The carriage stock and waggon ironwork received in the Colony during the last twelve months was all more or less bad, and some very bad, and much of it had to be re-made in the Colony, at a cost nearly as large as if made here in the first instance. A letter of complaint was written to the Agent-General covering the Engineer-in-chief’s report on the axles that had been tested, and forwarded by the San Francisco mail

leaving June 22 last. This mail was due in London on August 2, and the Agent’General telegraphed warning the Government that axles shipped by other vessels which are now arriving, and still to arrive, are also dangerous. He could assure the House the matter would be followed up. This is a most extraordinary statement for any Minister of the Crown to have to make, and shows that there has been a gross dereliction of duty on some one’s part. The matter is of the gravest importance to the whole community, involving, as it may do their lives and limbs, and the destruction of their property. We trust that the Minister for Public Works will sift the matter to the very bottom, and visit the most condign punishment upon the guilty parties. It is stated that some of the axles mentioned were broken up in the workshops at Hillside, and it was found that the stuff they were composed of was not fit even to make culinary utensils of.