MERCER.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 456, 11 March 1919, Page 3

MERCER.

SUPPOBED DROWNING ACCIDENT. jt v What is believed to have been a drowning accident occurred in the Waikato river, near Mercer, on Thursday last. Mr A Douglas, a flaxmiller at Meremere, about three miles from Mercer, was last seen on Thursday afternoon, when ho was engaged in recovering from the river some bundles of flax, and it is presumed that he was drowned. A pant-load of flax had capsized in the river some distance above Mercer, and the bundles were floating down ih« river. Mr Douglas swam into the river, and commenced recovering the bundles, and placing them in a punt. He was observed at this work both morning and afternoon, and was last seen by some Maoris about three o'clock. As he did not return home at the usual time in the evening a search was made, and his clothes were found in the punt. No trace of him or his body has been discovered, although dragging operations are being canied on by the police and several settlers with the aid of launches. Mr Douglas was a single man of between 30 and and 40 years of age He was a native of Pokeno, where his widowed mother now resides He had been flax milling at Mercer, with his brother, Mr T. Douglas, for about 18 months. RAILWAY METHODS CRITICISfD. A correspondent writes That a change is needed in some of the departments of the Railway, and that some of the officials need to have a better conception of the needs of the public who supply the freights, are apparent by the way in which they have acted lately at Mercer. There has always been a great lack of facilities at Mercer wharf for loading and unloading goods from trucks to boats and vice versa, although wharfage was collected upon the same. The Steamship Company handles most of the cargo which goes over the wharf, and they erected a mast and derrick on the wharf, so that cargo could be the more readily handled. This, apparently, did not suit some of the hide-bound officials, who sent a gang to pull it down The Manager of the Shipping Company persuaded the men to leave it till he interviewed the powers that be, and he offered to indemnify them for any damage that would (or could) possibly be done to the wharf. He also asked for leave to place a Dortable steam crane on the and offered to give an indemnity as to that also. Failing either of these proposals being favourably accepted, he asked for leave to put a lead block on to the hand crane, and to use the steamers' winches to hoist cargo per this medium. The result of all these proposals was nil. The Department wnuld neither allow the Company (which Jis composed of settlers all along the Waikato river) to erect and maintain their own crane nor would they allow the railway crane to be used with a pteam winch. About a fortnight ago, when the manager's back was turned, the Company's crane was pulled down by the railway men, and to add insult to injury an acaccount has been sent in for the same. The matter has been taken up strongly by the members for Raglan and Waikato and the Minister has been interviewed with the usual result—the matter will receive consideration. Feeling is very high on the river over the matter and the settlers are not going to tamely submit to such a policy In the meantime the shiping company have put the railway's hand crane to use through their steam winches on the boats, and they have been notified that they will be summoned for a breach of the regulation s They intend to go on using it and are going to thrash the matter out to a finish with the Railway Department. These are the sort of regulations that are tending amongst other matters to make country settlers wish for a change somewt ere or other in the Government of this Dominion, and no doubt they will speak with no uncertain voice at the general election."