QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT.

Shannon News, 11 July 1922, Page 3

QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT.

HELPING VICTIMS' DEPENDENTS

In the House, replying to Mr Wilford, the Hon. J. G. Coates said that j an officer of the Mines Department j had been to Mangahao to inspect the tunnel and no doubt his evidence would be given at the inquest, when every possible piece of information would be made available with a viewto securing that there be no possibility of . a similar accident happen- j ing again. It would be better to await the Coroner's verdict before publishing the mines officer's report. Mr Wilford suggested that the Cor-, oner's verdict was of no value in the , Huntly disaster. Mr Coates replied that after the in- \ quiry he would see if further inquiry was necessary, with a view to preventing the possibility of a repetition. H 3 wished to correct an impression he might have previously conveyed that the Public Works Department jdid not comply with the mining regula-< tions. They followed the regulations, the only exception being that there was no inspection by the Mines De- ( partment officers as the Works Department officers took the responsibility. It has already been suggested to the Premier that the dependents of the victims of the disaster at Mangahao should receive some special form of benefit, and Mr E. Newman asked if the surplus of the Kaitangata fund, which was collected for a similar puripose, and which he understood was a considerable sum, could be diverted for this purpose. Mr Massey replied that he would be glad to make inquiries into the suggestion. Subsequently Mr Malcolm, member for the district where the fund mentioned was raised, put a question on the order paper requesting that nothing of the nature suggested shoultfr be done without the consent of the contributors.