TUNNELLING AT ARAPUNI

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1004, 21 June 1930, Page 12

TUNNELLING AT ARAPUNI

MEN DENY THAT WORK! IS UNSAFE WANT TO RESUME Stating that they had not been asked to work in any unsafe place and complaining that the enforced idleness, meaning loss of wages, was very serious to them at the present time, tunnellers at Arapuni have issued a statement protesting 'against the stoopage of that work. Th o statement is as follow: “TVe the undersigned tunnellers at Arapuni, desire to protest against the action of the person or persons unknown to us who have taken it on themselves to complain to the Minister that the tunnel in which we have been working is unsafe. Through this action and the Minister’s subsequent instruction that our work be immediately stopped, we have been thrown out of employment and the loss to us in wages is very serious at the present time. “We therefore desire to make known the following facts in regard to the situation: “(1) TVe have never at any time been asked to work in any place, which could be considered unsafe, either by th© engineer-in-chief or by the general foreman. “(2) If at any time timbering was considered necessary in the tunnels, our instructions have been to proceed at once with timbering. “(3) Tunnelling is voluntary and we pick our own parties for this work. “(4) The tunnel in question, in which we have been working, is of such soundness that no timbering whatsoever was considered necessary either by the men or by those in charge. “In consideration of the above facts we, the undersigned, hereby desire to extend to our unknown, but apparently mistaken, ‘benefactor,’ a definite invitation to come to Arapuni and 1 examine carefully the tunnel in ques- : tion, thus proving to the satisfaction ot all parties the truth of our contention. If our would be benefactor is genuine in his desire for our welfare, | surely he will immediately accept our offer and so put an end to the enforced idleness which we neither want nor can afford.” The letter is signed by Messrs. 13. Logan, H. Jonee, S. Wilson, E. Yorke. B. Allwood, A. Blanchard and TV. Rennison. SERIOUS SITUATION Reporting at the annual conference of the New Zealand Union of Workers in Wellington on Tuesday, Mr. J. B. Williams, the union’s organiser of Public Works employees in the northern part of the North Island, stated that a most serious situation existed at Arapuni. He complained that the union's members at the works were being asked to work in situations dangerous to life and limb, and that he was satisfied that little regard was being paid to reasonable I safety precautions. The conference passed a resolution asking that the local president be appointed as an inspector on the job as a safeguard and that his salary be paid by the Government. A reply was later received from the Minister of Public Works staling that he had given instructions that Mr. Robert Semple was to be given every fo.cility for making an inspection of t-he work at Arapuni. In accordance with the ban placed upon them by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. W. B. Taverner, no information can be gained from the engineers regarding the situation.

TUNNEL WORK STOPPED POSITION AT ARAPUNI MINISTER'S STATEMENT From Our Own Correspondent DUNEDIN, Today. A statement made by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. W. B. Taverner, says that the published information was the first news he had received of the cessation of tunnelling work at Arapuni. He added, however, that several exploration tunnels had recently been undertaken and that the cessation ot work on these might have given rise to the statement that the tunnelling work had come to a standstill. LABOUR TO INVESTIGATE VISIT FROM WELLINGTON From Our Resident Reporter WELLINGTON, Today. To investigate the complaints reported to them, two members of the Labour Party, Mr. R. Semple and Mr. R. McKeen, left for Arapuni last evening. They will make a first-hand investigation into the recent developments in the labour position there. ALTERING HORAHORA TE AWAMUTU SUGGESTION CONFERENCE FAVOURED From Our Own Correspondent TE AWAMUTU, Today. The trouble at Arapuni occupied the attention of the Te Awamutu ElectricPower Board at its meeting yesterday. An inquiry was made by the Bay

of Plenty Power Board as to whether Te Awamutu favoured a conference of i representatives of all power boards concerned, with a view to making re- ! presentations to the Government to ex- 1 pedite the linking of the Waikare- j raoana supply with the Arapuni power j The chairman of the Central Power , Board had replied favouring the sug- i gestion, but recommending delay until j the Government’s engineers had been ! able to investigate the possibility of ; continuing to use Arapuni power, and I the amount of reduction each board would have to meet during the present dislocation. Little good was likely to accrue from harassing the Government at present. Mr. Lethbridge was in favour of the hoard being represented at the conference. He thought the country power boards should be given all available supply from Horahora, and Auckland City requirements should not have preference over country districts —hence the need for the conference. The chairman thought that more power could be obtained at Horahora by restoring that part of the plant that was damaged last year by fire. He agreed that Horahora’s output should be conserved for the country districts. As to whether Waikaremoana could supply the Waikato, the Public Works Department officials said this was impracticable, as the necessary plant had not been installed. In reply to a question, the manager said the whole of the dairy companies* reserve plants would be pooled. Mr. Downes said the country districts should have preference. The dairying industry must not be unduly restricted. It was impossible for dairymen to revert to hand-milking. To a question, the chairman said he thought that if the damaged generators at Horahora were restored, there would be an additional 1,500 to 2,000 kilowatts. It might be that part of Arapuni could be restored within a few weeks. It was decided that the board be represented at the conference to be convened by the central board. STATEMENT WANTED i CAMBRIDGE BOARD’S REQUEST From Our Own Correspondent CAMBRIDGE, Frida y. The Arapuni trouble was discussed at some length at the monthly meeting of the Cambridge Power Board today, Mr. M. Wells presiding. It was decided to write to the Public Works Department, asking that so as they may keep faith with the supply authorities and consumers generally, a public statement be made as to future prospects. Further, that the board is vitally concerned with what is to happen in the question of supply in the spring and in yiew of this the board requests that an officer of th© department be sent to inspect with a view to a sufficient sum being spent on tile Cambridge Dairy Company's steam plant to make for an economical supply of energy from this source.