D.—4

26

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE. Auckland, Monday, sth February, 1917. The Commission met at 10 a.m. in the Lands Office, Government Buildings, Auckland. The Chairman opened proceedings, and called on the Secretary to read the warrant. (Warrant read.) Mr. M. Myers, solicitor, of Wellington, appeared on behalf of the Railway Department. Mr. MYERS, in opening, said : The question that has been submitted to this Commission is, briefly, with regard to the safety and efficiency of the rolling-stock. It is necessary to indicate to the Commission how this question arose and why the Commission lias been set up, but in doing so F propose to indicate the position as briefly as I can, and I propose to refrain from making any comment upon the action of any person who may be wholly or in part responsible for the allegations which have been made. That is plainly the proper course, because those who are responsible for the allegations which have resulted in this Commission being set up are not present, ,and naturally T would like to hear, before making any comment, the grounds upon which those allegations are based. It is only fair to say that it would not be altogether reasonable to expect those who have made the allegations to attend or be represented here in Auckland, but the usefulness of commencing the proceedings in Auckland is that the Commission will be able to see the rolling-stock of the country from the northernmost section of the railways, and will be able to follow their investigations farther south. I assume that those who are responsible for these allegations which have resulted in this Commission being set up will take the opportunity — probably at Wellington—of attending before the Commission and of stating the grounds of those allegations and of calling the evidence upon which they are based. When all that has been done there will be an opportunity for me, as representing the Railway Department, to make such comments as may appear proper in the circumstances; and 1 think that is the proper course to adopt. 1 am sure the Commission and the public will agree in this, that the question of the condition of the vehicles which are used for the transport of the public is a matter of very great general and publio concern ; and this is equally true whatever the means of transport, whether railways, tramways, or steamships. The public safety in connection with any means of transport should, and must, be the first and paramount consideration, and if persons holding positions of responsibility in the community question the condition of a particular means of public transport on grounds which expressly or impliedly indicate that the public safety is neglected, the matter immediately becomes one for serious investigation, and that investigation should be made in the light of day. With these preliminary remarks may T say that the genesis of this Commission is to be found in a question which appears in ffansard, 6th to 11th July, 1916, page 599 : — Mr. Wtlford (Hutt) asked the Minister of Railways,* without notice, whether his attention had recently been called to the condition of the rolling-stock'on'the New' Zealand railways at the present time!; and whether there was a shortage of the necessary equipment for renewals in the Stores Department; aivd whether it was a fact that where broken springs had been found under carriages two springs were put into one. as there were not sufficient springs available. Further, whether he would get a'compotent man like Mr. .Tames Marchbanks, who had charge of the Manawatu Railway for many years, to make a thorough investigation'of the condition'Of the rolling-stook, and if he would then set up a Commission before which men in the service may give evidence as to the condition of the present, rolling-stock. There is only one observation I desire to make with regard to this question, and that is this : It. is plain by the use of the words "broken springs under carriages " that the questioner had in mind the bearing-springs of carriages. The next stage was this —again it appears in Hannard on the 26th July. 1916, page 437 : Mr. Veitch, member for Wanganui, said, — T would also like the Minister to tell us'all about the operations this year on rolling-stock as compared with last year. I have not gone closely into the matterjoffrolling-stock, but FJdo know that at least one instruction has been issued by the Locomotive Department to the effect that broken springs mav'beTduplicated and put into all vehicles, instead of replacing those broken springs with new good serviceable springs. I may here pause to observe that it will be found that Mr. Veitoh is quite wrong in what lie says, " T do know that at least one instruction has been issued by the Locomotive Department lo the effect that broken springs may be duplicated and put into all vehicles." We have found the instruction to which he refers, and it will be shown that his information is entirely wrong. The report in Hansard goes on— The Hon. Mr. Hermes. -That only relates to draw-bar springs. Mr. Veitch.—Precisely ; and draw-bar springs are a most important part of a train so far as safety and comfort are concerned, and very important in connection with the wear-and-tear of the train. As a matter of fact, the packing of draw-bars with piece's of old broken springs, instead of holding them properly up in position with new springs, involves the whole draw-gear of a train in excessive strain, which is quite unnecessary and which will ultimately land the Minister in very great expense. An. Hon. Member.- -How does it threaten the safety of a train ? Mr. Veitoh. •— An honourable member wants to know how it threatens the safety of a train to pack buffers with broken springs, put in in pieces, instead of whole springs. A broken spring is no spring at all; practically, it is a piece of solid metal, and when the strain conies upon it there is no spring to relieve the strain, and the draw-gear had to take the whole strain 1 at once, as a solid blow. Tt is the difference between laying a hammer on a piece of glass and dropping it on with a blow. That is a clear indication of the direction in which the policy of the Department is going. On the 25th July, 1916, Mr. Wilford gave notice to move,— (1.) That there be laid before this House an up-to-date report on the condition of the roiling-stock of the Dominion ; such report to have attached to it the separate reports of the Inspectors of Rolling-stock who have service with the State. (2.) That a Commission be set up to inquire into and report upon («) the condition of such rolling-stock, and (l>) the amount of stock in hand in the stores in the principal workshops of New Zealand. (:!.) That the Commissioner shall be a railway expert, who shall have power to call for persons and papers, and with instructions to report as soon as practicable.