ALLEGED- RAGGING "OF ENGINE CLEANERS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12975, 30 November 1907, Page 10

ALLEGED- RAGGING "OF ENGINE CLEANERS.

_ 1 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER. THE CHARGES NOT SUBSTANTIATED. SOME MINOR SUGGESTIONS. (srxctAL io "the press.') WELLINGTON, November 29. The Commissioner appointed to enquire into the recent allegations of "ragging" in the railway cleaning shetls ut Christchurch has furnished his report to the Government. Ho etates that Bray had utterly failed to identify any particular cleaner as having actively intertered with him. The nearest ho yot to it was in connection with what occurrt-d on the morning of October 25th. In his report to -Mr McKenzie on October 2otb. said ho had caught Cleaner .1. .i. Svnu', known in the sheds as "Tin.' Doctor," in tho act of throwing something at him, and that he could .swi-iir to him. Under cross-examination, however, he admitted that he did not actually sw Svmo throw at him, but that a "slurry „ seemed to come from the direction or an engine standing near by, on the tender of wliicli he subsequently saw Syme. He also etatf-d that another cleaner was in the cab of the same engine, and must have seen what took place. Both the lads referred to denied jn the most positive way that cither of them throw things at Bray, or in any way interfered with him, or that they aaw anyone else do so. Tho Commissioner states that he examined seventeen cleaners, and one and all, without equivocation, positively denied having taken part in tho act complained of by Bray, or that they saw anyone else do so. "Taking the evidence throughout,' , says the report, "thero is nn absolute and entire absence- of tho slightest corrobnratiun of Bray's statement. All the lads gave their evidence in an absolutely straightforward manner."' The Commissioner adds that he watched closely tho demeanour and action of tho witnesses, and -with his 26 years' experience in taking evidence in Courts of Justice, he was hound to say he could detect nothing in any ono of these young witneflsee that could tend to raise a donbt in hi» mind as to their entire truthfulness. Some of tho lads wero of a particularly good, open, straightforward typo, and would bo at once accepted as witnesses of truth. To beliovo in the main the allegations of Bray, ono would have to find that thero had oeen a conspiracy of silence on tho part of all concerned, and a deliberate intention to commit perjury with regard to all matters, great or small. "This." says tho report, "is inconceivable. The Commissioner then refers in detail to some of Brny's allegations as to what took place on certain dates, end points out that it is incredible that no one should have seen the alleged occurrences.' Aβ to the general allegations, vis., the implied neglect of duty and failure to maintain discipline—slightly on tho part of the Tanning shed foreman, and more seriously on the part of the night foreman—the Commissioner states that there is nothing in the evidence to •uppart those m any way. On the iobntrary, in hie opinion, the Department possesses two valuable officers in Messrs MoKehzie and Graham, and ho thinks that both may he relied upon to deal promptly and effectively with any abuses that come under their notice. So far as tho duties of the night foreman are concerned, it seems humanly impossible that he alone can exercise such complete supervision over the two eheds as may be considered desirable. Night after night some 36 Sung men are engaged in the sheds, ey are of all sorts and conditions, and Of an age when they are full of animal spirits, and prono to Tougn ptay and 4 skylarking. That, however, does not imply that they are vicious or likely to indulge in very serious practices. The Commissioner, however, thinks that tho risk of such should be reduced to a minimum. His visit to the sheds at midnight convinced him tnet under existing circumstances it would be impossible to enforce complete dweiphno amongst tho lads. They had countless opportunities for mischief if they were so inclined. The Department, ho thinks, might coneider whether it would not bo wise to have at least one officer in tho shod* whose sole duty it would be to keep all tho cleaners as far as possible tinder observation. He adds that the lighting of the sheds by occasional gas jete might bo improved, and suggests an eleotrio light installation.