ADDINGTON WORK SHOPS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13375, 17 March 1909, Page 3

ADDINGTON WORK SHOPS.

THE ENQUIRY CONTINUED

EVIDENCE FOR THE EMPLOYEES

Tlie Addington Workshops Enquiry j was resumed yesterday, before Professor | Scott (president! ar,d Messrs J. J- | Nivcn and E. Roberts. . Mr A. L. Beattie appeared for the ' officers of the locomotive branch of the , service, and Mr R. Hampton tor the employees. A BOILER INSPECTOR'S EVIDENCE. James AA*. Nichols, boiler inspector for tho Now Zealand Railways, said he had been about- 28 years in the service, during 21 of which he had filled his present position. He had served his apprenticeship with the London and North-Western Railway Company. During his inspection trips he visited Addington frequently, but had noticed no idling there. The men at Addington were**c.uit« n s diligent, as those in the other workshop*. The boiler work at Addington was of the highe-t standi ard. He had noticed *.*.o evidence of want of discipline at Addington. Mr Henderson, the foreman boilermaker. was a man who would get the maximum out of his men and out of his shop. Mr Beattie intimated that thi-t was all tho evidence, he intended to call. He proposed, however, to make- a state- | ment himself.

EVIDENCE FOR THE EMPLOYEES. Mr Hampton then called witnesse";. James Hislop, retired railway servant, said he had been employed at Addington for "2-4 years, and had had previous experience, in Scotland and in other shops in New Zealand. He had found tho work at Addington as hard a-s that- at any other shop where he had worked. He had never authorised Mr Jenkinson to approach the General Manager with the request that ho (witness) should be made, a leading hand. To tho President: The men at Addington worked as hard and as honestly as at any other shop he had been in Hugh Sloane, fitter in cliargo of tho tools at Addington, said he had held his position since 1890. He considered that the. men at Addington wore superor to tho men in other shops where he had worked. Ho had, while at Addington, effected improvements. in various machines and appliances. Tlie President questioned whether evidence on that point could bo taken. Mr Hamilton submitted the matter came within Clause 6 of tho scope of the enquiry, for if men were encouraged to use their brains in the way of thinking out improvements in machinery it would tend to greater efficiency at- the worke. Tlie President said the evidence

I would bo admitted. 1 Continuing, the witness said he had : invented a new coupling to be used in connection with hydraulic tools, a stud extractor used in the fitting and boiler , shop, a radial cutting head, tho tools | for making the ticket nippers usee, on tho trains, dies for making swab irons. an apparatus for boring ring pin bolts , in carriage."., an adjustable feed clamp j for widening buffer pin holes, a halftootTi food used on a largo planing machine, an improved boiler tube expander, also an internal tube cutter, which he had patented, and which did the work in about one-sixth of the time taken up by the old apparatus. In most cases he had been told- to make the machine .or tool required without being told how to do "f. .Ho had written to tho General Manager four months, ago respecting further recognition for wiiat ho had done for the Department, but so far had received no reply. The treatment he had received from the Department was certainly not such as to encourage, him to think out further "m----provements. Some time ago he proposed to mako an apparatus for replacing belts which had fallen off, but he had received no encouragement. At the present time ho estimated that a shop like Addington would lose quite * eight hours every month from bolt 1 troubles. He had also effected severil I improvements for itho use of the boiler ' shop, which materially reduced the time required for carrying out certun

operations. , , To the President: His rating at Ad-dino-ton was that of a fitter, - and he was" pa id 10s fid a day. He was now in chaTge of all the tools. His duty was to keep the- tools in good order, but not to invent and make new tools, although he was from time to time into make certain tools. Ho had never seen the Yarrow tube expander. There was a considerable difference between tho Wicksteod tube cutter and the ono he had invented. He did not know of any belt returner in use in New- Zealand., although he knew th«-y were used in the shops in England. To Mr Roberts: All of his inventions were in constant use at Addington. John May. blacksmith at Addington, said he had been 12i years at Addington. and received 10s Gd per day. The work at Addington was as hard as at any other shop where he had worked. He had, while at Addington, invented several tools, whi<_-h had effected a very big saving in time in respect of certain operations. The Department had the use of all of his | tools, but lie had received nothing so I far. Two or three more steam hammers were required at tho blacksmith's

I shop at Aldington. | - To Mr Roberts: Mr Richardson, tho i manager, had introduced several im-I pTOvt'ments at Addington in the way of labour-saving devices. Decius S. Tiirner, gas fitter at Addington, said he found the work at Addington as hard as at- any other place where ho had worked. He had invented several new- devices relating to the gas service in the cars, but had received no recognition from the Department. If the men were given nwro encouragement, the Government won id have a superior class of men to deal with. This was all the evidence called lo* Mr Hampton. The President said th:it the Commission had now a large amount ot" m-itter l>efore it, and he proposed to deal with that matter before calling further witnesses, all the voluntary witnesses having been heard. The date on which further evidence would be received would be advertised, . and the representatives of tho officers and men notified. The Board then adjourned.