RAILWAY ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 145, 13 March 1908, Page 4

RAILWAY ELECTIONS.

SUPERANNUATION FUND BOARD. , . >The'election of members to represent the .contributors.-on the Government Railways Superannuation Fund Board has. resulted in the following. members being returned •' ' FIRST DIVISION. : . ' North Island member—Mr. R. M.'lsaacs, clerk, Wellington. ' " .;' ' '• . .South!; Island ' member—Mr! A. Graham, 'stationmaster,. Tim'aru. , - •; SECOND DIVISION, y- . Mr.. W.I Pepper, surfaccmaii, Aramolio.' _ ./'•Mr. ,M. Thomas,' erane-driver,' Invercnrgill; i Mr.-. Tho''l'ast.'three .repreSent'ibpth .Islalids.' : The scrutineers forithe election, who;'are apponited .'.by, the, contributors',., were' Mr.\'R. T. ■Gpld6wi''_leading.;carpeiit6r,' and M'Kay,-.drigineman. •'"'" : .'

• There are also four statutory) members: of tho Board—The ..Ministtil'-'for Railways;'Solici-tor-General, Public Trustee, , ~and' General .Manager-for'Railways; ■' - 'v.'. ' "; ». y_

The,new Board will .hold"office- for., three years:? It;,is ,the -third that .has been elected under tho Government; Railways Superannuation Fund Act, 1902; The election for tho first Board .was held in March, 1903, and the Board| whose term of office has just 'terminated; was.-appointed- iii'-March, .1905. y- vy APPEAL BOARD.: The election of membors to form the Railway "Appeal" Board' has; resulted ; -as ■ follows ■'• '• NORTH ISLAND. - ; First Division.—Mr.' C. ■P: Ryari; clerk. Wangaiiui. y Sccond -Division.—Trallio arid Stores Branch: Mr. J. A. Dimond, guard," Wellington, Workshops Branch: Mr. D. M'Koiizio,'machinist, yPetone'. : Locomotive Running Branch : Mr. W. A. !Veitch, enginedriver,- Wanganur. ; Maint'enancei- Branch : Mr; P, -Lalfy, surfaceman, Wellington'. SOUTH ISLAND. ; First Division,—Mr. J9IIII Gray, Traffic Irispector, Christchurch. Second ; iDivision.—Traffic and;- Stores Branch: Mr.'. M. Reddington, shunter, Christchurch.; Workshops Branch:,, Mr.' J.' H. .Jones, fitter,..Addington; Locomotive Running Branch: Mr. G. Brown, engine-drivei', Christchurch. " 1 - • ' No nomination on behalf of tho Maintenance Branch having, been mado for the South Island, a special election: to ..fill this vacancy will ,bo held : ori :April; 27.- V . T\yo chairmen of tho Board for the North Island' and .South Island -respectively' re-, main to bo appointed by the f Minister. Tho present-chairmen are! Mr. H. Eyre Kenny, S.M., of: Nelson, for the North Island; and District Judge, Haselden, for tho South Island. • . . 1

IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS. • • Tha Appeal Board, which is elected ■ for .three' yoars,'has important functions' to fulfil in connection with the classification scheme which rules in the Department. Any railway servant who is fined over £2, or suffers loss of status for. an alleged misdemeanour, or any . officer who thinks , that ho has boen unjustly passod by. in tho matter of promotion, inay take; his caso before tho Board. Tho clerk, machinist, surfaceman, and others forming this tribunal are ompowered -,to sit in judgment on tho sins of omission • and commission imputed to the district officers or heads of branches.' Evidence is taken, and their . recommendations -are forwarded. to the : Minister. .-The.Board just-elected,"represent-ing chiefly-the-; ■Departinient,'! might; tie :called -upon ;at; -.ariy.-'tiiiio to judge -.whether!; a. certain, statioriniaster • was .or was not'competent: for 'a chargo, to which ho had ilot' been -promoted.-In thfese' matters, however, tho_ tribunal's judgment is-'really mado' subordinate.^.to-.that, of the General Manager, ,wtipnv;the : Acticpustitutes tho final court-.of of promotion. Tho Board!chief-valuo probably lies in: tho safeguard:.which it I 'affords -against the pos-sible-tiridue-prgrijotion of "inexperienced favourites, who could schrcoly bo pushed up over other :men without demands for an investigation;) One would .imagine that it must also tend tb'koep the departmental officers woll acquainted with their staffs,'since preference given in:, promotion may- always liavo to bo justified before tho Board.-