ADDINGTON INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 455, 13 March 1909, Page 5

ADDINGTON INQUIRY.

a THE STAFFING ARRANGEMENTS. TOO CUMBERSOME. FURTHER EXPERT EVIDENCE, tor TKtßcttirn—l'RESs association.) Christchurch, March 12. . Tho Addington workshops inquiry was resumed this morning at tho Provincial Council Chambers, tho members of tho board present bouig Professor Scott (president), and Messrs. J. J. Niveu and E. Roberts. Harry H. Jackson, locomotive engineer in. charge of tho Hurunui-Bluff, section, said he had been in the service since November, 1876, and had been in his present position sinco January, 1900. The Addington workshops woro a part of his charge, and ho was frequently at tho workshops, although he could not spend so much time there as he > would like. During his charge of tho section no had found tho men at Addington a fino body of men, and there was no moro idling than at any other works. When detected, offenders were suitably punished, and no caso was passed over! Ho was quito satisfied the boiler shop was as efficiently supervised as any other shop, if anything more so. Iho disciplino at tho shops was quite satisfactory. Any breaches were suitably punished, flio output of work at Addington was perfectly satisfactory in his opinion, and he would put in a summarised comparison of tho output from 1901. The preseiit arrangements as to staff were too cumbersome, and it happened at times that months elapsed before additional men asked for were granted. Inn present system relating to a proposed addition to the staff was >that Hie workshops manager reported to him, ho reported to the chief mechanical engineer, who sent on tho application to the general manager, from whom he (witness) got his instructions. If tho additions were approved of ho was furnished with a list of names of man who had to bo appointed in tho order given. Tho first man might be dead, tho second out ill the country, tho third in u regular job, and the operation had to go on until a man was found who was willing to start work, llion if tho man did not turn out satisfactory, the whole operation had to be gone through again, so that a long time might claps*, ncfora the staff required were obtained, and ill tho meantime- the work was not going on as it should do. In regard to the filling of vacancies, ho dealt direct with tho'' staff office. Ho wroto'to tho general manager's office, and was frequently told it was not intended to replace the men, and ho had to return to tho clmrgo time after time,,"and in some cases ho had to write to Mr. Bcattie to assist him to get the vacancy filled. Of course, the general manager could not bo expected to see all of these- applications, and the matter must necessarily be left to somebody in the office, and that was tho person with whom he had to'correspond, as a rule, as regards,the staff. When a new machine was obtained ho was told frequently to tako a man- off another machine to work it, and ho had to protest on that account, showing it was no uso getting a now maehino and no qualified man to work it. The Classification and Superannuation Acts bad to be con-, sidered also in regard to tho engaging of men. Generally tho staff arrangements were too cumbersome, and be considered power should bo given to tho workshop manager to engage and discharge casual labour, for that would undoubtedly facilitate the work. . The method of getting rid of men was also cumbersome, 'and ho considered that if it were found necessary to get rid of men that should bo done without the long - correspondence required at present. Regarding tho manufacturo of new locomotives at Addington, a great part of the time had to bo occupied with repair work, especially before holiday periods, as it was necessary to havo every engine out of tho shops to deal with 'tho ■traffic. Very often, therefore, the new locomotive work * had to suffer, sometimes very seriously. The three A engines referred to the previous day. cost £2531 for wages, and £1779 for material, a total of £4310, wbicli included extras. If to that was added the• 15 per cent, commission charged on , the locomotives built at the shops, tho total would bo £4957. The net" cost of labour and material was £4082, tho engine being in precisely the same condition as the engines delivered by tho contractors. The contract price of such engino was £3998, a difference of £84,' ,but tho shops supplied the contractors with a large quantity of the gear at practically not cost, and in addition it had happened that gear had to he taken off the shop engines to supply the contractors for their engines. The price of tho work at Addington and Hillside varied sqmotiraeß in favour of Addington, and vice rorsa. In his opinion, somo of tho plant and appliances wero obsolete. Somo eighteen months ago ho had- made strong representation in regard to remodelling the machinery shop, but nothing had been done in this respect up to the, present. There was no doubt that somo of the old boilers burnt a terrible amount of coal. Tho method of distributing the work was satisfactory. John Francis M'Carthy, workshops manager, Newmarket, stated that ho was for six arid a half years manager of Addington. There was no loafing at tho shops in his time. He thought the. Addington men wero more efficient than tho men at Newmarket or Potonc, for they had the advantage ot greater experience over a more extended range of work. Tho lifting appliances as Addington could be improved. Ho had visited several of the principal workshops in Australia, but only in one did the industry and discipline compare with Addington. 'At those shops the system was much better, and tho locomotives wore built in sets of ten. To do that at Addington, however, would require more accommodation. Repair work at Addington seriously interfered with.the now work. To tho board: The system of appointing tho men was unsatisfactory. Ho could not recall recommending that a linin bo dismissed at Addington owing to lapse of time. Ho was. quite satisfied that while he wai at Addington tho men woro doing a fail day's work for a fair day's wage. Further expert evidence of an appreciative nature was given, and the inquiry adjourned till Monday. "A PERFECT COMEDY OF ERRORS." (DV TKI.BUUM'H—BPKCIAI. OIKIIK.SI -<I!'»KN I 1 Ghristchurcli, March 12. Regarding tho Addington Workshops' inquiry, the "Press" remarks that tho first day's evidence revealed a perfect comedy ot errors. It would havo been much bettor in some respects if Mr. liouayne had made publie his altered opinion. It would certainly have allayed the irritation which was caused, and which can hardly have improved the general disciplino in tho service, liut in that case there might havo been no inquiry, and apparently from Mr. Jenkinson's evidence it will do no harm to throw a little light on tho methods adopted at Addiiiglon and at other Government workshops. As Mr. Millar said, there are other things to inquire about besides tho way in which the moil work. It is rather a round-about and expensive mannor of inducing tho Government to equip tho shops properly, but it is doubtful whether the end would havo been gained by any othei moans.