RAILWAY APPEAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1535, 3 September 1912, Page 6

RAILWAY APPEAL.

GANGER'S CASE,

HIS WORK IN THORNDON YARD.

Au adjourned sitting of the Railway Appeal Board was held at the Magistrate's Court yesterday' afternoon. The board comprised-Dr. M'Arthur, S.M. (president), with him Messrs. C. P. Ryan (i'irst Division) and J. L. Churchhouse (Second Division). Peter Laivson, maintenance ♦ ganger in charge of Thormlon station yard, continued his appeal against reduction to the position of line ganger, grade 1. It was alleged by the Department that ho was unsuitable for the former position, and had bseii reduced on that account. Mr. M. Lee appeared for the appellant (Lawson), and Mr. 11. Davidson on behalf of tho Railway Department. Mr. Lee opened appellant s cas.e by calling Lawson himself to give evidence.. .-Appellant stated that he had been in tho railway service twenty-five years, and had been engaged as 11 ganger lor iiiteen years He had worked under eight different inspectors, and had been complimented on his work. Under Inspector Bnruicth he had carried out special work on points and crossings, and no fault had been found. While employed in the Auckland district he had been awarded a nrst and second prize in two successive years for the best-kept length. He had also done special work under Inspector Aorthcote aud had been-recommended for pro-motion-by him. He had been in charge of the Thorndon yard for sixteen months, and, when ho took charge, ,lhp yard was j in a verv bad state. Inspector Gordon instructed him to renew the fish-plates in the yard, and, starting on the worst portion? first, he had worked on them for, about n. week when the inspector intimated that he had missed some, io this he (witness) replied that he was doing the worst part first, and leaving the other till later. They were short ot n,hbolts at the time, and he had had to u,fl old ones froni the scrap heap. This woik had been carried out under various adverse circiimstancesin the way of insufficient repair material and good rails, as a matter.of. fact, when he had completed his work," there was nothing ser ously wron? with the line. His gang had consisted of two permanent men and one casual hand, and hfi was frequently shorthanded. He had been accused of idling, and the inspector had interviewed two of his (witness's gang), regarding this. He Wished to add that in the whole of his tonty-five years' service, he had never corroborated appel--1,?S« ?* to the lack of materia rnouisite for 1? work. He stalwl tint ffwsou had renewed helf the fish-plate*

'"After faring other evidence of a tochnical nature regarding Lftwson .work, the boai;d reserved ita decisiou till tins morning. ' - •