RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 150, 14 March 1918, Page 8

RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD

9 ■ The North Island Railway Appeal Board concluded its sittings in Wellington yesterday. The chairman of the board (Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M.) presided, and the assessors sitting witli him were Messrs. A. W. Hutching and J. Churchousc. Mr. V J. Mac Donald appeared for the Department in all cases. All the cases heard during the day were on the complaint of three inspectors of permanent way, on account of their having been, as. thoy alleged, superseded by three other inspectors, who had been promoted. The case of Thomas Henry Gcroghty had been complete except for the addresses to tbe Court on the preceding day The next case was that of Cornelius O'Leary, inspector of permanent way, Aramoho, for whom Mr. V. Stanley appeared. The 'ovidence in this case was not dissimilar in character from that of the former case. The appellant had : good reputation and a good record, but while this was admitted, the case for the Department was that the other men had better qualifications for promotion. In both cases decision was adjourned. William Francis Oshorue, inspector of permanent way, Papakura, appealed against the promotion over his head of Inspectors Loney. Ciirric, and Rayson. Mr. Colin Carnahan appeared for tho appellant. The evidence was that appellant wan an excellent inspector, but the Chief Engineer, Mr. F. W. M'Leau, while admitting this, still asserted that the other three inspectors were superior to him. He admitted that Osborne's case was on the border-line—that he was nearly equal, but not quite cqunl in merit to the men who had superseded him. Tho case was adjourned to Aucklnm , to permit of evidence being taken there for the appellant. This concluded tho business for the AVellington sitting of the board.