GOOD MEN GOING

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 187, 6 May 1931, Page 11

GOOD MEN GOING

Railway Retirements

ONLY JUST METHOt)

General Manager’s Regret

In valedictory remarks at a presentation to Mr. J. Brown, district traffic manager, Mr. H. H. Sterling, General Manager of Bailways, made it clear that in the retirement of some of the longer service officers under the Government’s economy schemes, tlie department was losing some very valuable servants. Mn Sterling pointed out that the administration had been faced with the alternative of retrenching from the bottom on a policy of “last on, first off.” “As humane men you would find it impossible to adopt this alternative while the other was open to you,” the general manager said. “We have found ourselves suddenly, and from circumstances over which we could have no control, carrying a very substantial surplus staff. • I do not suppose there is anything that would be more heart-rending to the administration—certainly to me at any'rate—than to have to face retrenchment.” Mr. Sterling said it was particularly unpleasant to face retrenchment when it meant putting young men out of service. They had their lives before them, had wives and families to keep, or were contemplating marriage and saving up. If these men were the victims the suffering would be much greater than under the system adopted. 'This did not mean that the retrenchment scheme chosen had been adopted without a'due sense of the very grave loss that the department was suffering. The loss placed a burden on those left behind.

“I speak with great personal feeling on this matter because I know that I have taken a very grave responsibility in parting with men of the calibre of Mr. Brown,” said Mr. Sterling. “If I consulted my feelings I would not hesitate to say no. But I would be failing in my duty to this country; I would, I believe, be doing an injustice to the great body of men with whom I am associating in this department, if I did not go to the Government and say we would take our share of the load that will fall on us with the loss of such men as Mr. Brown. We are losing many valuable men—men who have given the best part of their lives to our Industry—and I am sure the others going out will not begrudge the tribute when I say that Mr. Brown undoubtedly ranks among the highest.” Mr. Brown was presented with a bag of golf clubs and a pipe, and Mrs. Brown received a set of crystal.