RAILWAYMAN AND THE BALLOT

Evening Star, Issue 16335, 30 January 1917, Page 2

RAILWAYMAN AND THE BALLOT

QUESTION OF EXEMPTION, THE DEPARTMENT’S APPEAL.

The Third Wellington Military Service Hoard (Messrs W. H. S, Moorhouse, A. E ; Considine, and M. .1. Mack) sat at Wellington yesterday, when the tniportaut matter of railway appeals was discussed. On behalf of the General Manager of Railways, Air J. Bevin appealed for the exemption of a number of railway hands. The first appeal was that of F. R. Milne (station master at Ongarne). Air Bevin Milne was a trained man, and his services were necessary so that the operations of the department might bo carried out successfully. Owing to (he shortage of staffs the Railway Department was experiencing great difficulty in carrying on. its work.

Tile Chairman (Mr Moorhouse) remarked that the board wished to emphasise the fact that whenever the Railway Department withdrew anyone from tho first ballot it imposed additional hardships on other men in the second ballot. Ah’ Bevin replied that the department was quite aware of this. Up till It lurch 31, ICIG, 723 permanent railway hands mwl enlisted, wlnlo up till December 7 2./94 of fhe -department's staff luul enlisted. representing about 25 per rent, of the permanent staff. Feme of these places bad been filled by inexperienced men, and iu come cases they had not been tilled at all. In addition to this, 1,500 casual hards had enlisted since tho outbreak ot war. 'Die bulk of these casual hands were trained .men. This" made an approximate total of 4.294 trained men th.-d the department had lost since the outbreak o: war. At present, there were altogether 2.141 vaiancics. The General Manager of tne department was particularly anxious to help in recruiting, but wild) so many depletions he desired to rcta:n omm (rain ’d me.”.. There appeared to lie a pertain amount of misapprehension among tne nnhlie that the Railway Department was pot. doing much to help on the war, but be wished to give this an emphatic c-v’.lvad’chmi. lie referred to Die nintter o; trains, and stated that whether the department proposed to alter tne existing arrangements iu this respect was a matter of policy. In reply to a question by the chairman in regard to the employment ,p p-male la’.or to til! vacannj’-- -dr Bevin said the department had laacn on a considerable number of women, but Unit it. was impossible to till many vacancies in this way. "Women conk! not very well be empb.-ved on shift work in country stations, and they could hardly he employed in .’■binning operations. . Captain I’aldwm (military representative) inquired if tho traffic had been curtailed s:mc (h.e outbreak of the war in respect to "luxury trains.” Mr Bevin : 'I he pubiie cenie along, and they have to b-> served. Bc.-idcs. wiuu do you mean by luxury trains? Captain Baldwin : iku-e trains, show trains, and h.fikl.iy trains. Jr you eliminate there luxury trains, would it not free a large number of hands? Mr Bevin : And the suburban traffic would also ];a\-(i [o be cut down ? Captain Baldwin ; Vos; 1. would suggest a 12-lnuis’ service. Mr llivni admitted that this would case matters. Tice quest ion we.s not one tor him to give an opinion on. but was one for the General Manager. At this stage Air liikv (General Alannger) made a few comments and explanations on tno evnieir’e givni bv Air Bevin in regard 1 .> suburban servitr. s ." He stared that tins in ;i i”r bad Ivcm gone into vrr v cai’ci i.iiy by spccal contorciicvs. but that no dm ision lief! been ai nved at yet to eortad. the serve;’ ’-. If the Government decadal to !nhsh ciicap lares, excursion tickets, ardr-tlnr s-mli “ attract traffic” senemes l:’”y v. mild then see what traffic it would drive away, and consequently would fie able to arrive at a basis a? to what members of the staff they could dispense with.

Mr Mack : Do you consider it necessary to carry such things ns racehorses, show cattle, or, say theatre people at reduced "prices ?

Mr Hilcy replied that so Swg- «r thr • Government advertised such traffic the de-1 partment must cater for it. ! Captain Baldwin. : And from your know- | ledge, can you say that every man you are appealing for is necessary for the, present service ? Air Hiley : From my own knowledge 1 can say that other officers are as anxious j as I am that we should not be open to’ any censure in this respect. The point 1 is that we have come to our limit. j Eventually the board decided to ad- ! jouni tho appeals until May 1, subject i to the appellants remaining" in the pro-j sent positions. ' ' 1

“.Could you lend me lOdol until to- j morrow?’’ “Couldn’t you make it the! day after—so many of my friends have i promised to pay mo ‘ to-morrow 1 that you might have difficulty horning into , mv office.”