RAILWAYS TRIBUNAL

Evening Star, Issue 25344, 28 November 1944, Page 7

RAILWAYS TRIBUNAL

EVIDENCE FOR OFFICERS' INSTITUTE

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 27. Giving evidence on behalf of tho Railway Officers' Institute at a sitting of the Railway Tribunal to-day, Mr H. 0. Lusty, chief engineer, said it was impossible at present to do much more capita) work % The general conditions did not require much to be done, fn addition to the shortage of staff, there was a very grave shortage of some material*. A good deal of work was in arrears, such as improvements in station yards* but there was nothing that affected the safety of the track. Mr r \. W. Wylos, signal and electrical erisrmeer, said the-maintenance work in hii branch was a good deal behindhand, but there had been no slackening of the work to maintain the safety standard. : .

Mr P. R. Angus, chief mechanical engineer, said the Diesel railcars had proved a convenient and suitable means of travel in certain districts, and their use would ,no doubt increase in .the future. Larger units of the Diesel eloetri..> type were under consideration for certain sections. There were no Diesel electric railcars in New Zealand. There wore, now iii service the followjn." locomotives and vehicles:—Steam and electric locomotives. 630 ■ cars. 1..50G; railcan;. 21: multiple units. 12; vans. 504: wa<rons D 1 "14-.