GENERAL ELECTION

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 31 October 1928, Page 11

GENERAL ELECTION

MR. COATES’S CAMPAIGN. THE RAILWAY SERVICE. APPOINTMENT OF MANAGER. (By Telegraph—Special to The Stax.) NGARUAWAHIA, Oct. 31. “The whole thing does not amount to a row of pins. There are men in the railway service who- have been treated more generously than Mr. Sterling,” said the Prime Minister at Tuakau to-day, when dealing with attempts of the Labour Party to make political capital out of the appointment of Mr. H. H. Sterling as general manager of the Railway Department in succession to the Railway Board. The Prime Minister said that the Government did not have to wait for the authority to make an administrative appointment. The chairman of the board had tendered his resignation, and the period of service of . the other members was due to expire in a short period. To .have re-engaged them 1 for another 12 months or so would not have given them any encouragement to make headway in the development oF the railways, so it had been decided to. get Mr. Sterling as general manager. Mr. Coates. a.s Minister of Railways, anproached the directors 1 of the New Zealand Co-operative Company to ascertain whether they would release Mr. Sterling. Reluctantly they had acceded to his representations, and the offer had then been made.to Mr. Sterling. He (Mr. .Coates) bad r faith in. Mr. Sterling, who had the unique experience for a; railway man of having been in the position of a. user of the .service. With regard; to his superannuation, all that had happened l was that on his retirement from' the railway service to join the dairy company Mr. Sterling had drawn the amount he had paid in. When he rejoined the service he had to pay back the money lie had drawn, plus interest- at six per cent. “Mr. Sterling will retire on .superannuation in exactly the same manner as the other members of the railway service.” the Prime Minister continued. “He ha® to l serve his period of 40 years before he will he able to draw the full superannuation he will be entitled- to. which will amount to about £2300 a- year. He has now completed. 27 years’ service, so that lie has- still .some time to go. As fo>" the salary of £3500 a year, "•ell. I don’t like it." but I believe we' have eot a man who will do. the job and will earn that amount, and' who will have the full confidence of the mihlie' and of the other members of the service, apart from the l abour Party may say. The Minister of Railways! is the one to judge, and the responsibility is-on him. I think the present Minister of Railways will he in that iob for quite a; long time vet, and you mar be sure be will keep hi® eve on Mr. Sterling. A voice : “He does not need it.” SPLIT VOTE CONTEST AVOIDED. (By Telegraph—Special to Tho Star.) WELLINGTON. Oct. 31. Air T. M. Wilford, who ha® the advantage of avoiding a split vote contest in Hnifci, told an audience an am/using incident on the subject of how 1 a third candidate changed his mind at the last moment, ‘‘There are only two candidates in the field,” said All" Wilford “hut as a matter of fact there were nearly three. About half an hour before nominations cfysed, this man came to me, because we are great friends. AVe talked, it over and be handed me bis filled nomination form ns a souvenir, so there are only two candidates in the field, instead of three.” “ •. '