RAILWAYMEN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17390, 30 January 1917, Page 5

RAILWAYMEN.

CLAIM FOR EXEMPTION FROM |

MILITARY SERVICE.

CASE FOR THE DEPARTMENT.

GENERAL MANAGER BEFORE APPEAL BOARD. '

[Per Press Association]

WELLINGTON, January 29.

The position of trained railway servants drawn in the military ballot, and the Railway Department's claims in tliis respect, were thrashed out beforo a sitting of the recently constituted additional Military Service' Board this afternoon; Mr \V. Hi S. Moorhouso presided and had with him Messrs A. O'L.Considine and M.J. Made. , On behalf of the General Manager of Railways Mr J. Bevan appealed for the exemption of a number of railway hands. In reference to the first

appeal, the case of F. 11. Milne, stationmaster at Ongarue, Mi - Bevan said that Mr Milne was a trained man and his services were necessary, so that the operations of the Department might be carried out successfully. Owing to the shortage of staffs th© Railway Department was experiencing great difficulty in carrying on its work. . Tho chairman remarked that the board wished to emphasise that whenever the Railway Department withdrew anyone from the first ballot it imposed additional hardships on other men of tho second ballot. '.''■■',,

Mr Bevan replied that tho Department was quite aware of this. Up to March ill 1916, 728 permanent railway hands had enlisted, while up to Decomber 7 a total of 2794 of tho Department's staff had enlisted, representing about 25 per cent of the permanent staff. Some of these places h.ad been filled by inexperienced men and in some oases not filled at all. hi addition to this 1500 casual, hands had enlisted since the outbreak* of the war. The bulk of these ca&'ual hands were trained men. This made an approximate total of 4294 trained men that the Department had lost since the outbreak of tho war. At present there were altogether 2141 vacancies. The General Manager was particularly anxious to help recruiting, but with so many depletions he was also anxious to retain certain trained men. Mr Bevan said there appeared to he certain misapprehensions among the public that the Railway. Department was not doing much to help on the war. Tho speaker wished to give this an emphatic contradiction. He referred 'to the matter of race trains. Whether the Department proposed to alter the existing arrangements in this respect, he said, was a matter of policy. In reply to a question by the chairman in regard to the employment of female labour to fill vacancies, Mr Bevan said that the Department had taken on a considerable number at women, hub that it was impossible to nil many vacancies in this way. Wome ,?J could not vory well be employed on shift work in country stations, and they could hardly be employed in shunting operations. . , Captain Baldwin, military representative, inquired if traffic had been curtailed since the outbreak of the war in respect to "luxury trains." Mr Bevan: The public come along and they have to be served. Besides, what do" you mean by luxury trainsP Captain Baldwin : Race trains, show trains, holiday trains. Now if you eliminate these.luxury trains,would it not free a large number of hands? Mr Bevan: And suburban traffic would also have to be cut clown? Captain Baldwin: Y'is. > I would suggest: a twelve hours' service. Mr Bevan admitted .this would ease matters. The question was not one for him to givo an opinion on, but one for the general manager. At this stage Mr Hiley, General Manager made a few comments and explanations on the evidence given by Mr Bevan. In regard to suburban services ho stated that this matter had been gone into very carefully hy specinl conferences, but that no decision had been arrived at yet to- curtail services. Mr Hilov said that if the Government decided to abolish cheap fares, excursion tickets and other such " attract traffic " schemes they would then see what traffic it would drive away, and consequently be able to arrive at a basis as to what members of the staff they could dispense with.

Mr Mack: Do you copsider it necessary traffic to earn* such things as race-1 horses, show catt'o or. say, theatre peonle. at reduced prices? Mr Hiley renlied that as long as the Government advertised such traffic the Department, must cater for it. Cantain' Baldwin: And from yonr Knowledge can vou say that every man you are appealing for is necessary for the present service? i Mr Hilev: From my own knowledge T can say this. Thr* other officers are as anxious as I am that, wo should not he open to any censure in this respect. The point is. we have romp to our limit. Evenhially the board decided to adjourn the appeals until May 1. subject to appellants remaining in their present positions. •,.;