RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD.

Mataura Ensign, 23 April 1913, Page 5

RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD.

'1 ho Railway Appeal Board, consisting of Messrs \V. H. Hazelden, S.M. (chairman,), Jolin Gray (First Division), and Peter Gaines (Second. Division), held a sitting at Invercargill yesterday. when several appeal cases were brought forward. A GUARD'S CASE. VVilliam Sabine J'as ley appealed against the Department's decision in not recommending lidm for promotion in the annual revision of staff for 1912, and. thereby being superseded by other officers. Mr Hutchens (for tlio appellant) said tho procedure adopted by tho Department left tho door open to favoritism. Evideinoe was given flay Thomas Walter Brebner (district traffic manager) to the effect that he did not consider, from information placed before him, that Paslcy was suitable to be classed as a first grade guard. It was tlio practice to keep a record of a man's duties, and to base his suitability for promotion or otherwise on this record and other information obtained. Since 1911 appellant had improved in his work, and lie had recommended him for promotion in 1912. After a report made by tho Riversdale stationmnster in regard to a complaint laid by him against Pas Ley and the appellant's reply thereto to tho Department had been perused by the chairman, evidence was given by ■ Samuel John Webb, statio.nviaster at Riversdale, to the effect that he had recommended Pasley for promotion on March 13, 1912. Witness was not asked to do so in 1911. John Ritchie Boswell, station master at Gore, and Edward Dobbie, stationmaster at Dunedin and recently of Invercargill, said that Pasley's work was satisfactory whenever he came under their supervision during the carrying out of his duties as guard. ANOTHER GUARD'S APPEAL. Guard John Sheehan, of Lumsden, appealed against promotion having been withheld from him, as he had not Ikk'u recommended in tho reviews of [staff of 1911 or 1912. Mr Patrick Sheehnn, who represented appellant, said that the Department had (teen asked for the reasons why appellant had) not been promoted, but so far none had been forthcoming. Thomas Walter Brebner, traffic mana£|r, said that appellant had been stationed at Lumsden since April 30, 1912. He was previously at Hedgehope. He did not think that appellant was suitable to bo graded as a first-class guard. He had, however, recommended him for 1913. Ho had been shown his lists of defaults, of which he had also received notice a«5 each case occurred. A. T. Ennis (traffic inspector) gave corroborative evidence and Enginedrivers Coekroft and Robertson said; they considered Sheohan to 1» among) the best guards at shunting work anxl j getting trains away from the stations. Decision was reserved. j