DISMISSAL OF APPEALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18347, 13 March 1923, Page 9

DISMISSAL OF APPEALS.

TRAMWAY INSPECTORS. PROMOTION BY EFFICIENCY. Decision in the appeals of seven employees of the Auckland City Tramways in connection with the appointment of certain traffic Inspectors was given by the Auckland Trarawsys Appeal Board yesterday. The chairman was Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M.,' and with him were "Mr. G. R. Hutchinson, representing the employe'.*, and Mr. J. J. Nixon, representing the employees. Mr. Stanton appeared »or the City Council and Mr. Sullivan for the appellants. The grounds of the appeals were that the appellants were senior in service to certain men appointed, and had equal qualification;. The chairman said the board had come to the unanimous decision that not one of the appeals could be sustained. It seemed to the board that in making their •t.peals the appellants had been influenced by tht> old rule. However, the new rule was that promotion- was by efficiency and not by seniority. Regarding the new rule Mr. Cutten said he was going to make a few remarks, i which were not necessarily the opinion of his colleagues. In his capacity of chairman of the Post and Telegraph Appeal Board ho had * good deal of experience of -the working of the rub. of promotion by efficiency, and he must say it had given remarkably better results and was much more in the interests of employees, than promotion bv seniority. Under the latter rule all that ft man had to do was to be careful not to break the regulations and he would steadily move upwards in t)he service. Just behind him might be another man, who was highly efficient, who gave hib whole time and energy to the service, and yet he could not be promoted over the head of his senior. It was a matter of very great importance to the man to have thoroughly efficient officers to turn to in times of nnd fee! sure of receiving fair, equitable treatment, concluded Mr. Cutten. Reverting to the actual decision of the board Mr. Cutten said there was one apical to which the board had , given great thought, but ever, in that case the board was satisfied that the general manager of tramway*, Mr A. E. Ford, gave the most careful consideration to the matter and was in a better position to arrive at a decision. All the appeals were dismissed