RAILWAY DISMISSALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20986, 24 September 1931, Page 8

RAILWAY DISMISSALS.

MANY OFFICERS RETIRED.

OVER THIRTY YEARS' SERVICE

AUCKLAND MEN INVOLVED.

QUESTION OF SUPERANNUATION

Notice of their retirement from the Railways Department at the end of this month has been served on a large number of officers of all branches with more than 30 years' service. Official advice concerning the total number of men affected is not available in Auckland-, but it is known that, among the enginedrivers, 35 on the North Island lines have been advised that they are to be. superannuated. Of these, six are stationed at Auckland and three at Frankton. The economy axe has fallen both on married and single men and. in some cases, on men with large families. It is gathered that in making the retirement selections the department has considered the value of the service being rendered rather than marital and other domestic obligations. The staff of the district engineer appears to have escaped lightly, probably because the needs of the time can be met by dispensing with the comparatively large number of casual employees engaged in maintenance work.

It was intimated earlier in the month by Mr. IT. H. Sterling, chairman of the Railways Board, that p. certain number of permanent employees with more than 30 years' service would bo retired under section 14 of the Finance Act, 1931. Action under that section requires to be taken before September 30. When men with over 35 years' service were retired earlier in the year, action was taken under authority conferred by the superannuation provisions of the Government Railways Act, 1926. Although reticence is closely preserved, ib is believed that a number of other Auckland men with 30 years' service also received notices this week, intimating their prospective retrenchment. Probably, at least 12 Auckland railway men are involved in the edict.

In ordinary circumstances, a contributor to the railways superannuation fund is not entitled to a pension as a matter of right until he has completed 40 years' service. However, there is provision for • consent being given to retirement after 35 years, the pension payable being computed on the term served. Under legislation passed in the emergency session earlier in the year it was further provided that a contributor, on being retired through no fault of his own up to September 30 next, might be pensioned although he had five years' less service than had been previously required. THREE WAIKATO CASES. HAMILTON STATIONMASTER. [from our own correspondent.] HAMILTON. Wednesday. The stationmaster at Hamilton, Mr. G. Moore, has received notice of his retirement on superannuation. Mr. Moore joined the railway at Petone 34 years ago. After serving at Petone and Upper Hutt he was in the traffic manager's office at Wellington for 10 years. For six years he was booking clerk at Petone. and for eight years stationmaster at Carterton. Mr. Moore was appointed to his present position six years ago. He is a very efficient officer, and is exceedingly popular with the public. Mr. Moore intends to live in Hamilton. Two railwaymen employed at Frafikton, Mr. M. Ryan and Mr. W. Mcintosh, have also received notice of retirement on completion of 30 years' service.