ROLLING STOCK

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10561, 12 April 1920, Page 5

ROLLING STOCK

SHORTAGE OF SKILLED MEN RAILWAY WORKSHOPS AND NECESSARY RKPAIRS. A statement with regard to railway rolling stock was' supplied by Mr M. J. Mack (general secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servant) to a "Times" representative on Saturday.

"I have repeatedly cailed the attion of tho Railway Department and of the general public," stated Mr Mack "'to the fact that the men in the railway service, particularly in the railway workshops, are leaving in order to improve their conditions by taking up work outside, where better wages arc paid. I wag always met with tho reply that when the * men. returned from tho front there would be ample labour available. But this has _ not proved to bo the ease. There is a very serious shortago of skilled men in the* workshops to-day. So much so, that it is a question "whether the men remaining in the workshops can deal with the necessary repairs to rolling stock. STILL LEAVING SERVICE.

I again want to point out that the men are still leaving the service, and that no effort is being made to retain them. I am not at all surprised that tho Government proposes, as. Mr Massey stated the other day, to go out of tho country for rolling stock, because anyone who has read the Railway Statements for the last three of four years can see for himself that the production in the shops has been getting less. 'For instance, on March 31gt, 191 G, the department said thait it had actually on order and in hand 52 engines, 4 vans, 37 carriages, and 809 wagons. It produced, with the aid of Price Bros., at the Thames, 26 engines out of tho 52, 2 vans, 29 carriages, and 433 wagons. On March 31st, 191?, the department said that it had actually on order apd in hand 27 engines, 1G vans, 40 carriages, and 1183 wagons; yet, again, with the aid of Price Bros.,' they produced only 21 engines, 4 vans, 9 carriages, and 149 wagons. On March 31st, 1918, it was reported ithnt the department had actually on order and in hand 15 engines, 12 vans, 38 carriages, and 1050 wagons: but by March 31st, 1919, the department had only produced one engine, one carriage, and 143 wagons. During the year" 1918-19, this statement eleaflv shows that the men were almost entirely occupied dealing with repairs. As a matter of fact—and a very significant fact it wort of three years, with the aid of Price Bros., did not produce what the department- stated it had actually on order and in hand for 1916 alone. NO NEED TO GO OUTSIDE,

I "I contend, however, that there is absolutely no necessity to go outside the Dominion for railway rolling stock if the Government will make tho railway workshops thoroughly up-to-dato and employ skilled men at reasonable wages, thus keeping the mOney in the country, instead of sending it out. But the- really serious question for_ the department at the present time is.: 'How is it going to maintain in a good state cf repair the rolling stock in already has'? Tho last year's output of one enerine, one carriage, and 143 wagons indicates that the department will not be. able "to do tha.t. At March 31st, 1919, tho department had actually on order and in hand 14 engines, 15,vans. 39 carriages, and 909 wagons. It would be interesting, exceedingly interesting, to know how manv- of .these have materialised during the past year?"