RAILWAY APPEAL CASES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10847, 12 March 1921, Page 7

RAILWAY APPEAL CASES

EMPLOYEES’ GRIEVANCES. SUPERSEDED BY OTHERS. The North Island Railway Board of Appeal resumed the hearing of cases at 10 a.m. yesterday. Mr Ew Page, S'.M., presided, with Messrs A. N. Longton and M. Lee. The case of Mr C., P. Ryan, stationmaster at Mercer, in the Auckland- district, and formerly of Wood villa and Wanganui, was taken.

The appellant, who was . represented by Mr C. R. Bell, a member of the executive of the New Zealand Railway Officers’ Institute, appealed against having been superseded by fourteen officers in 1919.

At the commencement of the case, Mr Bell made formal application to the board for its ruling upon certain vital matters in the Ac t and Regulations. The chairman observed that the points raised were of very great importance and far-reaching effect, and that the board would necessarily take time to consider its decisions on them. Evidence was called from Mr J. Bevin, traffic manager at Wellington, who ejeposed that the appellant, when reviewed at the conference of managers in 1919, was assessed to be an officer of average ability, but not the equal to the numbers who had superseded him. Corroborative evidence was given by J. B. Mitchell and J. Young, past and present traffic managers at Wellington. After the luncheon adjournment, corroborative evidenco was given by Mr T. A. Foweraker, goods agent, of Wellington, and formerly stationmaster at Wanganui, and also Mr B. J. Lezard, audit inspector. The case will be resumed at 10 a.m. to-day.