THE RAILWAY SERVICE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10850, 16 March 1921, Page 3

THE RAILWAY SERVICE

APPEAL CASES CONSIDERED AT YESTERDAY’S SITTING. INTERESTING EVIDENCE. The hearing of the evidence in the appeal of G. Duncan, station master at tleLensville, was iconcluded before the Railway Appeal Board yesterday. The 'appellant, for whom Mr C. R. Bell appeared, appealed against nis position on the D 3 Classification List of 1919, on the ground that he had been reduced a grade and superseded by a number of officers foamed; who, he contended, were junior to him in the service, and without just cause. . , , Mr B. Page, S.M., presided, and associated with him were Messrs A. N. I.or.gton (First Division), and M. r-ee (Second Division) Mr J. Mason apueared for the department. HANDLING OF TRANSPORT. J. B. Mitchell (assistant traffic manager) said that the appellant was engaged on transport work at Napier, and witness on making an inspection of that work was not satisfied that it had been carried out in a manner mat was expected or an officer holding the tfosit on that Mr Dunrun had hold. He did not think that he iva> entitled to accelerated promotion, but sow no objection, to liis promotion in turn in the ordinary way- Witness left Wellington >n June, 1919, and Mr Duncans reduction m grade did not come before witness. The positiou held by Air Duncan at Napier was a grace higuor, as far as he couid remember, than the riature of the work warranted. He knew nothing personally which would warrant Uis reduction after licing Y ronio ted at Napier. In fact he was not aware that Mr Duncan had been reduced in the •position he was holding. Transport work v.as difficult to handle, and it depenaed upon the man controlling it to have the ability to do so efficiently, in IVhi oh case he should find no difficulty in meeting the ever-changing conditions. In cases where there were not sfifficient wagons available the transport officer had to do the best in the circumstances, end to apportion the supply as well as possible. At times there was a distinct shortage during heavy traffic in stock, but it was not in his province to say if there was a general shortage of wagons in the railway service.

EFFICIENT TRANSPORT OFFICE®. Isaac H. B. Jeffares, stationmaster at Napier, said the appellant was on his staff up to March, 1929, and occupied the positions of chief clerk and_ transport officer. Transport wars, he said, was always difficult, especially in the stock season. Stock wagons were drawn from fVellington, ami there was practically always a stream of empty wagons going back to Hawke s Bay. Advice of wagons being on the road was sometimes received, and the wagons did not arrive; they having been delayed during transcoyt. Sucfi delays occurred frequently, and necessitated a, readjustment of the disposition of the wagons. He had always found the appellant an efficient transport officer, and equal to any position that might arise. He could not remember having received complaints from the public in respect to the supply of wagons, but there were complaints as to the general working of the transport. He believed Mr Duncan to be a truthful, candid man, and would recommend him as a capable officer; that was to say a good average one. The appellant worked long hours. He was frequently on duty at 5 o'clock in the morning, and often remained on duty till 10 and 11 e clock at night. Those occasions were during the stock season mainly-, and were not due to any want of capacity on the part of the appellant. George i'fiten, stationmaster at Takapau, stated that he ordered his wagon requirements througn the appellant. There were times when he was unable to supply the quantity ordered through no fault of his own, but he had never been "slipped ap” by Mr Duncan. Al ter-hearing addresses by the advocates for the appellant and department r» siheitively the 'board reserved fits decision. CLERK’S STATUS RESTORED. The case of A. R, Williams, clerk at Wellington, and formerly relieving officer for the Wellington district, was mentioned to the board by Mr J. Mason, advocate for the department. The appellant had appealed against bis classification, contending that he had been superseded and reduced in status. Mr Mason informed the board that an oiler of settlement had been made the appellant and had been accepted by him. Mr V. J. Stanley, who appeared for Williams, said the position was as Mr Mason had stated. It was understood that the effect of the settlement was that the appellant had been restored to the status he held prior to the classification of 1919. DETECTING WEIGHT SHORTAGE. Further evidence was heard in the case of J. Monteitli (Mr V. J. Stanley), which had been adjourned from Thursday last in order that certain, matters might be placed before the board. A porter named Lay testified that Mr G. H. Mackley, who superseded Mr Monteith at Ormondville, had paid him sixpence per package for detecting understatements in weight. G. H. Mackley admitted that he had at opted the means as described by porter Lay in order to detect understatements in weight, and contended ha was justified in doing so. At this stage the board adjourned till 10 o’clock this morning.