RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD

Southland Times, Issue 17328, 26 April 1913, Page 6

RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD

TWO DUXEDIX CEASES. (Per United Press Association.) DUXEDIX, April 2lf. , The Railway Appeal Board sat thi# morning to consider two appeals. Thflf first case was tiiat of George chief clerk at Oamaru, who complained!) that in a vacancy occurring in the office of traffic clerk at Invercargill, he passed over in favour of a man threS) months his junior in the service. Mr Davidson, who appeared for th<S Department, said that the General ManJ ager had exercised his discretion con*| scienliously, and to the best of ability, In selecting .1. B. Mitchell the position. i Mr J. P. Malheson, for the appellant* said that lie was prepared to contencjj that the General Manager had not acteA conscientiously, nor to the best of hit* ability in making the selection. A com-*] parison of the records would show thatf Andrews had had a wider experience* and on every ground was entitled to' tlie appointment. Tile Chairman (Mr Haselden): Thera# are two gentlemen, both very good men. A vacancy lias occurred in an important:; office. The Genera! Manager says that, he may be wrong or right, but using hifl best judgment, and acting conacientiously, lie lias appointed Mr Mitchell. The next case was that of Harry L. Gibson, stationmaster. Seacliff* who complained that lie had been passe<X over when the appointments of ticket; inspectors were being made. He main* tained that lie was particularly quail* tied to fill such a position. Mr Davidson said that il was not necessary to bring evidence of ability. Th» Department were quite satisfied that MC Gibson had an excellent record. Mr P. Gaines pointed out that when) the ticket inspectors were they were given £ISO a year, but it be-4 came recognised that an injustice done 10 them, because guards got mora money through setting overtime. Inj spcclor.s were then given £2lO. which puts them ahead again of Gibson, and o9 Division 1, although they (the ticket in* speciors) were taken from Division 11. Mr Haselden said that in a vast ser* vice like the railways anomalies werqj bound to occur. He did not think thatj it was right to try to exact logical rights as long as the spirit of the AcC was justly administered. Tiie Board met in the afternoon io( consider its decisions, and unanimously dt-c' '• ’ to dismiss both appeals.