RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1624, 29 April 1919, Page 11 (Supplement)

RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD.

SITTINGS IN CHRISTCHURCH. The appeal of Hugh Ritchie Bush, a clerk in the railway servico at Lyttelton, against being superseded on the department's official list showing the grade, salary, and position of every .employee in the service, was heard before the- South Island Railway Appeal Board, comprising Messrs J. G. L. Hewitt, S.M. (chairman), and 8. C. Doyle and P. Gains'at Christchurch yesterday. Mr J. McDonald appeared for the department, and Mr V. J. Stanley for the appellant.' W. J. Stringleman, district traffic manager, stated that he had known the appellant for over four years, during which time he occupied the position first as stationmaster at Kaiapoi and then as clerk. He did not consider that ! he necessary force of character to control a large staff at a busy station. Stations in the sixth grade, the. One next to that of Mr Bush, were very difficult to work. Although he received a recommendation from the stationmaster in favour of the appellant he set it aside for these reasons. There were two or three things on record against the appellant. On one occasion the general manager fined him 10/- for not having been in attendance for a goods train when stationmaster at Kaiapoi, thus causing a considerable delay, whilst as the result of want of care in carrying out instructions there was a bungle and a temporary suspension of the tablet in consequence. At Lyttelton when the appellant relieved the chief clerk for nearly two months he failed in supervision of the work. A. K. Harris, assistant district traffic manager, stated that in his opinion the appellant did not show great strength, in connection with the control of staff, and he did not put the necessary vim into his work. George Albert Parsons, audit inspector of the Christchurch district, deposed that he inspected Lyttelton station in February, 1918, when appellant was actinc chief clerk. There was no suggestion of dishonesty, and he thought the shortages of cash were due to carelessness and inexperienced officers inefficiently supervised. The appellant stated that he had been in the service for 30 years, and had acted as stationmaster for about eight years. After serving at Palmerston North parcels office where he had a staff of 10 under him. and there were no complaints, he was transferred to Christchurch. In regard to the shortages ot cash he discovered them before the audit and intimated to those responsible that they would have to be made good. He would not hesitate to undertake the responsibility of a sixth grade station. Paul Eugene Bean, stationmaster at Riverton, under whom the appellant had served for two years, said that Mr Bush was a good disciplinarian. He did not, however, set his opinion ot the appellant's qualifications for promotion against that 1 of the District Traffic Manager, having regard to the latter s wider knowledge of the appellant. INSPECTOB'S APPEAL. At the Railway "Appeal Board to-day Hugh Wylie, a car and wagon inspector: appealed against his classification in the 1918 list. The appellant contended that he had qualified for the position by his experience in other directions by 10 years spent in the workshops. He submitted evidence m support of these qualifications. The evidence of the department was to the effect that he had not qualified for the position above his predecessors. In accordance with the usual custom decision was reserved, and the result of the appeal will be given in due course.