RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 287, 26 April 1913, Page 5

RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD.

TWO APPEALS DISMISSED. Per Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. The Eailway Appeal Board sat this morning to consider two appeals. The first case was that of George Andrews, chief clerk at Oamaru, who complained that a vacancy occurring in the office of the traffic clerk at Invercargill he was passed over in favour of a man three months his junior in the service, vice. Mr. Davidson, who appeared for the Department, said the General Manager had exercised his discretion conscientiously and to the best of his ability in selecting J. B. Mitchell for the position. Mr. J. P. Matheson, for the appellant, said he preferred to contend that the General Manager had not acted conscientiously and to the best of his ability in making the selection. A comparison of records would, he urged, show that Andrews had had wider experience and on every ground was entitled to the appointment. The chairman (Mr. Haselden): There are two men, verv irood men. A vac ancy has occurred in an important office. The General Manager savs he niav be wrong or right, but usin<? his be«t iudgment and acting conscientiously, he has appointed Mr. Mitchell. The next case was that of one named Gibson who had been passed over when appointments of ticket inspectors were being made. He maintained he was particularly qualified to fill such position. . Mr. Davidson said it was not necessary to bring evidence of ability. The. Department was tmite satisfied that Gibson had an excellent record. Mr. P. Gaines, representing thf swond division on the Board, pointed out that when the ticket inspectors were appointed they were given £IBO a year, tirtfr it beca ne recognised that an in jus--tice was done to them because the g'inrrt:sot more money through getting" 1 overtime. The inspectors were then given £2lO, which put them ahead again of Gibson of division 1, although they (the ticket inspectors) were taken from division 2. Mr. Haselden said in a vast service like the railway anomalies were bound to occur. He did not thiik it was right to try to exact logical rights as long as the spirit of the Act was justly administered. The Board met in the afternoon to consider its decisions, and unanimously decided to dismiss both appeals.