STATEMENT BY THE GENERAL MANAGER.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12243, 17 June 1909, Page 5

STATEMENT BY THE GENERAL MANAGER.

" WELLINGTON, June 16. The General Manage!* of Railways, in a lengthy memorandum attached to the report, explains the position s a£ regards railway workshops. These \ftere originally intended as repair shops. When the business of the country began to expand in 1895 it was found there was insufficient rolling-stock to meet ments. The Government* decided- to stipplement imports from' : America.■■;and; £nglai\ci ]b^ ; l>uil<iii3g a! tpv^fl ; This;co^.l-se^y^, adopted o^yiatift|£t!ie^ 'Erection "of.a'm'ahuractbrin^ shbpi. '■■■- The-' wisdom of this course is nbw^pparent, •as the quantity of rolling stock; turned !.out by the workshops :during. the last nine years hais placed the Department in ;■ a; position to meet all demands of traffic. , 'The managef considers that the establishment of separate mamifacturingvshops is unwa)rr«ant&a. The, Miuiager. i reviews the statements of the Board regarding plant, and appliances, and, givek details connected therewith; also proposals' for imprpyementsi He, recpgnised that the motive power arrange--ments \yere not up. to date, but bejjeyes the matter resolf^es^itself intp as j -tioh of expendl^r^Wi :&s'■<sss iiot/«osi^ cur in the 6pihion'lof.^h^'rfioard*^at:-:a'l saving of £3500 a year'cpuld^ Weffected Iby makjng the change they suggesi; in motive power. After referring to the system ;of timeitand . eos| of • which lie considered- thoroughly effective, the manager deals with the Board's v r^cprnmendation that repair work - should be Completely '\ Sepsiijated: ;;from* new ti'oirk. ' He' considers it impracticablei in the existing conditions, and disagreed with the Board as regards discipline, and held that the evidence proved -that, the amount of work done by the men was satisfactory. . . ~.-.