PROMOTION IN RAILWAY SERVICE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18784, 18 May 1923, Page 5

PROMOTION IN RAILWAY SERVICE

AN IMPORTANT ARGUMENT.

[Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 17. An argument of considerable im(portance to civil servants and particularly to railway servants, was Aeard before His Honour the Chief (Justice, Sir Robert Stout, when the Vartiee were the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants (Sir John Findlay, ILC.), and the AttorneyGeneral (Mr C. McGregor, K.C.) Sir John Findlay said a number of Questions had arose concerning the rights or promotion and appeal conferred upon members of the railway service. These vitally concerned the interests of every member, ami touched the fundamental basis on which promotion and right of appeal were based. sir John proceeded to outline the various Acts concerning tne railway service, referring particularly to section 3 of the Government Railway Amendment Act or 1922, of which a sub-section said that the Minister should cause ail servants to be classified, with a provision that with regard to every member probationer, the right or’ advance trom one sub-grade to an other, or, when there were no sub grades, to receive an increase in pay shall in each case depend upon the efficiency and good conduct of the member probationer to whom such such advance is due. He then referred to the regulations of 1913, reierrmg to rights of promotion, and led up to the position in question, sir John submitted four questions as follows: 11 > Can the General Manager effect appointments of members lower ° rder of classification over those a hove them by issuing a certificate of comparative fitness? , Is there power to give such certificate, and is it binding on a member passed over and on the appeal board ? (oj If it. i s no t conclusive, and a man passed over is successful on appeal, can the man appointed retain his new position, leaving the man passed over to wait for further vacancy? |

(4> Is the General Manager bound before issuing a certificate of comparatne efficiency, to notify a man passed over that he is not passed over because he is not suitable for appointment, but is not equally suitable to the man appointed. Mr McGregor replied, and decision was deferred.