THE RAILWAY INQUIRY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16045, 9 February 1920, Page 5

THE RAILWAY INQUIRY.

RETIREMENTS AND SUPERANNUATION.

(Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, February 7,

The New Zealand Railway Servants’ Inquiry Board met to-day to consider the question of superannuation. Mr Hampton, president of the A.S.R.S., contended that it was bad business to allow' a man to remain in the service after the completion of 40 years in order that he might get a larger salary, and thus be entitled to draw more superannuation than if he had left on completing 40 years’ service. Parliament, he said, had never anticipated that men would hang on after they were due to retire. As things were, some high-salaried men were apt 'to adopt a mark-time attitude. The chief traffic manager had 44 years 7 months’ service, with a salary of ,£1250, and the assistant traffic manager 46 years 11 months’ service, with a salary of £BOO. The tendency was for men with really nothing to lose to take up an irresponsible attitude. Mr Hampton paid a tribute to the ability and energy of the General Manager, but said it was not right he should have to carry so great a burden. Tiro uncertainty regarding the retirement of higher officials entitled to retire made it impossible to calculate a man’s prospects of promotion, and in consequence the Department might lose many a man deserving of every encouragement, ‘ Mr Mac Donald, assistant general manager, in reply, pointed out that Mr Hampton’s remarks only referred to officers of the First Division. These entered as cadets at from 15 to 17 years of age, and, if retired after 40 years, they would be in their prime at 55 and 57, the zenith of many a man’s career. He placed the blame for the rise in age in the higher positions, not upon superannuation, but upon classification. This concluded the inquiry. Mr Justice Stringer said he would present his report as early as possible, j