RAILWAYS COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. HOGAN, Chairman.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1911 Session I, I-06

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1911. NEW ZEALAND.

RAILWAYS COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. HOGAN, Chairman.)

Presented, to the Equsi of Representatives, and ordered, to be printed.

ORDER OF REFERENCE. 4 Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Friday, the 4th Day of August, 1911. Ordered, " That a Committee be appointed, consisting of ten members, to examine and report upon quostions relating to the railways ; with power to call for persons and papers ; three to be a quorum : the Committee to consist of Mr. Arnold, Mr. Brown, Mr. Buick, Mr. Craigie, Mr. Hine, Mr. Hogan, Mr. Rhodes, Mr. Ross, Mr, Witty, and the mover,"— (Hon. Mr. Millar.)

INDEX.

No. Page. No. Petitioner. ' P»g». Petitioner. I 27 203 32 Claude, Susan Ursula Connoll, R., and 28 othors Devon, Elizabeth ,r. 2 2 2 21 135 150 151 63 Morgan, Robert C. (on behalf of Railway Officers' Institute) McAuliffe, Cornelius McGahan, Thomas .. .. McLean, D. H., and 3 others McTainsh, Christina D. 3 Q 3 3 3. 148 Eastbourne Borough Council .. 3 Final Roport 4 319 Patterson, Thomas 3 George, S. Thome 22 Roskruge, Annie 2 28 2 108 254 Shadbolt, Ernest F. .. Special Report No. 1 .. Special Report No. 2 .. 3 4 4 Hutt County Council 3 130 Johnsonville Town Board 3 19 Lyon, Ellen 2 637/10 69/11 57 The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants Trillo, Charles S. 4 2 29 127 36 36 Mason, Rev. H, and 67 others.. Miramar Borough Council Montgomery, Robert Montgomery, Robert (second report) 2 3 2 2 257 Vaile, Samuel 3 204 Ward, N. C, and 29 others 2

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REPOETS.

No 27.—Petition of Susan Ursula Claude, of Otahuhu, Auckland. Petitioner prays for a grant on account of services rendered by her late husband in connection with preventing a collision on the North Island Main Trunk line, near Penrose. I am directed to report that the Committee recommends that this petition be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. Ist September, 1911.

Nos. 28 and 29.—Petitions of S. Thorne George and 91 Others, and Rev. H. Mason and 67 Others, of Auckland. Petitioners pray that the petition of Mrs. Susan Ursula Claude be granted. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. Ist September, 1911.

No. 32. —Petition of Elizabeth Devon, of Hornby, Canterbury. Petitioner prays for compensation for injuries received whilst alighting from a train at Hornby Railway-station. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make on this petition. Ist September, 1911.

No. 22. —Petition of Annie Roskruge, of Queen Street, Thames. Petitioner prays for a compassionate allowance on account of her late husband's services in the Railway Department. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make on this petition, Ist September, 1911.

No. 19. —Petition of Ellen Lyon, of Wellington. Petitioner prays for compensation in respect of the accidental death of her late husband. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make on this petition. 20th September, 1911.

No. 57.—Petition of Charles S. Trillo, of Wellington. Petitioner prays for redress for loss of office in Railway Department. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make on this petition. 20th September, 1911.

No. 36. —Petition of Robert Montgomery, of Otahuhu, Auckland. (First Report.) Petitioner prays for further compensation for injuries caused by a railway-engine. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make on this petition. 20th September, 1911.

No. 36. —Petition of Robert Montgomery, of Otahuhu, Auckland. (Second Report.) Petitioner prays for further compensation for injuries caused by a railway-engine. I am directed to report that the Committee, having further considered the petition, recommends it to the Government for consideration. 17th October, 1911.

Nos. 203 and 204. —Petitions of R. Connell and 28 Others, and N. C. Ward and 29 Others. Petitioners pray that the Hutt Railway and Road Improvement Amendment Bill be not passed in its present form. I am directed to report that, as the Bill has now become law, the Committee has no recommendation to make. 17th October, 1911.

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Nos. 108. 127, 130, and 148. —Petitions of Hutt County Council, Miramar Borough Council, Johnsonville Town Board, and Eastbourne Borough Council. Petitioners pray that they may be excised from the list of contributing authorities enumerated in the schedule of the Hutt Railway and Road Improvement Amendment Bill. I am directed to report that, as provision has been made in the Hutt Railway and Road Improvement Act for a Commission to deal with the allocation of costs, the Committee has no recommendation to make. 17th October, 1911.

No. 135.—Petition of Cornelius McAuliffe, of Temuka. Petitioner prays for a compassionate allowance for the children of the late John McAuliffe, who was killed by an express train at Denmark Street crossing. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for consideration. 17th October, 1911.

No. 151.—Petition of D. H. McLean and 3 Others, of Caroline, Southland. Petitioners pray for a compassionate allowance for loss of stacks caused through sparks from a locomotive. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make on this petition. 17th October, 1911.

No. 63.--Petition of Christina D. McTainsh, of Waverley Street, Sydenham. Petitioner prays for a compassionate allowance on account of her late husband being killed by an express train. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for consideration. 17th October, 1911.

No. 257. —Petition of Samuel Vaile, of Auckland. Petitioner prays for a trial of the stage system on the Te Hana-Rotorua Railway. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for consideration. 19th October, 1911.

No. 150. —Petition of Thomas McGahan, of Tuakau, Auckland. Petitioner prays for compassionate allowance for loss of office as porter in the Railway service. I am directed to report that the Committee recommends that petitioner be paid back pay for the period between the date of the decision of the Appeal Board that he should be reinstated and the date of actual reinstatement by the Railway Department. 19th October, 1911.

No. 319.—Petition of Thomas Patterson, of Invercargill. Petitioner prays for compensation for injuries received at a railway-crossing in Conon Street, Invercargill. I am directed to report that the Committee lias no recommendation to make on this petition. 25th October, 1911.

No. 254.—Petition of Ernest F. Shadbolt, of 463 Madras Street, Christchurch. Petitioner prays for compassionate allowance on account of sickness caused through defective drainage at Little River Railway-station. I am directed to report that, taking into consideration the fact that the petitioner was precluded by the provisions of the Crown Suits Act from giving evidence at the trial as to the loss he sustained pievious to three months before the petition was filed, this Committee recommends the petition to the Government for consideration. 25th October, 1911.

No. 21.—Petition of Robert C. Morgan (on behalf of Railway Officers' Institute). Petitioner prays that an increase of pay and improved conditions be provided for the officers belonging to the First Division of the Railway service. I am directed to report that the Committee makes the following recommendations : That positions in the Railway service which have been reduced in status during the last few years., as set out in clause 6 of this petition, should be restored where the traffic is maintained;' that in

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connection with promotions Regulation 40 be carried out, and that when an officer is not recommended for promotion he be immediately supplied with a copy of the report giving reasons for his not being so recommended; that readjustment of classification is desirable, and that the Government be recommended to go into the whole question of regrading the First Division, with a view to more adequately remunerating officers generally, and striking out the ninth grade, and fixing a maximum of £220 for officers who fail to qualify for promotion; that the Railway Regulations dealing with leave of absence be amended so as to bring them into conformity with the regulations of other branches of the Public Service; that the staffing of stations be reviewed, with a view to reducing excessive hours where such exist; that Regulation 47 be altered so that three days be allowed at commencement of journey and ten days after arrival at destination in cases where officers are transferred to meet the exigencies of the Department; that the evidence placed before the Committee does not justify it in recommending that the Minister's power of veto on Appeal Board decisions be abolished. tVirJe also Appendix 1.-6 a.] 27th October, 1911.

Nos. 637 (1910) and 69 (1911). —Petitions of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. Petitioners pray for consideration with regard to conditions of employment, wages, and other matters. I am directed to report that this Committee, having had the petition of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants before it, and having met the representatives of that society in conference and heard representations from them, recommends that the Government set up a Board or Commission to inquire into the petition of the Second Division of the Railway service, with a view to recommending the best method of removing any grievances or anomalies that may exist. [Vide also Appendix 1.-6b.] 27th October, 1911.

Special Report (No. 1). The Railways Committee has the honour to report that at the final meeting of the Committee held on the 26th October, 1911, the following resolution was passed unanimously:— " That the Railways Committee desires to place on record its high appreciation of the valuable services rendered by the Chairman, Mr. J. T. Hogan, to the Committee, and for the fair and impartial manner in which he conducted the business. Owing to the lengthy hearing required in connection with the petition of the Railway Officers' Institute, the duties of Chairman have this session been particularly arduous, requiring considerable patience, tact, and ability, all of which have been displayed to a marked extent by Mr. Hogan ; and that this resolution be recorded on the minutes of the Committee and reported to the House." 27th October, 1911.

Special Report (No. 2). The Railways Committee has the honour to report that at the final meeting of the Committee held on the 26th October, 1911, the following resolution was passed unanimously:— " That this Committee desires to record its hearty appreciation of the great care and attention devoted by the clerk, Mr. N. Jacobs, to the business of the Committee, and the able and courteous manner in which his duties have been carried out during this session of Parliament; and that this resolution be recorded on the minutes of the Committee and reported to the House." 27th October, 1911.

Final Report. I am directed to report that the Committee held its final meeting on Thursday, the 26th day of October, 1911. The number of meetings held by the Committee was ... 23 The number of petitions referred to the Committee was 26 The number of petitions referred to the Government for consideration was 9 The number of petitions referred to the Government for favourable consideration was ••■ ■ ■■ 3 The number of petitions on which the Committee had no recommendation to make was ••■ ... 12 The number of reports brought down by the Committee and presented to the House was . • .22 Average attendance of members at meetings of Committee 7'l 27th October, 1911.

Approximate Coat nl Paper. —Preparation, not given : printing (1.400 copies). £ 1 fis

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