I.—lb

16

Each day's work does stand for itself and is booked daily, but in the case of branch lines it is sometimes necessary to make such arrangements as will allow a i&\v-iveek's pay for a fair-week's work. Half-pay during sickness has not been allowed for some five and a half years, but if a man gets injured in the service, from causes that are not traceable to his own negligence or want of caution, he receives half-pay. This practice has invariably been observed. The aunual return of accidents will show that the dangers of engine-driving in this country at anyrate are not formidable. The practice of insurance companies does not affect the department. If the sister colony allows seven days' holiday, and that is held up as a reason for allowing more in New Zealand, it is only fair to quote the English practice, and that is: No man receives pay for time that he is not on duty who is paid for time worked over and above the regular day's work, or, in other words, who receives overtime. Besides lam informed that in New South Wales no overtime is allowed. The Court of Inquiry would be simply unworkable. The men get more leniency shown them than any private individual or private company could or would allow. It would be impossible for the men to substantiate grievances such as those mentioned in the petition. In conclusion, I have only to state that, if it is decided to give way to the wishes of the men in raising the scale of pay, and in paying for the standing time, which are really their only grievances, the departmental officers will be the first to rejoice at the change, because their duties will be greatly relieved ; and it will be a pleasure to see an efficient and estimable body of men highly paid, but it must be borne in mind that the expenses will be considerably increased. It must also be remembered that, although the majority of the men will be satisfied, there will be a considerable percentage of the more idle, careless, and discontented, whom it will be impossible to please, because, in the administration of any scale, it will be necessary to make a difference between men of different abilities and characters. Allison D. Smith, Locomotive Superintendent.

Enclosure 1.

(a) This service is worked by two sets of men, the average time on duty for each day being about nine hours. It is true that late trains are run two nights each week, but, even then, the average time each man is required to work does not exceed ten hours. (b) The goods trains upon the Lyttelton line are not timed, and vary according to traffic to be carried. I have examined a number of returns for the last, three months, and find the average time that enginemen work is about 9 hours 30 minutes. There may be special occasions where they have been out longer, but in every case justice has been done to the men. (<-) It is rather difficult to fix an average in this ease, for the train frequently only runs as far as Rangiora, and then the men have long standing time. Considering work done (82 and 63 miles), I think men are reasonably treated.

Service. Hours of Coming on Duty, as booked by Locomotive Foreman. Hour of Leaving Duty. Total Hours, as Divis: "c3 a s a 3 s w ION OP 4■a 02 or I. o _a _P>H _rd _§.a a o<8.2 H 'OTAL Stl .g ac 0 -^ .2 w OTJBS. o eg _ OJ § 'be P H T3 w 0 60 r_! _ IS S o « eg S 1*3 *S =3 oO g _- s "Sr-i — ate I - I * R preceding. m 3 _? W tfo. 1, Lyttelton Passengertrain Service H. M. (a) 6 0 a.m. (a)6 0 „ (0)6 0 „ (5)8 30 „ H. M. 12 0 p.m. 1 0 a.m. 10 30 p.m. 6 0 „ H. M. 18 0 19 0 16 30 9 30 H. M. 10 1 9 54 9 10 4 5 H. M. 6 34 7 1 6 15 5 10 H. M. 1 25 2 5 1 5 0 15 H. M. 184 184 167 79 H. M. 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 H. M. Days. 1 1 4 Ho. 2, Lyttelton Goods-train Service •Jo. 3, North Goods— To Amberley To Rangiora ... Ho. 4, South Goods •To. 5, South Goods (old time-table) Ho. 6, Christchurch-Timaru Ho. 7, Christchurch-Spring-field So. 8, Springfield-Christ-church Ho. 9, Ashburton-Christ-church Ho. 10, Ashburton-Timaru Ho. 11, Timaru-Ashburton Jos. 12 & 13, Oamaru-Timaru (c)5 30 „ (c)5 30 „ (d)4 15 „ (e) 4 0 p.m. (/)7 45 a.m. 0)6 30 „ 4 30 „ 4 20 „ 3 10 „ 3 30 a.m. 8 20 p.m. 8 10 „ 11 0 10 50 10 55 11 30 12 35 13 40 7 50 4 50 7 10 7 25 9 0 7 5 2 20 3 45 2 25 3 20 2 35 3 25 0 50 2 15 1 20 0 45 1 0 1 30 1 40 82 63 119 124 213 108 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 3 0 2 0 (h)6 0 „ 8 5 „ 14 5 5 50 3 55 2 15 2 5 111 10 0 2 0 ii) 6 20 „ 8 25 „ 14 5 6 40 4 50 0 30 2 5 135 10 0 2 0 0')6 5 „ (A)7 0 „ {1)6 50 „ (1)12 20p.m. (m)6 50 a.m. (re) 7 45 „ 8 45 „ 8 30 „ 4 0 „ 8 30 „ 8 15 a.m. 7 55 p.m. 14 25 13 30 9 10 8 10 13 25 12 10 7 0 6 40 5 43 5 48 7 15 8 28 2 10 2 30 1 20 1 3 1 50 2 5 2 50 1 50 2 7 1 19 1 55 1 37 2 25 2 30 107 109 112 110 120 168 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 2 0 1 0 Ho. 14, Timaru-Oamaru ... So. 15, Dunedin-Oamaru (express service) Ho. 16, Dunedin-Clinton ... Ho. 17, Clinton-Dunedin ... Ho. 18, Clinton-Invercargill— Saturdays Average for 5 days Hos. 19, 20, and 21, Invercar-eargill-Clinton 'nvercargill-Kingston Ho. 22, Lawrence Branch ... 1 25 10 2 0 (6)1 30 „ (_•>)5 30 „ 7 30 „ 9 35 „ 12 0 16 5 9 15 9 35 1 20 1 20 1 25 2 5 3" 5 154 154 10 0 10 0 2 0 3 0 (?)5 30 „ _)5 30 „ We 25 „ W9 45 „ W6 0 „ (.) 5 30 „ 10 5 „ 9 0 „ 5 25 „ 8 20 „ 8 0 „ 9 20 „ 16 15 15 30 11 0 10 35 14 0 15 50 9 40 9 30 8 55 8 25 12 15 7 40 1 40 1 50 1 10 1 55 1 0 3 30 0 40 0 40 0 55 0 15 0 45 0 50 4 15 3 30 142 143 139 144 180 117 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 2 0 2 0 3 "50 3 0 2 0