D.—4a.

10

[j. E. JENKINSON.

145. Are you an expert or not ? —I do not know. 146. Mr. Niven.] You told us to-day that on several occasions you recommended more leading hands, and that in some cases they have adopted your recommendation ? —No, I did not say that. 147. You have recommended them ? —Yes. 148. In what capacity did you do so ?—As one who has the interests of the works at heart, and in the interests of the Dominion. I have always taken a great interest in Addington and in the men, and thought I was justified in making such recommendation.

Friday, 12th March, 1909. John Gordon Forbes, Foreman Boilermaker at Petone, examined. (No. 3.) 1. Mr. Beattie.] Did Mr. Jenkinson visit the Petone Workshops on the 19th January ?—He did on that date or thereabouts. I can identify the date by the appearance in the Press of the etter of the General Manager. The day that Mr. Jenkinson visited Petone was the day previous to the appearance of Mr. Ronayne's letter. 2. Mr. Ronayne's letter appeared on the 10th January, so that Mr. Jenkinson's visit would be on the 9th ?—Yes. 3. Did Mr. Jenkinson make any remarks to you when he visited the Workshops I—Yes.1 —Yes. 4. Will you tell the Commission the nature of those remarks ? —They were in the nature of a comparison between Petone and Addington Workshops, as regards the activity and general appearance of the Workshops —that they appeared to be very slow in Addington, and that we appeared to be alive at Petone. He and I worked at Addington years ago together, and Mr. Jenkinson said the place was not anything like what it was when we worked there, and that at Addington now they were practically asleep, and we were alive. 5. Did Mr. Jenkinson make any remark about Foreman Henderson ? —No, he made no personal remarks. 6. Was this reference of Mr. Jenkinson's to the sleepy nature of the work.directed with regard to the men ? —I could not answer that. He appeared to think that the whole system at Addington was slow in comparison with Petone, but whether it was in regard to the management, or the work, or the men I do not know. 7. Did he give you any details at all ? —No, just a general remark that they appeared to be slow at Addington in comparison with us. 8. How long is it since you worked at Addington I—l1 —I left Addington in 1896. I went from there to Wanganui, and from Wanganui to Petone. 9. From Mr. Jenkinson's remarks, did you understand that he had recently visited Addington 1— He told me distinctly he had visited Addington about a week before. When he made the remark about Addington being slow I asked him whether he had been down there recently, and he said, " Yes, I went there about a week ago." 10. Did he make any remark as to whether he would present a report to anybody ? —No, he made no remark of that kind. The only remark that would lead me to believe that he was on an inspecting tour was when he shook hands and said, " Well, I will go and have to do a bit more." Mr. Brooks was with me at the time, and Mr. Jenkinson went from where we were standing (where the vices were) and went and looked along another row of vices and proceeded right through the shop. From our shop he went to the tarpaulin-shop, looked in there, and from there to the moulders' shop, and then we lost sight of him. He also looked into the bogie-fitting shop. Mr. Brooks seemed to pick him as being on tour also by the way he went about. 11. Has Mr. Jenkinson been in the habit of frequently visiting Petone Workshops since you have been there ?—He has been there, I think, about six times —it might be more. 12. The impression he left on your mind was that he was unfavourably impressed at Addington ? —Undoubtedly. I could take nothing else from his remarks. 13. Mr. N'ven.] You have worked both in Addington and Petone shops ? —Yes. 14. In the same position—foreman boilermaker ? —No, I was an ordinary working-boilermaker in Addington. 15. Was it your impression that Addington was slow when you were there ?—No. 16. How did it compare with Petone ? —Every bit as good, and better. 17. Mr. Hampton.] From the remarks Mr. Jenkinson made to you, you and others inferred that he was the expert engineer mentioned in Mr. Ronayne's letter ?—That is so. lam still of that opinion. Harry Hughlinus Jackson, Locomotive Engineer, Hurunui-Bluff Section, examined. (No. 4.) 1. Mr. Beattie.] What is your position ? —I am Locomotive Engineer in charge of the HurunuiBluff Section. 2. How long have you been in the Railway service ?—Since 1876, I think. 3. For what length of time have you occupied your present position ?—Since June, 1900. 4. The Addington Workshops are under your charge, together with Hillside and Invercargill ? —Yes.