37

P. BICHABDSON

I.—9a.

sentatives from the union, two representatives from the employers, and a third party who was selected by the Government —Dr McArtlmr 72. This clause 6 deals with appeals by tramway employees in the matter of punishments, and even promotions: have we had any number of complaints with regard to promotions ?—Yes, both with regard to promotions and disratings. We have had very good grounds for complaint. There were two : one was the case of Veart, who, instead of taking the disrating, which we thought was very unfair, resigned from the service. 73. He was disrated for a slight collision?— Yes, but he did not do twopenceworth of harm. He resigned in preference to taking his disrating, as he knew that other serious accidents had been overlooked. 74. If there had been an Appeal Board do you think that Veart would have got better treatment?— Yes, lam perfectly sure he would not have been disrated. I fancy the disrating was for three months. 75. The Chairman.] He was put back as conductor? —Yes. There was another case, that of Motorman Buckley This occurred at Heme Bay He was standing in on a loop which is looked upon as having a very fast time-table. This was the heaviest trip of the day, and he had run out to the last loop and was standing there. Pie had released the dog of the ratchet brake and was engaged in rolling up the blind on the glass front. The car, being one of the newest and one of the best types, gradually started to move, and coasted 3 ft. out of the loop when one of the other cars was returning, and Buckley's car caught the side of it. 76. Mr Bosser.] Was any damage done?— There was some, but it was very slight indeed. 77 Did either car have to go in for repairs? —Yes, there were slight repairs required for both cars. He was disrated. 78. For how long?— About five or six weeks in all. It was supposed to be for a month, but owing to the absence of the general manager it amounted to five or six weeks. 79 Do you think Buckley would have had a good chance of getting off if there had been an Appeal Board? —Yes, because his record had been very good, and to our mind more serious things had been overlooked. The point I wish to bring out is that there are several men in the Auckland service who are unquestionably marked men. 80. Have there bean promotions unnecessarily withheld?— Yes; there have been several of iecent date that have been taken exception to by the employers. The first was that of Second Officer Bartlett. He had come out from the Old Country, and was taken on the spare list for a matter of two or three months, when he was promoted over the head of senior conductors, and the first, second, and third grade of motormen, to the position of second officer that is, their superior officer The next case was that of Motorman Rockland. When we took exception to his promotion the contention on the part of the general manager was this » that very bad conductors and very bad motormen sometimes made good inspectors. 81 Those are his words as near as you can recollect? —Yes. We contended that Rockland's usual record had been very bad, and that he was not a suitable man to place over other men. 82. Take the case of Inspector Neate?—Neate was a regular conductor of about fourteen or fifteen months' service. He had just gone out as a regular man He was a junior conductor, and was promoted over three grades of conductors, three grades of motormen, and over the third grade of officers to the position of second-class officer or inspector 83 Now, is it necessary for an inspector to be a competent motorman, in your opinion?— Yes, I have always contended that. 84. Was Neate in possession of the motorman's license when he was promoted?—No; he had to acquire his driving experience afterwards. 85. Therefore, do you consider there is plenty of room for an independent Appeal Board in the Auckland service such as is provided for in this Bill?—I unquestionably do. That is the strongest point in the Bill, from my standpoint. 86. This Appeal Board deals with the question of wages, does it not?— Yes. 87 Do you know any cases where wages have been withheld even though there was an Arbitration Court award in existence? —Yes, there have been several instances. The first was brought under my notice as president of the union just after we had signed an agreement which we are working under at present. There was a section in the agreement dealing with linesmen. The linesmen's wage was fixed at Is. 3d. per hour, but the management after we had signed the agreement contended that there were to be linesmen and linesmen's labourers. 88. They created a new class?— Yes. 89. What did they fix the linesmen's labourers' wage at?— One shilling an hour 90. How many got the Is. 3d. per hour?— Four got Is. 3d. and four got Is. an hour, so far as my memory carries me. 91 Did the union object to that?— Yes, strongly 92. What was the result? —The men, to our way of thinking, had a complaint, seeing that it practically reduced them by 10s. to 15s. a week instead of benefiting them. The ultimate outcome of it was that the company conceded to them another penny per hour—that is, making it Is. Id. per hour. 93. You consider that that makes out a very fair case for an Appeal Board?— Yes. 94. Take clause 9, " car report-book " : You notice that it provides for a book in the prescribed form—are you in favour of that?—Do I understand that that means a book for each car? 95. Yes? —Yes, I am strongly in favour of that. I think it would be a very good clause indeed. 96. Have you any information to offer to back your opinion up?— Yes. Some considerable time ago we were working under a system of yard-book—one book for all cars. That yard-book was very unsatisfactory A man would finish on a shift, and would come in to sign off; and