THE "RAGGING" INQUIRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 262, 2 November 1907, Page 7

THE "RAGGING" INQUIRY.

CBy Telegraph.—lrcss Association.) CHKISTCHURCH, Friday. At the "ragging" Inquiry to-day Harry Hughlings Jackson, locomotive engineer for the Hurunui-Bluff section, was examined.

The witness said that complaints had been received from the cleaning sheds from time to time, but nothing more serious than horseplay and the throwing of "slurry" was alleged. He thought that, even if the supervision were trebled, it would be impossible to prevent a certain amount of horseplay taking place. The night foreman was a reliable man, and had jnany duties to attend to. The lads kept a keen eye on Mm, and generally knew where he was. He believed there was nothing serious going on among the cleaners. He described a "slurry" as a soft piece of oily waste, which had been used so often that it was not good for anything but burning. It certainly would not seriously hurt anyone it was thrown at.

Five cleaners working in the same shed as Bray denied that Bray was-in-terfered with in any way by them, nor did they see any others interfere. There was no"'slurrying" or they would have seen it. They did not think a "slurry" or two likely to hurt a man who was working and dirty. Bray, re-called, said the night foreman locked up his bicycle in the store room every evening after the first night, because on that night one of the valves was removed. On Thursday and Friday mornings the night foreman came and stood by while witness washed, to see that he was not interfered with. Ten other witnesses followed, all corroborating the previous five. In order to acquaint himself'with the conditions under which the cleaners in the railway sheds here do their work, Mr H. W. Bishop, Sit, who is inquiring into complaints of "ragging" in the sheds, visited and inspected the sheds last night. He had all the cleaners drawn up, in order to ascertain if indications of any having been "slurried" would be apparent on the cleaners, whose work is of a particularly dirty character. Mr Bishop also noted the general conditions ur.der which the work was conducted at night time in the shed, which are filled with engines belching forth smoke and steam, which obscures the light. In all over an hour was spent by Mr Bishop in his investigations. * The inquiry concluded this evening, and the Commissioner will report to the Department.