ADDINGTON INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 457, 16 March 1909, Page 5

ADDINGTON INQUIRY.

EVIDENCE AS TO DISCIPLINE. MACHINERY AND PLANT. FURTHER WITNESSES EXAMINED. (nr TELEGRAPH —ntESS ASSOCIATION.) Christchurch, March 15. The Addington Inquiry was largely devoted this morning to a discussiou as to tho capacity of various machines. Mr. Henderson, foreman of tho boiler shops, deposed that it was not a fact that the men wero allowed to speak to their foreman at Addington in a manner.which would not bo tolerated in private shops. Others gavo ovidonco that tho discipline was good and the plant efficient. Mr. Henderson further stated tho workshop rollers wero not strong enough to roll the plates ho had referred to previously. Ono of tho plates was rolled and the operation broke up tho rollers. Tho plates were seven-eighths of an inch thick, and wor'o rolled cold. Tho heaviest plates that could be rolled at Addington wore thoso three-quarters of an inch'thick, and then two plates could be rolled in 4J hours. Sometimes four machines wero worked from one accumulator, which was originally obtained for tho riveter alone, hut it had been used for moro work since. He had not officially drawn the manager's' attention to the want of a flanging machine, but the matter had been spoken about. Tho shop had been working at a disadvantage with the present machinery, but ho had not complained about it.

John Spencer Clarke, foreman fitter, said he had been in all. the largo shops .in the colony, and tho discipline at Addington was as good as at any other shop he had been in. He had not seen any loafing or idling at Addington. The plant at the new locomotive building worked satisfactorily as far as it wont, but hotter lifting facilities wore required. William H. Cole, foreman blacksmith, Addington, said ho served his apprenticeship at .the Ashford works of the South Eastern Railway Company. Ho also had experience in Now Zoaland beforo joining the Government shops. His staff of smiths at Addington. was the finest staff in New Zealand. Ho had also a good in tho forge department. 'Tho output of work now was much moro up-to-dato than it ever was beforo. To Mr. Hampton: One of his men, May, had brought out an improved idea for points and crossings work, hut had received no extra recompenso from tho Department. John Barbour, foreman of tho moulding shop, Addington, said he had been at Addington for nearlv seven years, and had previously been at Petone and in : privato works in New Zealand and Australia. The plant at Addington was as good as the plant in any of tho other jobbing shops whero he had worked, and in many cases much bettor. Tho output was much better than in many other places. , Work at- Addington was of a very intricate character, moro so than in other shops. Workshop practico at Addington was far superior to that in many of the American shops. Ho 1 was satisfied with his staff,, and had no difficulty, in maintaining discipline. ■. .

To the president: A pneumatic lift was required for. tho moulding shop, also a hydraulic ring breaker, but tho latter wns now being constructed. There was no casting at the works, and, a-heavy picco of work had to bo sunk into tho ground as far as possible.

Robert D. M'Ewan, a turner at Addington, said he had previously worked on tho Clyde, and could say that the men on the Clyde worked harder than at Addington. That was the result of tho bonus system entirely. The turners at Addington wore Quito on a par .with the Clyde men, but tho quality of tho work on the Clyde was falling rapidly as a result of tho bonus system. The quality of tho work at Addington was better than that turned out at the.. Clyde. The, bonus system followed the big strike, and was, based upon giving men a little more for. increased,effort. Tho men, however, had not time to do the work properly, and consequently the work had to be scamped. The increased under the . bonus system, amounted to from iss. to . Bs. weekly, the standard 'wage being 365.' weekly. To Mr. Hampton: Apart from the appliances the men at Addington were as good as the men at tho Clyde beforo the introduction of the bonus system. Geo. Butt, foreman fitter, and D. J. Brown, in charge of the painting and tarpaulin department,' said they were satisfied with tlieir respective staffs. 1 . George Edward Rchardson, workshops manager at Addingt'on, said he had been 2oJ years in the servico, and had been 15 months at Addington. Ho had also | been workshops manager of other workshops. Two permits had been issued to Mr. Jenkinson during the last 12 months, one on November 12, during Carnival Week, and one on November 16, immediately after the holidays. Mr. Jenkinson never spoke to him on either visit. He (witness) had not seen idling as a general thing in any shop at Addington. The staff at Addington generally was most efficient. If the cranes in the erecting shops wore electrified thoy would be used more. A new shop should be erccted for tho construction of new locomotives. Ho had found no difficulty in maintaining discipline at Addington'. The plant at the shops was gonerally efficient, but more high-speed steel lathes were wanted, also improved lifting gear. Tho work was laid out in the best possible way to get it through in the .shortest time, and at' least cost. Considerable improvements had been made in the points and crossings shop sinco he had been at Addington, and the output had been materially increase:! and the cost reduced. Tho last three of the Addington engines were similar to those built by Price Bros. The not cost, including Westinghouse brakes and painting, was £4350, whereas tho contractors' price was £3993, to which had to be added £210 for brake and ,£2O for painting, makiiie a total of £4228. Six of the "W.F." engines had been built at Hillside, but Addington had supplied some of the parts. The inquiry was adjourned.