THE ADDINGTON WORKSHOPS REPORT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 536, 17 June 1909, Page 6

THE ADDINGTON WORKSHOPS REPORT.

Parliament was tricked by the Minister. for Railways in connection with tho report of the Addington Workshops (Commission. The .reason, for the Minister's action ivill- bh f ohyious' t-o all who read the document, a summary of wjiich/ will be found in this issue. It is a scathing indictment of the methods of tho Railways Department, and must be regarded as one of the most valuable results attained in recent years .the appointment of a. Boyal Commission. As a rule sucH Commissions merely cover up or confuse the issues, involved,'hut the Addington. Commission, deserves the thanks'of'the coun-

try for its. outspokenness and for' the practical nature of the suggestions it offers, to repair the evils that have grown up under, Ministerial control. In practically every branch of its inquiries 'it discovered faults, and weaknesses. "The arrangements and grouping of the.machines were bad. "The motive power arrangements wero wasteful : in the extreme." Nearly £3500 por annum could bo saved in actual working expenses by a change in this respect alone. The systems of work arc condemned for various reasons stated. Drastic alterations' aro suggested to secure separation of the new from the ropair work.. The cost of production 6hown in comparison with that of private firms is quito startling—in fact in all directions the Commissioners found a most unsatisfactory: state; of things. Tho one redeeming feature, curiously enough, appears .to have been, that the , workmen might, had they pleased, have taken things easier than they did.. This rather left-handed compliment is based on . the fact, that the, authority..of the workshops manager and foremen is slight and the security of the men groat, and the latter in consequence might have taken greater advantage of their position had they so desired. There was "no systematic loafing,"'but merely "a general air of leisurely movement" This is not at all surprising considering that the system of classification and control is reported as calculated to dishearten the better class of officers and men. We have not spacc today to go into tho whole of the matters | dealt with in the report, but the' public will bo able to form its own conclusions on tho unsatisfactory state of affairs disclosed from the report itself. Mil. Ronayne's memorandum attached to it is a_very lame defence of a very bad case. 1 he! fact that the roport, which has been in the hands of Ministers for weeks, was only laid before members a few minutes before Parliament closed its doors, and thus . prevented its consideration and discussion, is sufficient commentary in itself on what Ministors thought of the seriousness of the findings. Despite the momentary success of this piece of trickery, however Mn. Mir.r.Aß will,find that whop Parliament reassembles thero will be searching inquiry and full discussion. He will do well to prepare for this bv following out the suggestions of the Commissioners in such directions as are immediately practicable and by reviewing the conditions generally in the workshops under his control.