"INTOLERABLE."

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 280, 7 August 1909, Page 7

"INTOLERABLE."

ONE CLASS OF EVIDENCE. ' IN RAILWAY APPEALS. (By Toloeraph-Prcsi Asioclallon) . ' 'Chrlstchurch, August 6 Tho sittings of tho Railway Appeal Board • this morning gdvo tho chairman (Mr. W. R Hasclden, SM) an opportunity to speak very, plainly in regard to witnesses called on ° bohalf of appellant John Sweeney, wharf . foreman at tho Bluff. The stationmaster at the I Bluff had'declined to rccommond i Sneejiejf for an increaso m pay, as he was not satisfied ivith Swconoj's performance of , Ins duties. Ho also blamed 'Swetnsy for actively engaging in agitations To refute these charges appellant called ns witnesses ssveral porters, shunters and other officersmost of them| subordinate to appellant—to say that thoy weie satisfied with the way in which Sweeney carried out hi 3 work. After hearing several witnesses, Mr. Haselden said 1 I shy this, and I say it dehboiatelj, tint if this procedure is adopted m appeals, tho bettei waj would bo to ell l -n public meeting of all,railway senants at tho Bluff, whero appellant is cmplojed,'and tako a \ote as to Hliethci the meeting is of opinion that appellant is a good man oi otherwise. This procedure cannot possibly ' endure. It mil break down from tho bmden of its own inconvenience Mr.' Thomas (for appellant): We can only have practical men who have Bad experience to gi\e evidence, Mr Haselden. I commend mV remarks' to the consideiation of all railway sorvants / Mr. Dav;dsoil (for tho Department). All evidence is ' quito .outside the point at issue. . Mr. Haselden • I u ould not have mado tho remark I have* mado if I did not think so. Mr. Thorax' said«that the ls'sues introduced into tiie appeal had compelled lnm to call ,tho evidence referred to Mr. Haselden I* am speaking genorally. There, must bo an alteration. It would bo, ' intolerable that the whole Department should bo brought in order to sustain or , refute <not a, chargo of incompetency but a refusal to recommend a railway sorvant for 'an jncrease in salarj , AJI this' evidenco is iavmg no effect on my I am accustomed to weigh matters judicially ' Mr. Haselden then .proceeded to read ttie , Btatioivraastci's letter, which 'regret thdt thc<writer couldtnot recommend Sweonoj for- an increaso that jear Ho was not altogether satisfiod uith'Snecnej's conproceeded to quote specific instances of acts of omission and commission "We have s*.t here all thia morning," Mr,' Haselden continued, " and I have not heard ono r single sentence 'that is relovailt to any ono of tho matters mentioned by Mr Guy (tho stationmaster)." , i Mr! Thomas said tint ho had had to call / who could speak as to the control of the men and tho alleged atiitation Mr. Haselden. it is oxplaincd that this igitation is not political agitation, but agitation among tho peop l © of tho Bluff That will be brought out by the Department Yuu bring a number of shunters, porters, and others„,to say that thev are Dersonally sat,s- ---» ned tuth Sweonev , > < Mr. Thomas: Wo-wanted to hold tho sittine 'at tho Bluff ' . • ' '

Mr. Haselden" explained 'that' ha had Seen nndor tho impression that <this was to bo a similar case to that of Rarnsava, involving, a technical point of law If be had known , that witnesses wtvro going to ho called,' he'wonld hav o uono to thrt Bluff, and allowed his magisterial 'duties to stand ! ovor Mr. 'Thomas then "resumed his exainin'a-tion-\of tho witness—an acting-shunter— but was again stonced b'v Mr Hasolden, who said that h ->he "would have to consider the propriety of making wnttcn. recommendation to tho Department. "There must bo borne alteration'fn the bringing of wit ucsses, J he.sa'id "You must we the ah surdity of-Vrm/sfuE 4bo- oudenco, 'of,porters and an aoting'-sh.Ufltor anainst, that of tho Btatioiimaster,,,tho traffic manager,' and in / fact M/ the -geneial manager, It. js a ve. y sorioUs matter, and 1 neallv rominend it to the,.council, 0 { the, Sqeiotv <pf .Railway Sep vants, lhey will allow a rfew obstmato appellants,to destroy a most valuable urtvi. lego \. ' s , ~ s M r ..Thomas': The .Department calls witnesses a 150..) «ul '^ a3ol n^' n Z I am , not taking to von alone, Mr Thomas.- I am sneaking to tho tv hole of the, Amalgamated Society of Rail- > v-ay Servants. I toll thenf. having thoir interests aj, heart, and trying to do my duty honestly -and fearlessly between them and the-authorities, that if .appeal* are conducted m this way, tho rhost valuable priviJego of appealing must be destroyed It is ' pr SS UCI ?? ari »'Wcrahle sfita nf affair* Iho D"partment then exiled Mr C \ Piper previously, traffic- manager at InverMr. Hasolden, in k intimating that 'the board did not wish to* bear further evidcnw, said that, unleis, s!n appellant aeainst a t'<v u * Irant1 rant « <;ertihoat'o of efficiency was iM* 8 ? 0 * tbat tlle bad been withheld from corrupt or improper motives hiMappeal could not Possibly bo successful The -Appeal Board could not compel th« general manager to < civ «/ a certificate of efficiency and it wdukl' ho ' a manifest absurdity if ,rt could ' A-ronort to that effect would be sent in'and also a suggestion that" bsveenoy ba traniferred.