RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1495, 18 July 1912, Page 4

RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD.

. A QUESTION. OF PROMOTION. (By Telegraph-Presa Association.) Dunedin, July 1". A sitting of the Railway Appeal Board was held to-day to hear appeals by George Burnett, chief clerk in the District Engineer's office, Dunedin, nnd Jas. Young, who holds ri similar position in Christchurch, against being superseded on the classification list. The appeals are based on the fact that while the appellants were higher on the classification list on. April 1, 1911, than Messrs. Sword, Mellor, nnd Kidler, the last three had since, been placed in higher positions. Evidence was given by Mr. Jas. Burnett (Chief Engineer), Wellington, Mr. I'. W. Maclean (Inspecting Engineer), Mr. 11.Jlacandrew (District Engineer, Dunedin), and Mr. C. H. Biss (District Engineer, Chri.stohurch), strongly in' favour of appellants. In. addressing the board, Mr. Young said the General Manager, who knew practically nothing of the work they performed, and had never been inside' their offices to inquire into their qualifications, had placed others above fliem. Tlio Department had brought forward no evidence, and simply asked tho board to give a decision on the academic theorv that tho General Manager could do no wrong. During the hearing of the case, Mr. Hasclden, chairman of tho board, said tho appellants had presented the case in an entirely different aspect as regarded the appointment 'of Sword as district manager at Whangarei. Th?v admitted the General Manager's ' discretion, but contended that 'he had not used it. Mr. Davidson, who appeared for the Department, said his instructions wero that tho General Manager had carefullv weighed the qualifications of tho officers, and did not feel he was in a position to give the certificate necessary for tho promotion of the appellants.' The decision was reserved. '