STAFF DIFFICULTIES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2645, 16 December 1915, Page 7

STAFF DIFFICULTIES

» IN RAILWAY SERVICE STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER Some adverse comment has been made on ths action of the Railway Department in advertising for junior porters, between tho ages of 18 and 30 years of ago. It has been stated, for instance, that Government Departments ought not to engage men of military ago at this time, when private employers <ire refraining from doinjj so. Tho matter was brouglit under tlio notice of tho Minister of Railways (the Hon. W. H. Herrios), and he stated the case from tho Department's point of view. "Sinco the outbreak of the war tho Railway Department has roleased about 1600 trained men for servico at tho front, and has in every way practicable encouraged enlistment, and is still granting permission to members of its staff to enlist," said Mr. Herries. ' The loss of so many trained railwaynion lias, of course, had its effect 011 the Department, and the timo has arrived when the staff problem has to be seriously faced. Tho desire of the Department is to continue to aid enlistment in every vray possible by releasing eligible members of its staff who ivish to- go to the front, but if its efforts to obtain staff pel' medium of newspaper advertisement are to bo objected to the only alternative will he the cancellation of existing arrangements and refusal of leave to any members of tlie staff who desire to enlist in the near future. It i 6 conceivable that there are numbers of men in the community who have been rejected by ths military authorities, but may nevertheless bo suitable for servico in the Department. For many years past it lias been the practice of the Department to advertise wherever there has been an unusual demand for porters, engine-cleaners, cadets, tradesmen, etc., and tho list of applicants eligible for permanent appointment has been exhausted. Railway business cannot be efficiently conducted with an undue proportion of untrained staff. Inexperienced men of forty years and upwards are of littlo value for general railway work; tho same remark applies with greater force to female labour. "Tho Department lias a two-fold duty to perform, namely, assisting the national movement as far as possible, and carrying on the transport business of tho country. It is therefore essential proper action bo taken to secure men suitable for filling up some of the gaps that have occurred in the ranks of the trained staff, and with this end in viow applications for employment as porter have been invited by advertising, in acoordance witli tlie practice followed under special circumstances during the past twenty years."