WAR NECESSITIES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2990, 30 January 1917, Page 6

WAR NECESSITIES

RAILWAY'S POSITION

WHAT OF THE RACE TRAINS ?

LUXURY ALLEGED

CAN SUBURBAN TRAINS BE

REDUCED ?

The third Wellington Military Service Board sat in Wellington again yesterday. The board consists of Messrs. W. H. S. Moorhouse (chairman), A. O'L. Considine, and M. J. Mack. Captain Baldwin appeared as military representative. There were twenty-seven railwaynien's cases set down for hearing, in which the appeal was lodged by the General Manager of Railways. Mr. J. Bevan, Traffic -Manager, appeared in support of 'the .appeals. The ground sot out as a leason why the men should not be sent to the front just now was that as trained railwaymen their services were at present needed in New Zealand for the purpose of enabling the operations of tho Department to be.carried on satisfactorily. At the outset, the chairman of the board said that ho would like the Railway Department to realise regarding these railway appeals that when any man -in the First Division was allowed off, that entailed the dragging in of someone from the Second Division, upon whom there will be much more hardship. The board looked to the Department to make no application that was not,one of necessity. • Mr. Bevan said that the General Manager of Railways was quite alive to that, and 2794 applications for leave had been granted, which was about 2o per cent, of the original permanent staff. In some cases the vacancies had been filled with inexperienced men. and some vacancies had not been filled. Moreover, at least 1500 "casuals/men, w-ho had been regularly emploved by .the Department, had enlisted. The bulk of these "casuals" were trained men. That made an approximate total of 4294 trained men which the Railivav Department had lost. At nresent "there wore 2141 vacancies existing. The Department wished every man possible to be spared,-but it .was claimed that the staff was barely sufficient to carrv on with. The resignations totalled 2545, and that number wa<i not included in the 4294. From the locomotive branch there had been 1018 resignations, from tta maintenance branch 38Q. and from Rie 1147. There seemed to he a misapprehension as to the attitude the Department had taken no with regard to the war, and he wished to emphasise that the Department was anxious to help in everv way it' could. The Department had.offered'its assistance to the Defence Department, had organised a Railway Battalion, and had at short notice twice made up shortages in contingents which were on the point of sailing. Tip to the. presenti the Department had maintained an- adenuate transport. service for the convenience and the business needs of the community. The Race Trains. 'At another board the question of.the funning of. race trains had been raised. Se had been instructed to say'that the .•ontimiance of those trains was liot a natter for tho Department, but one- forihe Government. Until the Government said that races were not to he hold, the Department had to run the trains.' However, even if there -were no races they -would not need many less men. .'• The chairman asked if the Railway Department had considered the question of reducing suburban trains. Mr. Bevan: That also is a' matter of policy for tho Government. The General Manager is considering it. The General Manager is giving the question of reducing staff yery serious consideration, and where possible men are spared. '

Mr. Bevan. said that the Department 'asked for three months' extension for the men, and- when that period had' expired the position could bo reviewed.

Captain Baldwin: Will it take the Government three months tb up its mind?

Mr. Mack': What number of men has the Department taken on ?

Mr. Bevan: Many are inexperienced, aud the staff is at a very low ebb now.

. . . You' endanger the lives of the publio if you put inexperienced: men on. Mr. Beyan'said that of the 2141 vacancies existing in the Railway Department, 1307 were in the traffic branch, 357 in the maintenance branch, and 477 in the locomotive branch.

The Chairman: What about employing women in the clerical work?

Mr. Bevan* That is under consideration by the General- Manager. We have thought it better to have boy olerks, for they are potential railwaymen. Mr. Bevan ; added that it would be- impracticable to employ women at small stations.- •-• .-.,,'■'

The Chairman: I should think it might bo considered at the big offices. Captain Baldwin: I take it that.the Railway Department would feel very much as the Lord Chancellor felt as regards his Department—that it is a disgrace to any Department to keep men who should be serving the country. Mr. Bevan: Yes.

Captain Baldwin: You are telliug'this board that the whole of the preseut staff is absolutely essentia! to the carryina on'of tho services?

Mr. Bevan: The whole of the trained staff.

Captain ' Baldwin: How long would you consider necessary for a man to be on the staff before you would say he was a trained man?

Mr. Bevan:: That depends on the position he fills. \

Captain Baldwin.: And therefore the men in' the lower grades can be more easily dispensed with than the men in the higher grades?' Air. Bevan: That is so to a certain extent, but if yoji havo not men in the lower" grades and their positions must bp • .filled, there is a difficulty there. -.''..-'

The General Manager of Railways. . Captain Baldwin: As. a matter of • fact, you must every year start with a certain number of inexperienced men? • Mr. Bevan: Yes. . Captain .Baldwin: What is the aver- • ago number you take on every year— inexperienced men?' Mr. Bevan:. I have no idea. . Mr. R. W. M'Vill'y, Chief Clerk of . Railways: Fivo hundred. • Captain Baldwin: Have you- taken pains to sec if any of the resigned ■men would fill positions? • Mr. Bovan: I cannot say. That is a matter for the Department. Captain Baldwin: There are- 2545 resigned men? ' . r . Mr. Bevan: I can express no opinion. ( Captain Baldwin: The railway traffic •is being carried on on practically th» same lines as before the war? ■ .Mr. Bevan: Yes, that is so. Captain BaKTwin: There is at least a .similar amount of traffic i'or race, holi.day, and excursion trains,.and shows? Mr. Bevan: As I said before, that is a' question nf policy. Captain Baldwin: I merely want to get the facts. I understand the suburban traffic makes a heavy call on tho staff. Mr. Bevan: Yes, it does. Captain Baldwin: How many shifts do you work,that on? Mr. Bevan; Say two and a half — from four in the morning til] 12 ai njgnt. Captain Baldwitfi IMt-.wero reduced

to.a shift and a half, would it release many men? Mr. Bevan: Yes. Captain Baldwin; The staff which you say is barely adequate is so when the Department has to deal with what I call luxury traffic. If that is eliminated, could you carry on with many less men? Would it release a largo number of men ? Mr. Bevan: A certain number of men. Captain Baldwin: A largo number? Mr. Bevan: That would have to be gone into. Mr. Mack asked if the four traffic managers and two traffic superintendents, allot' whom had been appointed since the war began, could not be utilised to release other men. Mr. Bevan thought' the men referred to, were necessary in their present positions. ' Air. Mack remarked that theso positions had been managed without before the war. ' The General Manager of Railways (Mr. E. H. Hiley) made a statement. He said that a conference had been held to see if there was any waste mileage. He did not expect that the Department would find that many trains were indicated as being to spare having regard to the requirements of the public as they ■ were understood now. He could not say in advance what the effect would be if all attractions to travel were abolished (cheap tickets for week-ends, excursions,, etc.). If they told everyone next Easter to travel .it ordinary fares it was difficult to say what the result Would be. Whether the Government had got to the stage of considering the Department should repel trade, he could not say. They were not running any unnecessary services for this time of the year, but later in the season they would be able to save mileage. The transporting of troops made extra work for the Department. Women Clerks. Mr. Mack: Do you consider it necessary to carry racehorses, show stock, and theatricals? Mr.-Hiley: I don't know that; my opinion matters there. So long, as the Government gives dates for races our duty is to put the trains on. To Captain Baldwin: I think' every man who has been appealed for is absolutely necessary. We went into ,it carefully. Captain Baldwin: The difficulty I feel is as to why there should be the same necessity ./for retaining the unskilled man (such as a porter) as there is for retaininc the. thoroughly skilled man. Mr. Hiley: We have proved'by our actions that there is not the same necessity, but we have reached our limit. Anyhow, a porter has to take up duties such as shunting' and tablet work, which we would never dream of trusting to inexperienced men. Regarding i the suggested employment of women clerks. Mr. Hiley said the Department could get more boy clerks than it could digest at present. The appeals were adjourned till May 1, the Board to grant suspension from military service meantime, subject to the men remaining in their present employment. The Men Appealed For. The men for whom the Department appealed, and affected by the Board's decision, are: — , Francis Roderick Milne, stationniaster.. Ongarue. William Richard Stack, porter, Haywards. RichardTisher Story, porter, Koputaroa. Leslie Francis Morrison, porter, Turakina. ' George M'Kenna, porter, Palmerston North. ! Walter Johnston., porter, Wellington. Thomas James Howard, porter, Palmersfon North. William' ET Bolton-, porter, Palmerston North. ! Herbert Charles Proflitt, porter, Khandallali. Frank E. Crouch, porter, Palmerston North. Clements Wilsden NewporF, porter, L'ongburri. '.''... George Turkington', clerk, Wellington. "-.',. ° Herbert Percival M'Clatchy, clerk, Ohakunc. ' Arthur Edward List, cadet, Pahiatua. Allan Mathcw Greig, clerk, Palmerston North. . ' Thomas Harold Forster, clerk, Wellington. Edwin Kent Collins, cTerk, Palmerston North. Charles W. R. Watson, clerk, Johnsonville. John Grammar, clerk. Johnsonvillo. Philip Michael Lennon, fitter, Wellington. James Maitland Campbell, boilormakpr, Petone. William George Mack, cleaner, Fiizroy. . ' Daniel Hishon. Creek. George Robert Beecroft, fireman Ma-storton. ' Robert Leslie Crockett, fireman, New Plymouth. William Henry Wareham, surfaceinnn. AVaimiba; *■» Albert Ernest Waters, surfaceman, Pukehou. Thomas Edward Dowling, labourer, Manga tana. ■ Other Appeals. Edwin Ernest Ware, railway signalman, 40 Weld Street, Wadest'owii° appealed for the reason that he was over age. _ The appeal was allowed. The adjourned appeal of William Brew, who claimed to belong to tie Second Division, was allowed. John Creed, tea merchant, was alio wed. till April lto go into camp. The adjourned appeals by H. A. O. O'Donoh'oo and A.. R. M'Leod, on the ground of undue hardship, were dismissed.