RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3008, 20 February 1917, Page 6

RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK

MR. WILFORD'S CHARGES

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY

EVIDENCE OF RAILWAY OFFICERS

Tho Commission of Inquiry appointed recently to conduct an investigation xcg<irdin°; the condition of t!ie rolling stock on tho Government railways sat ia the Parliamentary Buildings yesterday.-. The Commission consists of Professor R. J. Scott (Canterbury College), Mr. J. P. .MnxiveJl (civil engineer), and Mr. J. Marchbanks (engineer to the Wellington Harkiur Board). Mr. M. Myers apjjeared on behalf of the Railways Department. The Commission was appointed in consequence of a statement made in the House of Representatives last year by Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., to the effect that the rolling-stock was not in proper condi- ! tion. Mr. AVilford referred specially to the use of broken springs. Mr. Wilford, who had been asked to attend, made a statement to the Commission. He said it was gratifying to him that what he had said in Parliament had been proved, since the engineers had admitted that broken gprinju had been used. He had mentioned the matter first as a public man froma senso of duty. A public Department could not be regarded as immune from criticism of a fair character, and • he held that he had been fully justified bringing forward the question that was now being investigated by the Commission. His statemeuts had heeti supported by the evidence of Mr. Bargh manager of the Petone Workshops, Mr. Kelly, car and wagon inspector tor Wellington, and other officers, irZiose reports had been published in a paper placed before Parliament by tho Minister of Railways. Mr. Wilford proceeded to read from these reports, in order to show that there had been a shortage of spare parts for the repair of rolling -stock, and that broken uraw-har springs liad been pieced together owing to tho lack of new springs. This matter had 'Been the subject of representations by the Amalgamated lociety of Railway Servants, and a deputation had brought the subject under the notice of Mr. R W M'Villy. Mr. B. H. Hiley, General Manager of Railways, had replied to the deputation by letter about three months later; Mr. AVilford asked for the production of this letter. Giving evidence on oath, Mr. Wilford said that when he aeked the Minister ot Railways in the House of Representatives a question regarding the condition of tho rolling stock, he had in mind tho use of -broken draw-bar springs under carriages, endangering the safety of the travelling public. He believed that broken , springs Vere being pieced together and used, and that there was a shortage of spares, thus necessitating the piecing together of springs. Mr. Myers: "What kind of .spring did you have in mind?" Mr. Wilford: "'Springs' was all I was t01d. ,, Mr. Myers: Did your informant tell you that broken springs were uein« used under carriages? Mr. Wilford: No, I-think those may be my own words. Mr. Mjets: \Yould it surprise you to know that broken eprnigs—pieced springs—have, never been used under carnages at all? •" Mr. Wilford: It is stated in a report that they have been used on. short runs. ■ . . Mr. Myers: Would you be surprised to lcnow th'at every witness so far has said that draw-bar springs have nothing whatever to do with the safety of tiie travelling public? Mr. Wilford: 1 know nothing of such subjects. Mr. Myers: That is evident from your answers. You appear to be trying to avoid answering questions or to answer them in a certain way. Mr. AVilford: I know as much about the matter as you do about the fourth dimension of space.' Mr. Myers: Yon know very little about railway affairs, don't you? Mr. Wilford: I can give you information, not understanding. Mr: Myers: I quite realise that from your answers. Mr. Myers proceeded to question Mr. AVilford regarding the length of time that had elapsed between the day when statements were made to the member by a railway servant regarding the condition of the rolling stock and tho occasion when he brought forward the matter in Parliament. Mr. Wilford said that he could not give the date when ho gob the information. Tho man had been on leave that day and tho date might enable the Department to trace him.

Mr. Myers: Are you calling the man? Mr. Wilford: No. . Mr. Myers: Have you asked him to attend? Mr. Wilford: I got a friend to interview the man who told mo, without his knowing that I had any connection with the inquiry. My friend said: 'I suppose Wilford will call the man who gaye him the information." Tho man said: "I hope he does not do so." Mr. Myers: You. have not asked him to attend? Mr. Wilford: I have not. Mr. Myers: Who is he? Mr. Wilford: "I decline to answer." The witness explained that he was not prepared ,to mention the name of his informant because he thought the man might be made to suffer for having given information regarding tho rolling stock. He understood that his informant had since told a somewhat different story in order to save his skin. Mr. Myers: You'will not call him? , Mr. Wilford: No. You have your remedy under the Act, . t Mr. Myers: And make you a martyr. We do not propose to do anything like that. Wβ will not shed any limelight upon you. Mr. Wilford: That is only rude. I could say something to you which would make you squirm, but 1 have purposely kept it back. Mr. Myers: That .is kind of you. I thank you. Mr. Wilford said, in answer to hirthor questions, that he did not think his informant took any drink. He would not say if the man was a reservist 'of the First Division. Mr. Myers: Well, we can trace tho man; he has given evidence before the Commission. If a man tells a Parliamentarian something about the condition of the rolling stock being dangerous to the public, and subsequently tells a totally different story, do you think he is fit to be in the service of the Railway Department? Mr. Wilford: That is a matter for the Railway Department. I am firmly convinced now, as I was then, that what ho told me is true. Mr. Myers:'Well, if that is so, and you can be assured by tho officers of the Department that there will be no victimisation, why not give bis name? Would it surprise- you to know that your informant has told the Commission, on oath, that it is quite a proper thing, and not at all dangerous, for springs to have been used as they have bonn used? Mr. Wilford: I do not know what to think. When an old friend comes to me and tells me something, and I, as a public man, think it my duty to try to put matters right, and then the

man, as you say, goes back on his statement, 1 do not know what lo think. Mr. Myers: You did not know thi details yourself, and when your informant told you a story 'is it not probablo that you may have exaggerated it. Mr. Wilford: No. _He was very much worried about it. In answer to the chairman, Mr. "Wilford said ho had no technical knowledge of springs. Ho could not ask. his informant to givo evidence. Hβ had known the man and his family for years, and he knew what tl\e end would ho if the name was revealed. ■ Ernest Edward Gillen, Chief Locomotive Engineer and Chief Mechanical Engineer, said thafc tlie condition of tho rolling stock was good. Maintenance ami TepaiTs'had been kept up to date, and many improvements had been effected in the vehicles in recent .years. There had not been any speediiig up of repair work since the appointment of the Commission. The inspection was very thorough) and faults did not escapo notice either in the workshops or outside. There could be no objection to tho use of broken draw-bar springs, provided that they were properly pieced together. They constituted no danger to the public, and were used only on wagons. George Alfred Pearson, Chief Mechanical Engineer, said that the rolling stock had never been in better condition than'at the present time. He quoted departmental figures showing that tho number of vehicles passing through, the workshops and the cost of repairs per train mile had not been induced. There had been no falling off in the maintenance work. Mr. Pearson said the use of pieced draw-bar springs on wagons had been permitted and approved twenty years t ago. Tests had been made regarding the compression of springs broken into two pieces and their use had been sanctioned. Tie tests showed very little i difference between the broken springs and the sound sptmg,s. The luvcttter. of derailments had not increased proportionately in recent years.' Kβ had conducted many inquiries and bad not found in any case that a derailment was due to defective equipment. Tho ■ findings had been inconclusive in Eome ' cases, as happened on other railway systems. The brake equipment \<as maintained in good condition. Richard Edward Bobinson, engineer and brake expert, said he had been in I tho service of the Railway Department for 21 months. Previously he had been in the employ of the Westinghouse Company for about seventeen years. He had superintended file equipment of the rolling, stock in New Zealand with the Westinghouse brake. The w'ribrake equipment was the best in Australasia. Exceptionally good testing plante -were distributed throughout the Dominion. The equipment had not deteriorated; it had rather improved. To the chairman: His experience of railway work had been extensive and had started in England. The general condition of the railway stock in New Zealand was good. Great care was taken to maintain it. He had never been short of spare fittings for tho brakes. The accommodation for brake repairs was sufficient.. It was very rarely that a vehicle travelled with the brake gear cut out. The checks seemed to be extra well maintained.

William Henry Johnston, workshop foreman at Napier, detailed the arrangements for examination and repairs. Manv improvements had been made in rolling atoek in recent years and he was sure there had been no deterioration. The use of liners in axle boxes was a very old practice. The painting work was well maintained. He liad been at Napier for 4} years and in tiiafc time no vehicles liafl come in with broken axles or tires. He had no difficulty in obtaining supplies. To tho chairman: Me had not received any instructions, verbal or -written, to-Wston work sineo last July. The condition of the stock then had been normal. He had received no Tecent instructions regarding piecq springs. Hβ had used many piece springs aud considered them to be quite efficient. He had always had some springs in stock. The broken springs were used in order to avoid waste.

Sydney P. Evans, locomotive engineer, said he had been, in charge of the Wellington district for one year and nine months. Previously he had been in charge of a southern district, and had also been workshops manager. Tho records showed that the number of hot boxes was not increasing. Th'o inspection had improved during recent years. Officers were instructed that all stock I was to be maintained at a high state lof efficiency.. The condition of the rolling stock to-day was better than ever before, owing to careful maintenance and repairs, and improvements in many directions. Efficiency had not been sacrficed to economy at any point. No special instructions had been given as to hastefiing repairs since July, 1916. Ho was satisfied as to'the efficiency of h\s 'staff. He, knew of no justification for the statement made by Mr. Wilford regarding deterioration of rolling stock. The stock of spares and stores was usually large. His requisitions received prompt attention and ho had not received any complaints from shops as to dela.v in getting supplies. There had been delay on occasions witL regard to draw-bar springs. Ho knew that pieced draw-bar springs had been used at least fifteen years ago. A' pieced spring, in his opinion, iras as good as a new spring for the work it had to do. There was sufficient margin of compression for the roughest work, and ho did not consider that any danger was created by the pieced springs. He would not advise using them on carriages, hut no question of safety was involved. He had not known of any derailment being traced to defective equipment. Charles Thomas Bargh, workshops manager, Petone, gave evidence regarding methods of repair. He stated that when a vehicle entered the workshops it was given all the repairs found to be necessary. Work was not confined, to the particular repair indicated originally. The condition of the rolling stock generally was improving, owing to the practice of strengthening and modernising old stock as it passed through the shops. Painting was kept up to date as far as possible, and was better at present than in some previous years. Officers were expected to be economical, but no special instruction had been given on the point recently. He was suro repair work was not scamped in any way. He saw no objection to pieced draw-to springs. He knew of no foundation at all for tho statement that the railway rolling stock was in a bad condition.

James Henry Shorwin, workshop foreman carpenter, Petone, explained tho method of making repairs. Any work found to be necessary was undertaken when a car had been taken in hand. He considered the stocl? to be in better condition now than it had been three years previously. Charles George Kelly, car and wagon' inspector in the Railway Department, corroborated previous evidence as to the condition of the rolling stock. He had received no complaints from train examiners, regarding shortage of. supplies. The Commission adjourned until 10 a.m. to-day, when further evidence will be taken.