RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 November 1917, Page 4

RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.

I RAILWAY EMPLOYEES

men Available for service. WELLINGTON November ID. Mr. M’Villy Assistant General-Mana-ger of Railways, states that the Department has made ,a careful, investigation with a view to discovering the • minimum number of men with which the reduced timetable could be run and railwayman, as drawn in ordinary military ballots, were put through the second ballot to select the number 'the; .Department, could from time to time spare. The result of this process is that the last ballot of the First Division men is due to bo taken in about a week. Some 200 names will then he drawn. This instalment, Air. M’Yilly says, not only exhausts the First Division men in the service, but also completes the number who can he spared consistently with maintaining the present timetable. Actually about 200 railwayman have been drawn in the recent Second Division ballot, and for these men straightout exemption is to he applied for. The total number of men who left the Department for the army is close on 0000, of whom a little over 0000 wore permanent hands, the rest being casual employees. About 4700 went up to last Christmas, the rest under the ballot system. Mr. M’Yilly is unable to state just how many men have been examined by tbc billot system. 'Flic arrangement was that if, of the number of men drawn, some proved unfit, a similar number of fit men should be found out of those unballofod to replace them. Of those already drawn, and eligible, the only ones' not now with the colours, were those who had personal appeals lodged.