SHUNTING COMPLAINTS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 April 1926, Page 4

SHUNTING COMPLAINTS

inquiry board proposals. WELLINGTON, April 21. Au interesting portion of tlie Shunting Inquiry Board’s report—that setting out certain remedial proposals—has been made available for publication., Commenting on t-lieso proposals the Railway Board says“ The Shunt, ing Inquiry Board’s proposals may do much towards inducing younger men to take up shunting duties, and create a regular How of recruits for shunting work. These proposals are in any case worthy of trial.” “Numerous complaints were made in regard to the placing of inexperienced men in shunting gangs,” says the Inquiry Board. “It was also stated that tho frequent changes in the gangs by the withdrawal .of an experienced porter and the replacement of an inexperienced porter-deduced the efficiency of the gangs and placed added responsibility on the other member or members of the. shunting gang. “The changes in tlie gangs are .frequently brought about through transfers, accidents, sickness and shunters being employed as acting guards. The vacancies are often filled by porters, who have had no experience of shunting work.

“It lias been further stated that a number of the porters who are employed in the shunting yards do not take sufficient interest in their work, also that tho porters employed in the coaching department do net desire or will not take up shunting work, but perfer to remain on the passenger platform or to obtain a position as tablet porter. At sonic stations a

number of the porters are ' unsuitable for shunting work owing to defective colour perception or other disability. This makes it difficult at times to provide suitable l-eliel tor the shunting yards.

TO MATCH YARDS MORE ATTRACTIVE.

“With a view to making the shunting yards more attractive aiid to stimulate a steady flow of suitable porters into the yards, who would take ail interest-in the shunting work, we lire (if the opinion that the time a porter is employed as third man in ah authorised three-man gang or as second iiuin in ail authorised gang of two meii consisting of one .shunter and one porter, should count toward his first increment on obtaining promotion to tho position of classified shunter. For example, a porter who bud served 313 days or more as third man in a three-man gang or second nian in a two-man gang of one shunter and one porter would, on his promotion to a shunter, lie paid at the rate of Is 11 22-2-id, instead of Is 10 33-ild an hourl This should also apply tii porters employed at shunting duties at any station who are nowin receipt of the shunting allowance. “Some regular system of training the porters in shunting work is in vogue at a. few stations, but this cannot he regularly carried out at a majority of the stations, owing to no spare staff being available. The system at

Christchurch is a good one. Any vacancy in a slum ting gang in that yard can he tilled at short notice by one of the porters who arc termed “generals,” “pilots,” and “brakeirien,” and are capable of filling a third position in any,of tlie gangs. PALMERSTON PRAISED. “The system at Palmerston North where a porter is always kept in training in addition to tho pilots who are also gaining exjierieiice, is a good one. Provided soime similar system of training as that, adopted at Christchurch and Palmerston North can be instituted at all other large centres, it will remove a great many of tho present complaints and will also be the means of building up a competent staff of shunters. The majority of the foremen state that they prefer to get the men young for training in shunting work as the junior porters in the past, readily qualified and became competent shunters. “In view of (lie congested yards at the important centres ami the necessity for quicker transport or goods, there is non- a more urgent need for ail efficient staff in these yards, and the training of the men should be siicli that tlie effiiceney of the shunting gangs will he maintained all the time.”

Tlio, llailwny Donnl snvs: “The board lias the matter of training portal’s now in band, hr.cl a suitable system of training members for .shunting work in tho larger yards will he inaugurated. Tlio Hailway Board agrees with fife Inquiry Board’s recommendation that the time a porter is employed as third man in an authorised three-man gang or second man is an authorised iwo-man gang consisting of one shunter and one porter, should count toward liis first increment oil obtaining promotion to the position of classified shunter, and that porters