SHUNTING CONDITIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2926, 22 August 1925, Page 3

SHUNTING CONDITIONS.

INQUIRY CONTINFED

The Board of Inquiry into shunting conditions at railway yards continued to hear evidence on Thursday. This wate of similar nature to that given on the previous day, except in the case of Cyril Pepperel, a shunter, who said: “I should like to place on record a protest against placing inexperienced men at certain stations. Insufficient time is allowed them to become conversant: with the routine of a yard and to acquire a. general knowledge of shunting. It imposes a great deal of extra work upon the senior men, as well as increasing their anxiety. At the present time there is only one gang in the yard containing two experienced men.” Mr. Mack (secretary of' (lie A.S.R.S.) : Tn addition to their only being one gang with two experienced men, is it not a fact that anoiher gang has a porter running as third man? Witness: Af the present lime one gang has two porters. To-morrow night there will be one gang working in iln- dark which will have a shunter in charge. His second man will ho a man who has only had three weeks' experience, and this third man,, although he has been a pilot, has only had four weeks in the yard. The shift is a heavy one and will entail working five or six hours Vin darkness. Anxiety for the other men in the gang increases the persona! risk of the man in charge. Mr. Mack: Has no endeavour been made to train the men as shunters? Witness: No; they are sent, on as spare men. Tt is not possible for the .shunter in charge to give personal supervision or instruction to these men. What instruction they do receive is largely (Tom the (bird mail. If is a case of flic blind leading the blind. Questioned further by Mr. Mack, Pepperel stated that he thought a “spare” man should have at least two months' training before being appointed fourth man of a gang.

Mr. TT. L. P. Smith (a member of the Board) : How is it that the shunting strength is so weak in trained men? Witness: There have been numerous transfers and some promotions. Three shunters have gone away, and their places were filled by tablet porters.

Evidence given on this point at the previous day's sitting of the Board was to the effect that no sooner had a man become experienced as a shunter than he was promoted to guard, fir he was transferred to another station with which he was unfamiliar and had to spend a great deal of time learning new conditions of working. The opinion was expressed that shunters should be allowed to take their promotion through the yard. HEARING ADJOURNED. The shunting inquiry was continued yesterday. Mr. Skinner, attendance officer to the Wanganui Education Board, gave evidence that, he had had eight years’ exerienee of shunting at Wellington, ending in 189(5. Later he was employed in the Natal Government yards as a shunter. Tn the course of lengthy evidence, wiliness said he considered that shunting in New Zealand was child's play compared with that in Natal, owing to the absolele yards there.

After bearing further evidence, the board adjourned, owing to Mr. Mack being required to proceed to Wellington. Meatime, untill the sitting is resumed locally, the board will continue its normal functions of investigating railway matters generally.