ADDINGTON INQUIRY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9395, 16 March 1909, Page 5

ADDINGTON INQUIRY.

Per Press Association

Christchurch, March 15. The Addington inquiry was resumed.

Henderson, foreman of the boiler shop, said that workshop rollers were not strong enough to roll the plate he had referred to previously. One of the plates was rolled and the operation broke np the rollers. Tho plates were Jgin. thick and were rolled cold. The heaviest plates that could be roiled at Addington were those %in. thick, and then two plates could be roiled in hours. Sometimes four machines were worked from one accumulator, which was originally obtained for the rivetter alone, bat it had been used for more work since. He had not officially drawn the manager’s attention to the want of a flanging machine, bat the matter had been spoken abont. The shop had been working at a disadvantage with the present machinery, bnt he had not complained abont it. John Spencer Clarke, foreman fitter, said he had been in all; the large simps in the Dominion and discipline at Addington was as good as at any other shop ha had been in. He had not seen any loafing or idling at Addington. . The plant at the now locomotive building worked satisfactorily as far as It went, bat better lifting facilities were required. William H. Cole, foreman blacksmith at Addington, said he served his apprenticeship at the Ashford works of the South-Eastern Railway Company. He also had experience in New Zealand before joining the Government shops. His staff of smiths at Addington was the finest staff in New Zealand. He had also a good staff in the forage department. The output of work now was much more up-to-date than it ever was before. To Mr Hampton : One of his men might have brought out an improved idea for points: and crossings work, bnt had received no extra recompense from the Department. John Barbour, foreman of the moulding shop, Addington, said he had Jbeen at Addington for nearly seven years, and had previously been at Petone and in private works in New Zealand and Australia. The plant at Addington was as good as the plant in any of the "other jobbing shops where he had worked and, in many csase, much better. The output was much better than in many other places. The work at Addington was of a very intricate character —more so than in other shops. The workshop practice at Addington was far superior to that in many of the American shops. He was satisfied with his staff and had nojliffionlty in maintaining discipline. To the President: A pneumatic lift was required for the moulding shop; also a hydraulic ring breaker, but the.-.latter was now being constructed.

Robert D. Mcßwan, turner at Addington, said he had previously worked on the Clyde and could say that the men on the Clyde worked harder than at Addington, That was the result of the bonus system entirely. Turners at Addington were quite on a par with the Clyde men, but the quailty of the work on the Clyde was falling rapidly as a result of the bonus system. The quality of work at Addington was better than that turned out at the Clyde. The bonus system followed the big strike, and was based upon giving the men a little more for increased effort. The men, however, had not time to do the work properly, and consequently the work had to be scamped. The increased wages under the bonus system amounted to from 6s to 8s weekly, the standard wage being 36s weekly.

To Mr Hampton : Apart from the appliances the :men at Addington were as good as the men at the Clyde before the introduction of the bonus system. Geo. Butt, foreman fitter, and D. J, Brown, in charge of the painting and tarpaulin department, were satisfied with their respective staffs. Geo. Edward Richardson, workshops manager at Addington, said he had been 25% years in the service and bad been 15 months at Addington. He had also been workshops manager of other workshops. Two permits had been issued to Mr Jenkinson 'during the first 13 months —one on November 12th during carnival week, and one on the 16th November immediately after the holidays. Mr Jenkinson never spoke to him on either visit. Witness had not seen idling as a general thing in any shop at Addington. The staff at Addington generally was most efficient. If the cranes in the erecting shops were electrified they would be used more. A new shop should be erected for the construction of new locomotives. He had found no difficulty in maintaining discipline at Addington. The giant at the shops was generally efficient, but more high speed steel lathes were wanted; also improved lifting gear. The work was laid out in the best possible way co get through, in the shortest time and at the least cost. Considerable improvements had been made in the points and crossings shop since he had been at Addington, and the output had been materially increased and the cost reduced. The last three of the Addington engines were similar tojthose built by Price Bros. Thefnet cost, including the Westinghouse brakes and painting, was £4350, whereas, the contractors’ price was £3998, to which had to be added £2lO for brake and £2O for painting, making a total of £4228. Six of the W E engines had been built at Hillside, but Addington had supplied some of the parts. ( The inquiry was adjourned.