SOUTHERN RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2313, 16 August 1880, Page 2

SOUTHERN RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

Ain Commissioner Conyers in his annual report, makes the following recommendations :

The complete reorganisation of the staff is intended. It is intended that the employees of the three departments —locomotive, maintenance, and traffic—shall be separately classified, with minimum and maximum rates of pay for each class, permanency of employment, advance in pay, and promotion being entirely subject to good behaviour and competency. It is further proposed that every man shall on entering the service pass a medical examination, and bo perfect in sight and bearing ; that all except maintenance-way laborers shall bo able to read and write, and that a certain limit of age be lixed. I have in view that a board of inquiry shall bo formed consisting of three representatives from the class of officers, one from each of the departments, and one man selected from the grade to which the accused person belongs, in order that in cases of imputed misconduct, neglect, or iucompctcncy the individual may have a fair and impartial hearing, and not ho subject to dismissal through the will or caprice of subordinate officers of the department. 1 propose also to submit for your consideration a readjustment of passenger fares to the extent of the entire abolition of return fares and a commensurate reduction in single fares. The usual inducement to grant return fares—viz., competition—is wanting here, and 1 cannot see any ground for the concession. The change of system would, I believe, lead to the convenience of the public, for, without much increasing the cost, it would enable passengers to make the journey at any time that suited their business or pleasure, and would at the same time he a saving to the department. The several kinds of tickets kept in stock would be reduced one-half, and frauds which are known to be practised with Saturday single faro return tickets would be entirely frustrated.