STAFF SHORTAGES ON RAILWAYS

Southland Times, Issue 24839, 3 September 1942, Page 4

STAFF SHORTAGES ON RAILWAYS

"We should have 36 porters at the Invercargill railway station, but we have only 27 and only six of these are capable of assisting in shunting,” said Mr F. G. Craig, district traffic manager of railways, at the sitting of the Southland Armed Forces Appeal Board yesterday when the board was considering appeals on behalf of railway employees. Mr Craig added that there were also 10 ■women employed at Invercargill as porters. In addition to the six porters capable of assisting in shunting, regular shunters were employed. Mr J. W. Hinchey, secretary of the board: The women would be no good as shunters? Mr Craig: I would not like to try them. Dealing with the position at, Bluff, Mr Craig said there should be eight porters there, but there were only five. A porter employed at Bluff, for whom an appeal had been entered, worked 60 hours a week at times, Mr Craig added. The chairman of the board, Mr E. H. Mumey, said it appeared that the hours worked on the railways had gone up since the board last dealt with appeals on behalf of railway employees.