RAILWAY APPEALS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 298, 13 June 1912, Page 5

RAILWAY APPEALS

MINISTERIAL VETO. Wellington, Wednesday. The Minister of Railways, Mr Myers, made reference at an interview this morning to liis exercising his Ministerial right to veto a decision of the Appeal Board in the case of Gnard Cadman, of Rangiora, upholding the view of the chairman, as against the elective members of the hoard, that Cadman should ■be dismissed. Where the interests of public safety and the decipline of the 1 railway staff arc involved, said the Minister, it is imperative that the Minister charged with the duty of effectively administering the department should have the last word in connection with such matters. It must, in his opinion, be apparent that the establishment of a principle which would give the board the last ' say in matters of staff dicipline, with which public safety and the efficiency of the railway service were closely identified, would be inimical to the public interests and diametrically opposed to the legislation and intention of Parliament. Every Minister of Railways in turn had been distinctly opposed to waiving the right of veto. "I am satis- ' fied," he said, "that in the public intern ests the Minister who is responsible to the country for the proper administration and efficiency of the railway service • must retain the right of veto."'