RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 51, 18 July 1912, Page 5

RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD.

A QUESTION OF PROMOTION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. A silting of the Railway Appeal Board was held to-day to hear the appeals by George Burnet, chieft clerk in the district engineer's office, Dunedin, and Jas. Young, who holds a similar posiiton in Christchurch, against being superseded on the classification list. The appeals were based on the fact that while the appellants were higher on the classification list on April 1, 1011, than Messrs. Sword, Mellor, and Ridler, the last three, had since been placed in higher positions. Evidence was given by Jas. Burnett (chief engineer, Wellington), V. W. MaeLean (inspecting engineer), 11. Macandrew (district engineer, Dunedin), and C. 11. Biss (district engineer, Christchurch) strongly in favor of the appellants. In addressing the board Young said that the General Manager, who knew practically nothing of the work they performed and had never been inside their offices to inquire into their ! qualifications, had placed others above them. The Department had brought forI ward no evidence, and simply asked the board to give its decision on the academic theory that the General Manager could do' no wrong. During the hearing of the case Mr. Ilaselden, chair man of the board, said the appellants had presented the case in an entirely different aspect. As regarded the appointment of Sword, as district manager at Whangarei, they admitted the General Manager's discretion, hut contended that lie had not used it. Mr. Davidson, who appeared for the Department, said, that his instructions wore that tile General Manager had carefully weighed the qualifications of the officers, and did not fele that he was in a. position to give a certificate necessary for the promotion of appellants. Decision was reserved.