RAILWAY COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1919, Page 5

RAILWAY COMMISSION.

FURTHER EVIDENCE TAKEN.

By Telegraph.—Presi Association. Wellington, Last Night. Joh . Francis McArthy, workshops manager at Newmarket for twelve years, gave evidence of the extension of the works there. The shops now were much better than in 1917, and the staff was now just back to about normal. There had been no falling-off in the capacity of the men. The condition of rolling stock now was quite as good as in 1910. It had been well maintained. During the last three months there had been no abnormal rush of repairs. At no time had work been held up through lack of supplies. "Pieced" springs had been used to a small extent when necessary, and no bad results had followed. All the machinery at Newmarket was now run by electric power.

To Mr. Marehbanks: The stores had always a sufficient supply of materials. There had been pleniy of engine and wagon tires, but there had been a slight shortage of boiler tubes. There was not an undue number of engines undergoing repairs at the shops. Early in July there were about eight in the shops, and the average number in at one time was from six to nine. After an engine had been thoroughly overhauled in the shops it should run for, say, three years. To Mr. Hunt: The average quality of the staff bad not been quite as good as it used to be, but the staff was now getting back to normal as the men returned from the war.

John Spencer Carr, workshops manager at Wanganui for twelve months, and previously at Addinpton, gave evidence similar to that tendered by the last witness as to the efficiency of rolling stock under his notice, tho isiali' nnd supplies of material for repairs. His stores were delivered from Petone, and there had been no difficulty or delay in obtaining stores.

To Mr. Myers: He had no instructions, written or oral, as to increasing .repair work. Since early in July the work had been carried on in just the ordinary way.

James F. Mackleg, workshops foreman at Napier and previously brake inspector for the whole of the North Island, said the brakes were in just as good a condition now as when he gave evidence before the previous Commission. There hal always been plenty of men to do the work, and plenty of material to do it with. To Mr. Marehbanks: There was no difficulty in getting repair supplies; they were obtained locally. No trouble had been experienced in obtaining skilled fitters to do the work.

In regard to the condition of the rolling stock, Charles Thomas Bargh, workshops manager at Petone, spoke of it as being quite "up to tho mark." Very little new work, with the exception of a few wagons, was being undertaken at Petonei At Petone engine repairs were done to engines from as far as Palmerston. Most of the Main Trunk engines and Wellington engines work had gone on normally without any serious difficulty arising through the depletion of the staff or the provision of supplies. To Mr. Marehbanks: The rolling stock he considered to be in good, safe running order. At present there were not as many men leaving the service as formerly. Among the men who had left were blacksmiths and fitters, and seme o£ them had gone into business outside the Department.

Mr. Hunt: How would the number ot employees now compare with pre-war days? Witness: We have less than in pre-war days, but then there was a big building programme on. Wiiut about the quality of the staffT Oh, I would not say there was much difference.

Are you still wanting more men? Oh, ves.

What class of men? Well, blacksmiths, carpenters and others, 1 think we will get all we need. Mr. Marehbanks: If you were running the full service of Iflio would you be able to cope with the repairs? I am afraid not. I think we should want a bigger staff. Mr. Hunt: If you were told next week that the nine million mileage was to be resumed could you cope with the repairs? No, I don't think we could do it all at once.

Mr. Hunt: Then yon see rocks ahead? In reply to the chairman, witness said that iu the case of increasing running a large number of casual hands would have to be employed in the shops. Francis Taylor Murison, locomotive engineer nt Petone, and recently stationed at Newmarket, gave evidence on tho lines of previous witnesses as to the condition of the rolling stock and the efficiency of the staff. To Mr. Marchbanks:' As milch brown coal as could be obtained was used. More men were lost out of the shops than out of the running department. There was no shortage of tyres or axles. There was a shortage of fitters, but they were not all permanent hands. To Mr. Myers: The efficiency in regard to repair work at Newmarket had continued to improve. (icorgc Arthur Pearson, assistant chief mechanical engineer, stated he agreed with the finding of the Railway Commission in 1917 that the condition of the rolling stock was good. There had been no trouble in regard to maintenance of stocks. With the present engine power a greater mileage could be run than' in 1916. More carriages had been put on, and the cars were in excellent condition, Tn 1918 two million miles less were run than in 1919,. and that would tend to reduce the number of engines, cars, and wagons to be repaired. Brown coal was not suitable for fast services. West Coast and Newcastle coal were absolutely necessary if fast services were to be maintained. The tendency was to reduce the consumption of brown coal. To Mr. Myers: When in Auckland recently he found the condition of the engines and other rolling stock to ,be remarkably good. The Department continued its building programme ymtil 1917, when it was suspended. Should it be decided to proceed with a fresh building programme the Department would be in a position to commence operations. To Mr. Marchbanks: The position re. garding engines was normal in the Wellington district. Edward James Gu'mess. chief clerk in the stores branch of the Railway Department, said there were ample "supplies of springs on hand. He detailed tlic various orders that had been given for drawbar and bearing springs, tyres, and "x'es. He was absolutely satisfied that sv stores were coming forward and i"«r'ri on hand to meet all requirements. At •>« time in the past two years had 1 inbeen any shortage, and the branch iiai been congratulating itself on the position in which it found itself. To Mr. Marchbanks: Stocks for railway purposes had received excellent dispatch from the Old Country during the war.

To Mr. Hunt: If a new programme of building j£«* erdgnd. would b» tie

position of being able to meet n«uly •& j the demands. ' . 1 Air. Myers intimated it wa* not JHW*; ?! posed to call further witnesses at that '%• stage. I The chairman said the Commli«ion thought it should visit the South T«l«ui for the purpose of seeing the workshop* • at Addington, and obtaining information . 1 regarding the condition of rolling itodt in the South Island. Some local wit* ■ nesses might also wish to be heard, and "■ the Commissioners did not want it to ' be said that the Commission never went * near the South Island. So far a) tho coal question was concerned, it was hoped *< to deal with that matter in Wellington, f The hearing of further evidence ww <j then adjourned until to-morrow. ■ 't'i