TRAM MOTORMAN'S DISMISSAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 October 1920, Page 7

TRAM MOTORMAN'S DISMISSAL.

APPEAL BEFORE BOARD. A sitting of the Now Plymouthi Tramway Appeal Board was held yesterday to hear the appeal of Motorman Allen against his disrating and dismissal in August last. The Board comprised Messrs. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M. (chairman), V. J. Hiil (New Plymouth Borough Council), and R. J. Pentecost (Tramways' Union).

Mr. P. B. Fitzherbert appeared for appellant, and Mr. R. H. Quilliam ior the Borough Council. Mr. V. George was granted permission to watch proceedings on behalf of the Tramway*' Union.

The case was directly concerned with' a collision between two cars which took place in August at the loop near Outfield Road. After an inquiry, Allen who was the motorman on one of tha cars, was disrated to a first-year conductor. He then failed to report for duty and was given notice of dismissal.

The tramways manager, Russell H. Baxtley, said that prior to taking the position in New Plymouth he was assistant engineer in the Metropolitan Tramways Company, London. He had personal experience of the actual driving of cars. In connection with the collision reports were obtained from the two motormen (Allen and Tozer), and also the conductors. Ho suspended both motormen temporarily till he decided what course to adopt. He interviewed them separately and jointly, and gave them an opportunity of making a statement. He told Allen later in effect that he had been guilty of negligence, through lack of anticipating what was about to happen. Witness also doubted if the car was going at the speed set out in Allen's report, and also queried the time the brakes were said to have been applied. A plan was put in of the site of the accident. The witness stated that Allen was driving a car to town, and the other one bound for the breakwater was in charge of Motorman Tozer. Tozer's car was stationary at the loop and witness gathered from the facts that Allen's car had rushed past. He did not think there was any doubt that Allen's car ran into Tozer's, for the I reason that the latter was in a wrong position, and Allen was driving his car at a pace that he could not control. Witness knew that about that time the machine breaker had blown out.

After hearing further evidence, the Board expressed the opinion that Mr. Bartley was within his right. The appeal was therefore dismissed. Costs were not allowed against appellant.