ALDINGTON WORKSHOPS ENQUIRY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3137, 13 March 1909, Page 5

ALDINGTON WORKSHOPS ENQUIRY.

By Telegraph—Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, March 12. •The Addington workshops enquiry was resumed this morning at the Provincial Council Chambers, the members ot the Board present being Professor Scott (President), and Messrs J. J. Niven and E. Roberts. Harry H. Jackson, locomotive engineer in charge of the Hurunui-Bluff section, said he . had been in the service since November 1876, and had been in his present position i since January, 1900. The Addingi ton workshops are a part of his ' charge, and he was frequently at the workshops, although he could ; not spend so much time here as he , would like. He had found the men at Addington a fine body of men, and there was no more idling than \at any other works. When detected offenders were suitably punished, andi no case was passed over. He I was quite satisfied that the boilershop was as efficiently supervised as | any othe shop, if anything more so. , The discipline at the shops was .quite satisfactors; any breaches 'were suitably punished. The output of l work at Addington was perfectly 'satisfactory in his opinion. The present 1 arrangements as to staff were too cumbersome, and it happened at times that months elapsed before additional'men asked for were granted. He considered power should be given to'the workshop manager to engage and discharge casual labourers for that undoubtedly would facilitate the work. The , method of getting rid of men was also cumbersome, and ,he considered' that if it were found necessary to- get rid of men that should be done without the long correspondence required at present. Further expert evidence of an appreciative nature was given, and the inquiry adjourned till Monday next.