F THOMPSON.

87

I.—9a.

81 Are- they all members of the employing class I —No, they are not. v. : 82. There are bona fide workers on that Board?— Some of them are men -who have made the money they have as working-men, and they always look after the interests of. the workers. I do not know that they do it more than other members do, but I am satisfied that the workers are well represented. 83 Do you think it likely that a man from the ranks would offer himself as a candidate for a position on the Board, seeing that it is purely an honorary position ?—There have been labour candidates offering at every election we have had. 84. You say in reference to clause 2 your officer grants a certificate is that given to the man?—l think it is held by the Traffic Superintendent. The motorman gets it whenever he wants it. 85. If lie is dismissed, is it given on dismissal?—l do not know of cases where it has been withheld. 86 With regard to a trained man coming from another centre, do you remember whether a motorman named Barker came from the Auckland service to the Christchurch service three years ago? He was a motorman in Christchurch for some time?—l cannot recollect that case. I believe there was a Barker earlier than that. 87 You could not say whether he took, up the motorman's position without going through the position of a conductor ?—I believe he did, but the industrial agreement under which promotion can only come from the conductors' hands was made only eighteen months ago. 88 It was possible before that? —Yes. 89. It is not the question of efficiency that prevents a motorman driving in another place, but the agreement?— There is this involved that we have different types of car, and we have the trailer in Christchurch. 90. Can you say why, apart from the question of the agreement, a properly trained motorman from one, centre should not be able to drive a car in another centre?— You might have a motorman who had acquired habits of insobriety You might have a properly trained motorman in one centre who, in the opinion of the manager of another system, lacked nerve and capacity 91 How can you tell?—A manager has to form his own judgment. 92 You would not take a certificate showing that he had capacity?— No. 93. With regard to height, do you have your motormen of a certain height?— Yes, 5 ft. 8 in 94. How l«mg has that standard been in operation ?—I think, for over two years. 95 With regard to your saying that you had to stand by the motorman,' where the blame lies between the equipment and the motorman; is there not a tendency on the part of the management to screen the equipment at the expense, of■ the motorman?—l have not noticed any such tendency. 96. In the case of running each car at a cost of £2,920 a year, have you any idea of what is the earning-power of the car?—lt all depends upon circumstances. 97 But assuming it is running eighteen hours a (lay?— Yes, our average earnings per carmile are about Is. 4d. , but it does not follow that because you put an extra car on it is going to earn the average. 98. But you haye counted eighteen hours a day for a year as the expense of that car, therefore you ought to take the average earning-power?—According to your argument the position would be improved if you ran a five-minutes service through country that could only carry an hourly service. 99 That would interfere with your expense?— Yes.

Thursday, Bth September, 1910. Frank Thompson further examined. (No. 8.) I Mr Bosser ] With reference to clause 5, subclause (c), you say that if you had to provide a seat for every passenger your system would not pay? —It would not. 2. Then why not alter your by-law, which states that no passenger shall travel on a car unless there is a seat provided ?—Because we find it advisable to have that power in case we want to exercise it. For instance, if the passengers crowd a car so that a conductor cannot possibly get through his work, we want to give him power under the by-law to say " Some of you must get off." 3. In your demerit system have you a provision to award so many demerit marks to a conductor for allowing his car to be overcrowded? Look at No. 85? —" Allowing passengers to ride on platforms when there is standing-room inside, 5." 4. Have you ever seen that done? —Yes. ~.-,.. , 5 Have you ever awarded demerits for that?—l believe there have been cases. 6. Do you know of any?—l could not speak positively. 7 Five demerits are allowed? —That is the maximum.. Some of the public prefer to ride on the platform, and we get our men to endeavour to stop this. 8. Do you allow some of your passengers to ride alongside the motorman? —On some of the cars there is a seat at that end. 9 Mr Pearce stated that he did not know of a case where passengers were allowed to sit alongside a motorman?—lf he said that he has overlooked one type of car we have. 10. Do you remember that the union approached the Board for a direction on this point, as to whether passengers should be allowed there—l think it was in Mr Winter's time?—l cannot recollect it, but the seat is there, and as long as they are entitled to it I suppose they will use it. II In quoting Sir Clifton Robinson's opinion that the carrying of strap-hangers would make the difference between profit and loss, do you rely on your strap-hanger traffic to make your trams pay ?—Very largely