J. F. MCCAETHY.

41

D.—4

36. We have been told that frequently where a draw-bar spring is required, instead of putting in a new spring you put pieces together : is that so? —Yes, on occasion, when our stocks are getting down a bit we might do it, not to a great extent, in the workshops. Out of a hundred broken springs you might only find half a dozen that would match. •37. Do these two pieces produced match?— Yes; they are level on the top arid bottom. .'5B. Do you keep all the pieces of these springs that come in from broken springs? —Yes, if they are likely to come in for use. 89. Would you have any hesitation in using those two pieces?— Not the slightest for a draw-bar. 40. What kind of vehicle would you use them on?— Anything except carriages; 1 would put them on wagons. 41. How long has that practice obtained? —For many years; in the South I was in charge at Addington some years ago, and we did it there occasionally. 42. And the practice has also obtained here?— Yes; not to any great extent here—we do not get very many of them. 43. Can any harm come from using pieces like that?—No, I do not see that it could. If it broke in half a dozen pieces it would stay on the draw-bar. 44. Is the fact of using two pieces like that any different from using a whole spring in one piece?—lt is practically the same. Of course, I would put a new spring from choice if 1 had any amount of new springs; although it is almost as good it is not quite so good. 45. Do you get many broken bearing-springs come into the workshops? —It is a very rare thing to see a broken bearing-spring. 46. Do you see many broken draw-bar springs?— Yes, forty or fifty a month, I should say. 47. In wagons or carriages?— Wagons particularly; you very rarely see one in carriages. 48. I suppose you would expect to find broken draw-bar springs in trucks rather than carriages? —Yes, they get rougher handling. 49. As far as you can see is the inspection of cars as rigid as it has been in the past?— Yes; it is impossible to get a car through without having it up to date in every respect. 50. You are speaking of both cars and wagons?— Yes. 51. Are you also supplied with a copy of the Loco. Code? —Yes. 52. Are your duties prescribed in that code?— Yes. 58. Has Mr. Murison his office in your yards? —Yes. 54. Do you have much inspection from Head Office? —Yes; we have the different Brake Inspectors round once or twice a year, the Boiler Inspectors round continually every three or four months, and oftenej , if required. The Chief Mechanical Engineer also comes round two or three times a year. 55. Does he come round as frequently as his predecessor? —Yes, oftener. 56. Do you find the various Inspectors fairly keen? —Yes; it is almost impossible to get a vehicle through unless it is right in every way. 57. 1 suppose your men all know that?— Yes, 1 insist on the Foreman Carpenter and leading carpenter being very strict and examining every point: that is done with a view to expediting the work. 58. Have you ever known any car or wagon sent out on the road in anything but an absolutely safe condition? —Certainly not. 59. Have you ever known a bearing-spring to be pieced together in two parts?—No, we would not tolerate it. 60. Why not?—We would not consider it safe; a draw-bar spring is carried on a draw-bar; the bearing-spring is simply caught top and bottom. 61. The Chairman.] When wagons come into the shops with pieced draw-bar springs, in what condition do you usually find those springs?—lt is hard to tell if they have been pieced; they may be broken for the first time in the vehicle. Some are broken in several pieces, but there is no guarantee that they were the ones that had been pieced together. 02. When do you first remember this practice being carried out?— About twelve years ago, in Addington, when I was there they were using it. 63. Was that due to shortage or economy?—l think it was because they considered it safe to use, but they used them more frequently when there was a shortage. 64. Was there a frequent shortage of springs? —Not until this last time I spoke of in Auckland. 65. And when that shortage occurred the practice was adopted of piecing the springs?— Yes, only for draw-bars. 6G. Mr. Marchbankn.] Has there been more repairing required during the last three or four years than preivously ?—Do you refer to draw-gear ? 67. Yes?— Not since we have used the heavier springs; there has been less. 68. Is there more damage than previously to draw-bars?—No, it is not a very frequent thing to get a draw-bar damaged; it is generally a foul shunt that breaks it. 69. And hooks? —We have quite a number of hooks broken, but not more than usual. 70. Axles?— The same as usual. We very rarely break an axle. 71. In drawing springs for maintenance I suppose they are all drawn originally from the local Storekeeper?— Yes. I only draw for the shop. 72. Then the local Storekeeper has a record of all springs used for maintenance purposes? —Yes. 73. Mr. Maxwell.] What do you mean by "piecing" a spring?—lt is the wrong term; what is meant is that they use the two pieces. 74. You do not mean you weld them together? —No, not in any way.

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