1).—4.

H. F. HOLDER.]

43

20. Speaking generally of the undergear on these vehicles, what would you say as to whether or not they are kept in good order and repair? —I reckon they are kept in good order; it would not do for us to let anything go out that was not in good order. The Manager often comes through the shop twice a day,' also the Engineer. Everything is clear—they can see the underframe of a vehicle; if we tried to get anything past them we would have to keep it covered over. 21. Is there any reason why you or the other men should? —No, not a particle. Ido not see how he could get anything shoddy off, because so many come round. 22. You know what J mean by the term " false economy"?—l know what false economy is. 23. .Do you think there is any false economy practised? —No, the Manager will not have anyfalse economy. He says he will not have a " brum " job; that is his idea of false economy. When you have a vehicle on the stocks it is better to repair it properly than to get it back in about six months. 24. Do you have to put many new bearing-springs in carriages or wagons? —Not very many. We might get one now and again with the end knocked off or not sitting properly —we replace those; or if they are not the same height we might take them out and put two of the same height in, but we do not put them back with a piece broken off the top, where they mostly break. 25. Have you ever seen a bearing-spring put in in two pieces?—No, you could not put it in; it would not stop there until they got the vehicle out of the yard. 26. We have been told that in the case of these draw-bar springs you put them in in two pieces?— Yes, we have put those in, but it; is only when our stock might be getting a bit low that we bother with a broken spring. 27. You have known that practice adopted here in Auckland : have you known it adopted elsewhere?— Yes; 1 havc\seen them used at Hillside, and Newmarket prior to my going to Hillside. 28 Have you ever had any objection raised to the practice on the ground that it is unsafe or any other ground ? —No, not a particle. 29. Do you ever find vehicles sent into the shops for repairs which you thought -could have been done by the examiners? —We would not question that at all. Something may be stopped at Newmarket Station that it would not be worth sending on to town. We do not question it at all. 30. Of course, you know that when it is a question of minor repairs they are frequently effected by the train-examiners? —Yes; sometimes in the latter part of the week Mr. Moore sends his minor repairs out to us when he has too many, and we have to deal with them. 31. The Chairman.] What is your practice when a wagon is sent into the shop for repairs by the Car and Wagon Inspector?—We very often examine it, and sometimes we have the lighter repairs done before we get the Loco. 43. 32. Who examines it? —Either the leading hand or myself. I would probably examine half myself, and perhaps lie examines the other half. I have one leading hand on the repairs and one leading lifter. 33. And the responsibility of examination is divided between you and the leading hand? — Yes; it is my duty to go round them. I cannot always be on the repairs, but anything the leading hand is in doubt about he refers to me. I very often go round, and the Manager has a set programme that on a, certain day we are to work on particular vehicles. 34. Then you give general inspection to the repairs while they are going on ?—Yes. 35. On a wagon going out of the shop on completion who inspects it?— The leading hand mostly. He is supposed to see that it is right before it is put on the rake and if it is due for Westinghouse—the fitting-shop repairs—lie draws the attention of the leading fitter, and if the lifting is due the leading lifter looks it over. 36. You do not personally inspect every wagon that comes in?— Not every one. I suppose I would see 75 per cent, of them. 37. With regard to the draw-bar springs, when do you remember them first being put in in two pieces?—l do not think we have put any in in Newmarket since I was there this last time until last August or September, when we were getting low with the new ones.' 38. Going back, what is the earliest date of your connection with the Railway service that you remember them being used ?—About fifteen years ago —a spring with a bit smaller bearing that was in use at that time. 39. Was that due to shortage or desire for economy?—l think it was more for economy than anything else. 40. About what proportion do you think you have been putting in at Newmarket since you have been there ?—I do not think more than one hundred or one hundred and twenty altogether. 41. How many wagons have you put out during that time you have been Foreman at Newmarket? —I suppose about 3,600 during the last three years. 42. How many of those wagons went out with pieced springs? —Not more than a hundred. 43. Then out of 3,600 wagons you have only turned out about a hundred with pieced springs? —That is about all. 44. Mr. Marchbanks .] I understood you to say that you knew the pieced springs were used about fifteen years ago? —Yes. 45. And that they were used at Newmarket before you went to Hillside?— Yes; at different periods, just when there was a shortage of the solid spring. I have known of them being used fifteen years ago, but the only time they were used under me as Foreman was in August, 1915, when we were short of new springs. 40. Did you see them when you were a leading hand prior to that? —Yes, fifteen years ago; and I have known them used at Hillside, but not in large quantities. Of course, we never thought of using them on anything but wagons, either bogie or 15 ft. stock. We kept the good springs for passenger-carrying vehicles. We always saved the broken springs in the scrap-heap. 47. Have you known any bad effects from the use of them?— No. 48. You would not be able to tell if a pieced spring failed later on, would you?—No, but we have never noticed any of the wagons that have had pieced springs put back for damage.