D.—2.

[m. J. MACK.

But the moment they appear upon the scerie trouble commences, and they begin to interfere with the men, and I suggest, sir, that when this report is made that you will draw attehtion to the fact that less interference is necessary. Another matter that was mentioned was the lay-out and proposed lay-outs of shunting-yards. lam going to candidly admit that Ido not know anything about it, and Ido not think that witnesses who spoke knew anything about it either. I agree with one witness in so far as that is concerned, that he does not know —he only understands so, may be or may not; but I do know that when yards are laid out the men who are going to work them should be consulted, and if there is anything in their recommendations or if there are any suggestions they can make they should be given very serious consideration. Dealing with the draining of shunting-yards, every one has agreed that the drainage of this yard is bad. Ido not think it is necessary for me to stress that. I have been up and down this yard. I was up and down the yard this morning and noticed all the points full of water more or iess, and I think it will be accepted by you, gentlemen, that some attention is necessary in that direction. Now, sir, I \yant just to deal with the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the death of the late Shunter Carmichael. We have the evidence in this matter by Roberts, who was working with him. He says that " nagging" was going on always—that is, towards Carmichael—and that he heard it going on, and he got out of the way. He states that he heard De Rosa tell him, " Don't give me any cheek," and that was on the Friday before the accident. He also said that on going home at night the theme of Mr. Carmichael was the manner in which Mr. De Rosa was worrying him. Mr Firth said that it appeared to him that Mr. De Rosa was worrying Carmichael of late, and he states positively that on the Thursday and Friday before his death Mr. De Rosa was harassing Carmichael—so much so that he told Mr. De Rosa that if he did not leave the man alone that he would be killed. That was an unfortunate prophecy. It was indeed ! Why would Firth, the engine-driver, a man who had nothing in common with Carmichael, concoct a story of that kind if it were not true ? Why would Tapp, who was acknowledged by the Stationmaster to be a truthful man —why would Tapp say that De Rosa told him to keep an eye on Carmichael, otherwise Carmichael would be killed. He, De Rosa, contemplated that Carmichael would be killed ; but if the evidence is true he did not let up 011 this man who he had been harassing for two weeks. He continued until the poor fellow, endeavouring to do his best and recognizing that his conscientious services were not appreciated, came down to work to meet his death. Lepper, who was his mate, said that De Rosa was always worrying him. Undoubtedly he harassed him. Is Lepper concocting a story also ? Is Mr. Hildreth, a man who is entirely independent of anybody and not known so far as I am aware to any of us until he walked into this room, concocting a story when he says that Mr. Carmichael asked him to go and see his wife to ease her mind because she was worrying about him " being pushed by Heads " or " pressed by Heads " —-worried by Heads ! Who can the Heads be ? What other interpretation than Mr. De Rosa. Was it the Traffic Manager ? Was it the Stationmaster ? He meant without a doubt that it was the men immediately in control of him. Mr. Foote, an outsider, the gentleman who wrote the letter, knew of this harassing. He wrote the letter to the Minister of Railways on the Sunday, the day before Carmichael's death, and the following morning Carmichael was killed. The following morning he was killed, and the following morning also Mr. Foote showed the letter to the Stationmaster, but did not send it on. Should not the Stationmaster have made inquiries as to whether it was or was not so ? Notwithstanding that he knew that the letter had been in existence, and notwithstanding that his attention had been drawn by an outsider the day after the death of Carmichael, not one word was mentioned of it until he came before this Board and until I asked him. We have had these men, the foremen, telling us that it is not their job to teach the men how to use the tail-rope. Mr. Sweeney admitted, when I pointed out to him, chat there were men for every possible purpose to safeguard the revenue of the Department, but not one single man was there who acknowledged that it was his duty to see that the men who worked in the yards—the men who took the riaks —understood everything that was required of them in regard to tail-roping ! Evervthing possible to safeguard the revenue, but nothing to safeguard the lives of the men ! No attention given to points, crossings, levers, lights, drainage, and extra space. No attention given to them. No attention given to the men, to teach them how to adjust a tail-rope under various conditions, but every consideration given to safeguard the revenue. Let us review for a moment Mr. Sweeney's evidence. Does anybody believe the tale about the medal ? Does anybody believe the tale that a man from the Old Men's Home could lift the brake as we saw it the other day ? Every member who witnessed the test knows, and Mr. Sweeney knows, that if Mr. Sweeney attempted to lift the brake he would have had a large funeral. Does anybody believe the story of the 2 ft. of ballast in the yard ? Does anybody believe the story that Lepper is an amateur ? Does anybody now believe the story of the engine derailed ? Did he in his report to the Department tell the truth ? It was only last November, but he came before this Board with an elaborate story which was so far from the actual facts that lam astounded that any man should attempt to tell such a tale. It may be said that his memory is failing. I will not charge him with wilful lying—his memory may be failing, but if it has failed in so far as the engine is concerned, then surely his memory has failed with regard to quite a number of other things. Does anybody believe that it was a proper thing to bring a policeman on the premises to remove two of the men when he had another remedy altogether ? Does anybody believe that it was he who stopped the thefts ? Why the shunting-yard is wide open for that very portion of the night when 110 foreman is 011 duty at all, from twelve midnight forward. There is no foreman on duty to protect the property of the Department—only the shunters ; but what little could be said on behalf of the shunters was not mentioned. We have the evidence of Mr. Shinkwin, who states that the foremen quarrelled amongst themselves, and if, sir, the foremen quarrel among themselves, surely there is some reason for the men saying that they were harassed by these two men. The Stationmaster carefully forgot, or could not remember, anything that was asked him

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