ALLEGED “RAGGING” OF ENGINE CLEANERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2051, 30 November 1907, Page 2

ALLEGED “RAGGING” OF ENGINE CLEANERS.

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION. THE- CHARGES NOT SUBSTANTIATED. SOME MINOR SUGGESTIONS. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 29. The Commissioner appointed to inquire into the recent allegations ol ragging in the railway cleaning sheds has furnished his report to the Government. He states that Bray liad : ’utterly failed to identify any particular cleaner as having actively interfered with him. The nearest lie got to it was in conneceion with what occurred on the morning of Octobei 25. In his report to Mr. McKenzie on October 25 he said he had caught cleaner J. H. Syme, known in the sheds as “The - Doctor,” in the act of throwing something at him. Of that ho could swear to. Under examination on oath, however, he admitted that he did not actually see Symcthrow at him but that .a. “slurry” seemed to come from the direction of an engine standing near by, on the tender of which he subsequently saw Syme. He also stated that--another cleaner was in the cab of the same engine, and must have seen what took place. Both the lads referred to denied in the most positive’ way that either of them threw things at Bray or in any way interfered with him or' that they saw anyone else do so. The Commissioner states that he examined 17 cleaners; one and all without equivocation positively denied having taken part in the acts complained of by Brav, or that they saw' any one else do so. Taking the evidence throughout, says the report, there is an absolute and entire absence of the slightest corroboration of Bray’s statements. All the lads gave their evidence in an absolutely straightforward way. The Commissioner adds that- he watched closely the demeanor and action of the witnesses, and with his 26 years’ experience in taking evidence in Courts of Justice he could detect nothing in any one of these young witnesses that could tend to raise a doubt in Iris mind as to their entire truthfulness. Some of the lads were of a particularly good, open, straightforward type, and would bo at once accepted as witnesses of truth. To believe in the main the allegations of Bray oiie would have to find, that there had been *a. conspiracy of silence on the part of all concerned and a deliberate intention to commit perjury with regard to all matters great or small. This, says the report, is inconceivable. The Commissioner then refers in detail to somo of Bray’s allegations as to what took, place on certain dates, and points out that it is incredible that no ono should have seen the alleged occurrences. As to the genera’ allegations, viz.-, the implied neglec of duty and failure to maintain dis ciplino on. the part of the running shed foreman, the Commissioner state that there is nothing in the evidenci to support these in any way. On tin contrary, in liis opinion, the Depart ment possesses two valuable officer) in 3lessrs McKenzie and Graham, ant ho thinks that both may be relied upon to deal promptly and effectivelj with any abuses that come undei their notice. So far as the duties of the night foreman are concerned, it seems humanly impossible that he alone can exercise such complete supervision over the two sheds as may be considered desirable night after night. Somo 36 young men are engaged in the sheds. They aro of all sorts and conditions, and of ail age when they aro full of animal spirits and prone to rough play and skylarking. That, however, does not imply that they are vicious or likely to indulge in very serious practices. The Commissioner, however, thinks that the risk of such should be reduced to a minimum. His visit to the sheds at midnight convinced him that under existing circumstances it- would ho impossible to enforce complete discipline amongst the lads. They had countless opportunities for mischief if they were so inclined. The Department. he thinks, might consider whether it would not be wise to have at least one officer in the sheds whose solo duty it would be to keep all the cleaners as far as possible under observation. He adds, that the lighting of the sheds by occasional gas jets might be improved on, and* suggests an electric light installation.