I.—6a.

8

[c. w. mcvilly.

You carefully omit to say in your statement that the man who was removed from Napier and whom this officer succeeded was promoted. You omit here the promotion which took place prior to the 7th May, 1911, and which was notified. According to your statement you knew all about the reduction which took place in May, but not about the promotion. Then, you put the Stores Auditor down at £355. 31. The question 1 asked was whether each of the officers shown in the statement has a chance of reaching his predecessor's salary while in his present grade?— Yes, providing he is in his present position and works through to the top of his grade, and the Department then considers the position is worth the money. 32. You will not deny he is detained at the top of the grade when there? —I am not saying anything about that. I am simply saving that a man will L r <> through when the Department considers he should go through. 33. Referring to the position of the Chief Clerk to the District Engineer, Wanganui, I should like to ask whether you are aware that that officer was not promoted when appointed to the position I—When1 —When 1 34. In 1908?— I cannot say from memory. It is just possible he was not. Are you referring to the time he went to Ohakune? 35. Yes? —I am not prepared to say. At any rate, supposing he was not, the position was not worth more than he was getting at the time of his appointment. ■'!(>. Are you not aware the position was a special one in this respect, that in addition to taking over the north portion of the line from the Public Works Department he had to deal with two sets of books, one from Auckland and also one from the southern portion that had been under the jurisdiction of the Wanganui Section? —Yes, I am aware of all that, but that does not justify you in paying an officer for all time a salary that is more than commensurate with the position. If the man who took the position was not satisfied to take it at the salary he had only to say so, and there were plenty of others who would have taken it. That was a matter between him and the Department. He elected to go. 37. Then you are practically admitting that he was rushed into the position?—l am not admitting anything of the kind. The man was a free agent and accepted the position offered to him and was satisfied. 38. Do not these delays in promotion give rise to our contention, that reductions have taken place?—l do not know what your contentions are Ido not know what other men think. All I know is what I think myself, and that is that the staff of the Railway Department is very well treated. 39. Another position 1 should like to refer to is the Foreman of Works at Westland?—Yes. 40. I should like to know why that officer did not get his promotion when promoted there?— That officer was not promoted there—he was merely transferred. 41. Was he not transferred to a higher position?—He was not transferred to a higher position, and he has been told it over and over again. That officer was transferred in the position he held. 42. Was the position not occupied by an officer in a higher grade?—lt might have been—l cannot say from memory. 43. Well, I can say that it was? —I am not prepared to admit that. 44. Your records will show that?— When I have time to look into the records I will do so. 45. Do you deny it? —I am neither denying nor admitting. I have stated that I will look into the records and see. 46. So far as this Schedule A is conoerned, Mr. McVilly, I do not intend to ask you any further questions on that?—l understood you proposed just now to go through the items seriatum. Mr. Dennehy: You gave me the answer. You said you had answered it half a dozen times. They are all on a par. We can prove nine out of ten of them as being reductions in positions. 47. Hon. Mr. Millar.] How many members in this Schedule A reduced are in accordance with D.-3, 1910?—Theie are ten of them. 48. Will you kindly state the ten to the Committee? —Traffic Clerk, Christchurch—maximum salary. £300 ; D.-3, 1910, £355. Stores Auditor, New Zealand —maximum salary, £355; D.-3, 1910, £400. Relieving Officer. Wanganui—maximum salary, £255; D.-3, 1910, £300. Relieving Officer, Dunedin—maximum salary, £255: D.-3, 1910, £300. Car and Wagon Inspector, Dunedin —maximum salary. £258, D.-3, 1910, £300. Car and Wagon Inspector, Wellington — maximum salary, £300; D.-3, 1910, £255. Locomotive Foreman, Palmerston North—maximum salary. £300; D.-3, 1910, £255. Car and Wagon Inspector. Invercargill—maximum salary, £220; D.-3, 1910, £255. Storekeeper, Addington—maximum'salary, £255; D.-3. 1910, £355. Chief Clerk, Timaru—-maximum salary. £255; D-.3, 1910, £300. These changes were made on the following dates: Traffic Clerk, Christchurch. 7th May, 1911; Stores Auditor, New Zealand, 28th November, 1910; Relieving Officer. Wanganui. 11th October, 1910; Reeving Officer, Dunedin, 26th February, 1911; Car and Wagon Inspector, Dunedin, 19th May, 1911; Car and Wagon Inspector, Invercargill, 14th April. 1911; Car and Wagon Inspector, Wellington, 28th February, 1910; Locomotive Foreman. Palmerston North, 24th August, 1909; Storekeeper, Addington, 14th November, 1910; Chief Clerk, Timaru, 20th February, 1911. Those changes involving promotion are notified by notices of staff changes, which are regularly sent out. The institute, however, have shown the lower rates in every case. Those are supposed to be in accordance with D.-3 for 1910, and they are inaccurate to that extent. 49. Then, you have already stated that those men in those positions, if the work is satisfactory, will work up to the grade and in course of time gradually get the maximum) —That is so. and that is the practice. 50. But judging by Mr. Dennehy's questions the institute consider that a position once having been paid for at a certain amount, that whoever is performing that work should receive that salary?—Yes.