T.—6a.

26

.1. G. McPHEBSON.

Balfour if they would increase the salaries of those who handle the trains at Mataura, Waipahi, Edendale, and other places; but they are cutting down the positions and increasing the responsibilities. 99. The Chairman.] Do you mean to say that a Stationmaster is responsible for the acts of his subordinates?— Yes, to a certain extent. 100. If a careless porter causes a main-line collision is the Stationmaster held responsible?— No. If he has not given the man instructions or there is any doubt about it, then he can be brought into it, but if the porter did not follow out the instructions given by the Stationmaster he would not be to blame for that. 101. He is not held responsible for the main-line points being wrong.'—No. If the points are wrong and the Stationmaster pulls the signal he would be responsible. 102. You made a reference to examinations, but I do not think you completed it. You referred to examinations passed in connection with the Postal service, but can you give the Committee any idea of the examination passed by a Railway man who takes up the postal duties at a railway-station?— The Railway man has to pass the Sixth Standard to get into the service, and his work is reported on. He is examined in regard to sight and signals according to the regulations, and he has to be capable of passing an examination in operating and telegraphy. 103. Has he any additional examination to pass for postal work? —Yes, he has to be capable of passing the Postal Examination. At one time it was dealt with by the Postal Department in his district. 104. You said the Stationmaster had to get leave to go away from his station at night?— Yes. 105. Is that to go away from home? —If you want to be absent from your headquarters you have to get leave. 106. The home and the station is practically one —it is usually close to the station?— Yes. 107. And if you wish to go away into the country even after you think you have finished your work you have to get leave? —If you want to be absent the whole night from that place you have to advise the Traffic Manager. 108. Does the same thing apply to Sunday?—lf you want to be away all Sunday night, but it does not apply during the day on Sunday. You can go away for an hour or two. 109. Now, supposing a man were at a station and desired to go twenty-five miles into the country for a ride?—He could do that; but the point I wish to make is that you are not to be away the whole night from headquarters without leave. Supposing 1 wanted to go away and stay the whole night somewhere, I should have to get leave from my District officer. 110. If you wanted to go to Invercargill, for instance?— Yes. 111. Although you started your work at 8 o'clock in the morning it would not be sufficient if you were back at 8 o'clock? —No; I would have to get the approval of the Traffic Manager. 112. Mr. J. V. Brown. In regard to a combined office, you said a Stationmaster is responsible if a registered letter went astray?— Yes. 113. Supposing a diamond ring was posted worth £100 and it went astray, would you be expected to pay the £100? —No. It is this way : the Post Office has a regulation in regard to a registered article to the value of £4, and if sufficient proof that the letter contained an article to that value and it is lost it has to be paid for. Take the case of a registered letter posted by a bank containing a number of bank-notes which has been sworn to by the bank officials. If the letter is registered and it goes astray or is lost in transit, and I received it at my station, I am responsible. 114. Up to £4? —No, I would have to pay the full amount then. Of course, it would have to be a firm of standing before the proof was considered sufficient. 115. It seems to me in discussing this matter that there is unlimited responsibility. You may have £1,000 in a registered packet, and you may know nothing about it; but I suppose you get your advices. If that went astray by any means then you are held responsible?— Yes, I would be held responsible for the packet. There have been cases where men have had to pay from £20 up to £50. I cannot speak now as an absolute certainty, but I understand that Postal officers have had to pay very lafge amounts. One guard took charge of a bag of cash to the extent of £100, and it was lost in transit, and it had to be made up by the guard who took charge. 116. If he did not pay would he lose his position?— That is a question for the Government. Whoever handled or received a parcel would be responsible. If a lad signed for the parcel, then he would be responsible. There was a case in point of which the institute could give you particulars where a lad had to pay £23 10s. 117. You made a statement with regard to being responsible for any loss, and I wanted to know whether there was a limit to the amount ? —No, there is no limit. If you did not pay I suppose you would be dismissed. If we lost a letter containing £23 we may be able to pay that. 118. But if you could not? —Then I suppose we should have to walk out. 119. The combined offices of Post and Telegraph and Railways are fast disappearing?— Yes. 120. Mr. Ross.] Are you aware that Railway officers are such capable accountants that they are being greatly sought after by mercantile firms, and that the same applies to two gentlemen who were previously Railway officers and who are now managers of mercantile institutions, and that one man at the Bluff is now the Government Auditor doing important work in New Zealand for the Government? —Yes, I have been informed of one case where the management reckoned a man was a very efficient officer. I do not think the Department had anything against him, but he resigned his position in the Railways to take outside employment at an increased rate of only £20 per annum. The reason he gave me was that the hours and responsibilities were such that, together with certain little pin-pricks that had been raised in the Department, he would not stand it any longer. 121. Have you ever heard of a Postal officer being sought after by the public or being placed in a responsible" and important position such as Audit Inspector or any other important position in the mercantile community ?—No, T do not know of my own knowledge.