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ami place them on record. Now, Mr. Smith made reference to the Foreman at Palmerston North. Well, what was the position there? The statement was made that the previous Foreman at Palmerston North received £255 a year and the present man received £220. The position is this : that the Palmerston North Locomotive Foreman controls his own engine-shed and Foxton, and train-run up as far as Woodville. That is his district. It is perfectly true that the man who was there before the present Foreman received £255 per annum. Why? Because the Railway Department did not want to reduce on the eve of his retirement a man who had had long service with the Department but whose conduct latterly had not been satisfactory. He was transferred from a more important place to Palmerston, not at a reduction, and subsequently transferred from Palmerston to New Plymouth, and was paid at the higher rate of paly so as not to interfere with his superannuation allowance. We did the same thing in the case of two or three other Stationmasters. It is a wonder we have not been accused of lowering the status of Carterton, because we applied the sams principle there. I have another station in my mind where the same thing is going on. We sent a Stationmaster to that place on account of ill health, and that man is getting a higher pay than the station he is at warrants. If circumstances compelled his retirement and we then put another man at that station at the proper salary, I have no doubt we should in due course be accused of pulling the station down. That is what the Department gets when it does a generous thing. We got accused of pulling Palmerston North down because we were generous, and probably will have the same thing fired at us in connection with these two other stations, and also in connection with a station which was very prominently before the Committee the other day.

Tuesday, 26th September, 1911 Richard William McVilly further examined. (No. 12.) 1. The Chairman.] Will you now continue your statement, Mr. McVilly?—When I left off on Friday, sir, the question was raised as to whether the Stationmasters in Australia were allowed fuel and light. Well, in accordance with the promise that was made, I cabled to the Secretaries of Railways in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney asking the question. The reply from New South Wales is, " Stationmasters pay fuel and light; quarters only free." From Melbourne —" Stationmasters occupying departmental quarters allowed free fuel and light." From Adelaide —" Stationmasters not allowed free house, fuel, or light." 2. Mr. Ross.] What are the conditions in Queensland? —Free house, and in some cases fuel and light, but not in all. 3. Did you quote the conditions as to salaries of other cities? —I quoted the salaries for Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales. In South Australia there are six grades, ranging from £150 to £330; New South Wales, £130 to £350; and Western Australia, £140' to £400. I want next, sir, to touch on the question of the average pay of Foremen in the New Zealand Railwiivs. In 1897 the average pay of Inspectors of Permanent-way was £224, and we then had men with service in the First Division up to twenty-six years who were getting the maximum of £266, minimum £180. In 1902 the average pay was £244, the maximum rate was £275, to men who had been thirty-one years in the First Division. Minimum pay, £190. Inspectors of Permanentwav: 1897—Minimum salary, £180. 18 in 1897; 22 in 1902'; 31 in 1910. Highest rate, £300; West rate, £210; average," £242 ss. Foremen of Works: Bin 1897 — Highest rate, £235; lowest rate, £180; average, £215. 9in 1902 —Highest rate, £275; lowest rate, £210; average, £249. 9in 1910 —Highest rate, £355; lowest rate, £220; average, £293. Coaching and Goods Foremen : 21 in 1897—4 at £140, 6at £160, 2at £164, 2at 165, one at £180, 6at £187. 34 in 1902—5 at £160, 20 at £170, 3at £180, 3at £187, 3at £190. 48 in 1910—3 at £190, 17 at £200, 26 at £220, 2 at £255. Average in 1897, £166; average in 1902, £172; average in 1910, £212. The lowest pay at the present time is at £190. Traffic Foremen now start at £180, whereas they used to start at £140. Locomotive Foremen: 10' in 1897 —4 at £210, 2at £235, 4 at £290; average, £247. -12 in 1902—3 at £315, 3 at £260, 1 at £250, 1 at £235, 3 at £220, 1 at £210; average, £256., 19 in 1910—3 at £210, 7 at £220, 2 at £255, 2 at £300, 5 at £355; average, £266. In regard to these I might say that the Assistant Foremen are paid for two Sundays in every four-weekly period in addition to their ordinary annual rate of pay —that is, as regards Locomotive Foremen and Assistant Locomotive Foremen. Workshops Foremen :15 in at £190, 5 at £210, 3 at £220, 4 at £240; average, £216. 17 in 1902—2 at £190, lat £200, 2at £210, sat £220, sat £235, 2at £260; average, £223. 31 in 1910—6 at £210, 14 at £220, 6at £255, sat £300; average, £238. Car and Wagon Inspectors: 6in 1897— Lowest £180, highest £220; average, £203. 6in 1902—2 at £235, 4at £250; average, £245. 8 in 1910—Lowest. £220, highest £300; average, £263. 4. Mr. Ross.] Are you putting in a statement of the salaries paid in Australia in connection with the officers you have just mentioned? —I read the averages on Friday last of New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. Some stress was laid, sir, on the fact that a number of men in the £220 grade take a very long period to get through Well, I want to show the comparison in a few cases. I will not read the whole list, but will put the list in afterwards if the Committee desire. Under the Acts of 1897, 1901, and 1907, officer "A " started at £150 : 24 years before he <*ot £180, 5 years to go from £180 to £220. That man would have remained at £150 but for the passing of the Classification Acts of 1901, and at £180 for a considerably longer period than he did the Act of 1907. "A " and "B " joined as trained men. Officer "B" : 10 years before he got £140, 4 years to go from £140 to £180, 11 years to go from £180 to £220. Officer "C " : 5 years before he got £140, 11 years to go from £140 to £180, 10 years to go from £180 to £220. Officer "D" started at £150: 18 years before he got £180, 9 years to

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