I.—6a.

46

iB. W. MCVILLY.

26. The Chairman.] Without giving the names? —Yes. Those I have mentioned were a few that were drawn up from memory. The records were not searched. 27. Mr. Ross.] For how many years?— Two in 1893, one in 1894, one in 1899, and the others from 1901 to 1911. The following is a list of some of the Postal officers who have been transferred to the Railway Department:—

l 28. 1 suppose you know that a number of those officers were temporary clerks or messengers? —The only man I know of who might be a temporary Postal man or messenger, as you say, would be Mr. Kirton. There is just one other thing I should like to reply to, and that is the statement about the large number of resignations received in the Railway service. In 1907 we had just exactly the same statement made by the institute. The statement then was that " the flower of the service was resigning." Well, the flower of the service has not resigned as far as I know. When things are good in any country in every walk of life you will find men changing, and when there is a tightness you will find men hanging on to their jobs. It is the same in the Railways and every walk of life, no matter what position you take; and where you get a large body of men the same as in the Railway service it stands to reason that you will have from time to time a number of resignations; but the question is not the number of resignations, but the proportion they bear to the whole staff. lam quite satisfied that if we take the Railway service as a whole the proportion of resignations is very small indeed. However, there is one thing very carefully forgotten, and that is the large proportion of the men who have resigned and who come along afterwards and beg and pray to get back again. lam not exaggerating when 1 say that there is not a week goes past thai I have not men through my office asking to be allowed to withdraw their resignations, and, where they have gone out, to be taken back. It is almost a daily occurrence. I am quite satisfied about this,: that if we were to take out a list of the men who have resigned during five years and the men who have wanted to come back during the same time it would entirely dispel the impression that seems to exist as to the true position. Just at the present moment I have in mind two eases where men sent in their resignations, and before the ink was dry they sent in asking to withdraw them. That is constantly occurring in connection with both the First and Second Divisions. The last two were from the First Division. It follows that where you have a large service you will have resignations —we cannot blink the fact. Some men get dissatisfied and act on the heat of the moment, and are sorrj afterwards. Sometimes the repent ance is too late, and they regret it for a very long time. That is all I wish to say. gentlemen. 29. Mr. Ramsay.] In regard to Schedule B, Mr. McVilly, in the comparison between the paj of the Railway and Postal Departments : If the Postal officers in class 7 fail to qualify for class 6, that is £200 to £260, the maximum pay is £220 per annum, is it not? —No, that is not correct. The maximum salary that they can attain to is what the head of the Department considers they are worth. 30. That is not my point. If they fail to qualify, then they remain at £220?—N0, that is not so. They remain at such sum as the head of the Department likes to fix. 31. Supposing the Department fixes the salary, can they ever rise above £220 if they fail to qualify?—lf they fail to qualify the head of the Department fixes the salary. Here is a man on the list at a maximum of £200. 32. And what is the maximum salary which the Department fixes? —The Department can fix any salary which the head wishes to fix. He has that power under the Act 33. Does he ever fix it over £220?— Yes.

Name. Position at Date of Retirement. Position ftt Present. Donne, T. E. Russell, C. L. Wallnutt, C. Wellsted, G. G. .. ' District Traffic Manager. Auckland, (£400). W.R. Audit Inspector. Wellington (£300). W.R. Audit Inspector, Wellington (250). Stationmaster in charge, Gisborne (£250). Day, H. J. Greatbatch, J. T. B. McKellar, A. .. . . Stationmaster in charge, Gisborne (£300). Clerk, Christchurch Goods (£220). Stationmaster, Outram (£200 and house). Tully, M. C. Hislop, J. Aldridge, T. A. Fahy, J.T. Baxter, H. Firth, J. Kirton. A. W. Mooney, H. F. Duncan, P. A. McCarthy, C. J. .. .. j •. Stationmaster, Inglewood (£220). . . J . . Private Secretary (£355). Stationmaster, Rotorua (£255). Electrician. Wellington (£355). Stores Manager (£525). .. ' .. Clerk, Accountant's Office (£300). Stationmaster, Mosgiel (£255). Stationmaster, Balclutha (£290). Stationmaster. Oamaru (£355). Stationmaster. AMmtsford (£175).