22

[l. a. mabgan.

I.—6a.

44. Do you think the station is understaffed with a tablet porter and two assistants?—l do not see whore the two assistants come in. 45. There are one or two assistants xvho come in the train? —The assistants are attached to the train. There are the ticket-collectors, who wake you up and want to punch your ticket every time you are sitting down. 46. Is it the first assistant or the guard?— They take turn about. 47. And they have to assist at the station when the train arrives? —I am not able to say if they do. Ihe only assistance I have seen rendered is the locking of the points. 48. How far was the standing train driven back from the tank by the force of the impact? —I could not say. 49. How far was it from the tank after being driven back? —I think the train had taken water at the tank and had pulled forward to go back into the back road, and I think it was 50 yards from tlie tank where the collision occurred. I understand that the train was on the backward move from the tank when the other train collided xvith it, and the impact was pretty terrific. The carriages were badly telescoped. 50. You cannot say how far it was driven back? —No. 51. Mr. Sykes.] You say the facilities which arc now afforded at New Lynn are quite inadequate for the traffic? —Yes. 52. It is a growing township?— Yes. 53. And you have drawn the attention id' the authorities to certain points?— Yes. I have all to do with the consigning of outward and inward goods for our firm. We put out something like thirty thousand bricks per day and also a large number of pipes. We have eighty-five men working for us, and also have a siding in tho yard. I have all to do with the consigning of the goods, and I am thoroughly conversant with the conditions that exist, and I come in contact with the porter or whoever is in charge at the station daily. 54. How many trains pass each other at Nexv Lynn and stop there daily? —I think the first train up in the morning is the one that collided. The next train is the 7.51 a.m., and there are goods and passenger trains all day. 1 believe that the train that collided on the morning of the 28th runs from Henderson through to New Lynn, and I think it would be better if this train took its tablet from Waikumete. because they would have a better idea as to xvhere the train was. At the present time she trots a clear run from Henderson right to Nexv Lynn Station, a distance of five miles. You cannot tell where the train is on a down grade, and she may do the run in under or over the time. 55. There are then about eight trains that pass daily at New Lynn?—Yes. 56. Then the passengers from Now Lynn platform desirous of gaining access to the other train have to scramble through tho train at the platform?— No. The passenger-trains go on to what they call the main line, with the result that the people do not have to cross over. It is only the morning and evening trains in xvhich they have to do so. 57. There is a good deal of risk attached thereto? —Yes, there is considerable risk. Shunting is taking place nine times out of ten on the main line, and I do not think shunting should take place on the main line xvhen the station is at the foot of a grade xvith a nasty curve and an embankment right in front of the view. If there was a man in authority I think the position would be explained to the Department better, and they would know better how to act. I think it is simply because they are ignorant of the existing conditions. New Lynn Station is waybilled from Avondale and from Henderson, and there is a considerable amount of traffic that is booked up to Henderson and Avondale that really takes place in Nexv Lynn, and we do not get credit for it. It was reported in the Auckland Star that twelve months ago the revenue at the station was £15,000. I think it has increased since that time considerably, and New Lynn gets very little credit for the increase that has taken place. 58. You said that in your opinion the porter had at times more to do than he could reasonably be expected to do? —Yes, very much more. I have eighty men practically under my control, and I consider 1 am in a position to judge when a man has too much to do. I can say this : that if that man was under my control I would certainly give him assistance at such times as the trains were crossing. 50. Therefore the passengers have to be kept xvaiting for their tickets? —Yes. I have waited very often myself for my ticket, and have had to get on the train sometimes without one because the man was rushing about. At night-time you would see him with a lamp under his arm rushing here and there. Then ho drops the lamp and rushes to the tablet, and then to the ticketwindow to give out tickets. 1 do not think it is fair to ask one man to do all that at this particular time, and I think that some assistance should be rendered. The way in which the Town Board looked at the matter was this : that if Nexv Lynn had a properly equipped station the Stationmaster would have a clerk for waybilling purposes, and when the trains xvere arriving that, man could leave off his other work and render assistance at the station in the way of seeing to the points, giving signals, or taking tho tablet from the machine. After that was done he could go back to his work. We do not want to thrust any extra expense on to the Department. It is not that wo wish everything up to date: xve simply want to have a more satisfactory condition for the benefit of all concerned, not only for the men but for the Department and the travelling public. 60. You knew the porter well who was in charge of the station?— Yes; I have known every one there for seven years. 61. Would you, as a practical man, say that he was a competent man?—He was a really conscientious man. 62. Competent? —Yes, I should say he was competent: that is, speaking from my general observation.