CO885-(11-12) — Page 196

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Enclosure 3 in No. 39.

From the General Manager of Railways

To the Honourable the Colonial Secretary.

Mauritius Railways.

Report on Reductions 5th November, 1931.

1. I put up Statement I. Approximate estimates of Railway reduction proposals, showing savings to be derived therefrom, num- bers of employees to be dismissed, and consequential cost of their pensions or compensatory allowances.

2. The reduction proposals are divided under four heads, viz. :—

A. Immediate economies to cover 6-7 outstanding months

of the present financial year.

B. Restriction of the existing passenger service.

C. Retention of Port Louis-Curepipe passenger service only.

D. Total elimination of passenger service (railway to be used for goods only).

3. The figures, in the main, speak for themselves, but I might add that-

(a) under Scheme A, I have made very severe cuts because efficiency will never be reached as long as superfluous employees are retained, as at present, in the various branches of the Departments;

(b) under Scheme B-Mechanical-it will be noticed that 28 more men are required than under Scheme A. Such men will be temporary and their numbers are regulated by the incidence of work through the Shops;

(c) I have worked out the cost of the dismissals, as far as possible, on the Regulation lines laid down in Statement IV, but providing a generous measure of pensions or compensa- tory allowance to men who have served 10 years and over, between 5 and 10 years, and even under five years. Many of the men thus included cannot, without unfairness to men already dismissed, be given compensation. I may say that each individual case must stand on its own merits and that proof of employment and breaks of service have to be traced over many years, so that average approximations only can be made for the time being;

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Reference

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