“Cut Out the Claim.”

Scientifically-designed goods wagons and improved handling equipment at terminals are going far to reduce the claims compensation bill of the Home railways. For some time very careful consideration has been devoted to the problem of reducing the enormous sums paid out annually in respect of compensation for goods and parcels lost, damaged and delayed in transit. Moneys so expended represent practically dead loss to the railways, and at the present juncture it is essential that all unnecessary waste of capital should be avoided.

Home railway employees now realise that money spent on claims payments could be far better utilised, and they are doing everything in their power to aid the managements in their campaign against the claim. It is recognised that most claims arise through employee negligence—careless checking, bad sheeting, rough handling, and so on. Quite 50 per cent, of the claims preferred against a railway could be avoided if one and all would exercise just a little more thought and a little more care. A claim-free railway would indeed be something of a miracle, but the tragic frittering away of valuable capital on claims compensation payments is one that every employee might well take to heart. “Cut out the claim” is a slogan to be borne in mind by one and all.