MR PASSMORE AND THE RAILWAY OFFICIALS.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1497, 27 November 1874, Page 2

MR PASSMORE AND THE RAILWAY OFFICIALS.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.) Sib,— Knowing you to be friendly to W working men, I beg to bring under yo Ol notice the treatment we have received at the hands of Mr Frank B. Passmore, Superf^ tending; Engineer of constructed railways in New Zealand. About 18 months ago a lot cf us guards, porters, &c., came out to this country, and were at once employed by Messrs Brogden and Sons, and after this firm handed the line over to the Government our employment was continued. But the other day Mr Frank turned up with no end of forms, books, and orders, and at once sacked ! Mr Gossett, the station master at Penrose for no reason which we can discover except that Mr Frank had not appointed him him. self. He next dismissed poor young Oldham, station master at Onehunga, who has a family dependant on him, for, I presume the same reason. His next great hit was to reduce all our wages one shilling a day, because we went in a body to him to remon. strate, he treated us like dogs ; and because I was one of those to speak, he ordered m e yesterday morning to be sacked. Fortunately I had just sent in my resignation, and had already received a better berth. The result, in my humble opinion of this reduction cannot fail to be detrimental, and may lead to the greatest catastrophes, and it is right that the iesponsibiiity should rest on ths proper parties, in conclusion, I must remind Mr Frank that I did not come out here representing myself as Brasaey's agent as he* did, and then be glad to get a situation under Government, and to be sent home last year by the Government to learn my business, and bring my family out at the expense of' the country ; and I was never mean enongh to ask the Government to give me L2O worth of land under the Immigration Act, which they, however, did not see. Tiiank goodness we have a few independent members in Parliament, and next session we arei likely to hear more of Mr Frank.—Yours, &c,

E. N. G.