RAILWAY MISMANAGEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume VII, Issue 1974, 7 June 1876, Page 2

RAILWAY MISMANAGEMENT.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star,)

Sib,—Knowing that your columns are always open to expose a grievance, I ask you to kindly insert the following : - I went to Riverhead on Friday, the 26th of May, with a load of tiles for Kaukapakapa. The first salute I got from Mr. McDonald, the guard on the railway station was : " Oh, you have arrived' ; you will be here a week." There was no work done that day. The next day it was 930 before they began to work, and by that time the boat was aground. I floated at 11 o'clock, and was under the crane, but the enginedriver did not come until 12,30, and worked until 2 o'clock. I received a telegram on Sunday evening to be under the crane at 9 o'clock on Monday sharp, They began at 10 o'clock, and worked until 11-30 The guard, McDonald, in the meantime agreed to haul up a fisherman's boat, gear, and luggage ; and when that wan done the steamer hove in sight, and he said, "Here is the steamer; hook it from the wharf." I did so. The next morning I hauled alongside the wharf again, and I finished discharging the tiles. So you can easily perceive the loss of time of two men and a boat for what could easily be done in six hours. There were 650 sleepers waiting to be brought to town. The boat lam in recently changed owners, and she had usually taken them. I telegraphed to Helensville to Mr McLeod to know if I should take the sleepers, and the guard heard I had done so* He abused me in the most improper language, saying, " I suppose you will expect McLeod to pay for the telegram, the same as you did the owner of the tiles." I replied, "I did not send the telegram until I was advised to do so by your superior, the station-master." He said, "That alters the caße. There is a pair of you." After that he abused me in the most filthy language, and my mate also, in the presence of a lot of people on the wharf, who were shocked at his language. Now the station master was anxious to get the sleepers out of his road. If this, sir, is the conduct we are , to receive from Government officials, it is time it was made public.—Yours, W.871 Trail, Q. Williams,:butter Tartar.—[This is a case which should be strictly investigated by the proper authorities.—Ed. U.S.] '■■"■■im ■•'"-