EMPLOYEES' VIEW OF THE LATEST PHASE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 171, 19 July 1907, Page 5

EMPLOYEES' VIEW OF THE LATEST PHASE.

The recommendations of the Finance Committee of the Auckland City .Council with reference to the tramways; service have naturally given rise to much discussion among the conductors and. motormen, in so far as the ouggestion. to license the cars to carry passengers over and above the seating accommodation provided. The demand for new-cars has not interested them particularly, but their minds are considerably exercised regarding the suggested amendment to the by-law. Anything like a general opinion is not, of course, obtainable, no meeting of members of the Union having been held since the new proposal was •mooted. The men. on the cars, were not very communicative when a "Star" representative went the rounds, but sufficient was gleaned to indicate that the proposal finds no great favour. -.. ■ '•We'll obey such a by-law if they pass it, and, if we can," said one, "but we'll give them a run for their money all the same." "They can't do it," said another; "they can't legally pass such a by-daw. They don't fix the number of passengers a car is licensed to carry; the Public Works Department does that, and they can't alter it." He went on to declare that the men were very dissatisfied with their present conditions, and that' it would not take much to precipitate another "riot,"

" The whole thing's impossible," declared a third, " and some' of us think it would be just as well to. go back to the old system, and allow everybody who can find room to. hang on somewhere, and throw the onus of the whole on the City Council. If they are prepared to allow the cars to carry double loads again, and get on. just anyhow, they can."

Another conductor could not see how the thing was going to work. " Suppose," he said', " nine ' straphangers' are allowed on a big car,'how is a man to regulate the. number coming in at both ends? Then, if the legalised number of 'hangers' are aboard, and another man forces his way on, and into the middle of the car, there's going to be unpleasantness in putting him or someone,else off. It's bad enough now, putting them off when they get on a full car. My word, they do ' roar.' I don't like putting them off, it's not so bad refusing to let them get aboard, but once they're on, they do ■' sling-off' at you when you tell them to get down again."

It is understood that the Tramway Employees' Union intends to take action against a passenger who is said to have reisued to get off a loaded car when, requested to do so.

With the object of securing- the collection of penny fares from those who board the cars at Custonis-street and ride to the terminus in 'order to obtain a seat for the rido home, the Tramways Company put on half-ii-dozen conductors to pick the ears up at that point, and lift the nimble penny from the unsuspicious passenger. , A merry time the men had in the process, being subjected to a running fire of fairly;stiff comment all through. On one car no less than, five conductors were aboard at the one time. "How many more adjective conductors have you got?" inquired one agitated passenger, when asked for the third time to sho.w his ticket for a twochain ride.

IS THE PROPOSED BY-LAW LEGAL?

The following telegram was sent to a member of Parliament yesterday, in view of the possibility of the City Council taking action to alter the by-laws in order that more passengers can be carried on the tram ears:— "Ascertain from Public Works Department if City Council can license tram cars to carry more passengers than were allowed when the car was surveyed by the Department at the first inspection." BY-LAW IS LEGAL Under its by-laws the City Council fixes the number of passengers which each car may legally carry, the Public Works Department having nothing whatever to do with this phase of the question. The Department exercises supervision over the construction of the cars, in order to see that they are of sufficient strength, and are sufficiently well constructed to bear the strain put upon them, but has no right to give any license as to the number of passengers to be carried.