UNDERPAID SHUNTERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 134, 9 June 1925, Page 12

UNDERPAID SHUNTERS.

(To the Editor.) tfir, —It is my privilege to know several railway shunters (who, by the way, arc in the eyes or" the Department unskilled labourers), and from them 1 understand that to reach the magnificent wage of two shillings per hour, they have to serve an apprenticeship of from six to eight years, before being graded as shunters. Then their troubles begin. Foremen, who shunted in the stone age, and who know eacli truck by name, are the officials selected by the "heads" to drive these poor souls at breakneck pace for eight hours. The Auckland shunting yard is totally inadequate to deal with half the traffic ofl'ering. but despite this fact, the shunters are pestered with "blisters" by the gents already mentioned, should there be any train delays. Pome of the men have a collection of twenty to thirty Misters awaiting answer!. Some shunters jokingly remark that they are keeping them to paper their drawing room in Freeman's Bay. These men who work in all weathers are expected to find their own waterproofs, etc., the fact that P.O. officials are supplied with these necessaries is evidently overlooked by the Minister of Railways. H surprises mc how these men (all lean and worried looking) can hold out as they do. seeing that they never have a meal at a set time, hut have to sneak in during a quiet moment, and bolt their snack. —I am, etc., TRUTH SEEKER. FARMERS' LAUNCHES. (To tbo Editor.) Sir.-l have read with great interest the letters that have appeared in the "Star" regarding the restrictions on launches. All tho letters are up against the- Marine Department; I have not seen one letter that agrees with the Marine Department's actions. The settlers who own launches are not the only ones that are hard hit by the absurd regulations Settlers all along the coast could get their produce to market much cheaper if. launches were allowed to carry their goods. The Department say that they put all these regulations on for safety, but everybody knows this is all bunkum. Any old'pleasure boat can go anywhere on the coast and take whom they wish, and there is not a word said. A fishing boat can also go anywhere, but perhaps the lives of the crew are not of as much value as a bit of produce. There arc some splendid launches about Auckland run by men who know how to handle tlipm.but they are not allowed to go outside river limits. If a man is having a new boat built, he is treated like a criminal, and has inspectors down every day, who put him to all the expense they can. If a new engine is being tit tod into a boat, some of the inspectors make the owner pull the engine down, which is very unfair, both to the maker of the engine and the owner, as some adjustments may get altered, and then the owner has a lot of trouble, and the engine pets the blame. To give a new engine a fair trial, it should be run as it comes from the maker's yards, without any alterations. Launches are a great asset to any harbour, and one would think that the Marine Departstead of placing every obstacle in the way. As "Advance" says, it is time that these drastic regulations were done away with as obsolete. The inspectors arc given a great deal of power, and if they do not give a little more consideration to launch owners, the only way is lor all interested to club together and approach Parliament on the matter. —-I am, etc., HARD HIT.