RAILWAYMEN'S BOYCOTT

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 267, 10 November 1928, Page 10

RAILWAYMEN'S BOYCOTT

TE KUITI BUSINESS HOUSES,

GOODS BY MOTOR LOBBY.

LONG-DISTANCE DELIVERIES,

(Prom Our Own Correspondent.) TE KUITI. Friday. During the past tea days an Auckland transport company has . been delivering goods and merchandise from tho warehouses in Auckland by means of largo motor trucks to certain business . houses and retail shops in To Kuiti. As a sequel to this a meeting of railway employees, embracing members of the E.F.C.A. and the A.S.R.S., was held in the railway social hall. There was a large gathering of railwaymen, over which Mr. F. Jennyns presided. It was stated that a certain grocery business had landed twelve tons of goods by road last week, heavy motor trucks travelling through by night. The ldss in freight, declared one speaker, affected not only the railway transport, but also .local carriers. It was ultimately resolved, unanimously: "That this meeting of railway employees refuse to patronise any To Kuiti business house that transports goods from Auckland by any, other means than per medium of the railway." As this resolution practically amounts to a boycott of all.those shops implicated, and when, it is understood there are 120 railwaymen, the bulk of- whom are married and spending their earnings locally, -the resolution adopted must have far-reaching effect. Tie railway transport workers take the view that a loss of traffic in goods may mean an alteration- in the • service, and, consequently, a slackening of. employment. A sum of £1250 is paid out every fortnight to railway employees at Te Kuiti. Not a penny of this, the men declare, will go over the counter of those who refuse to support the railway/ .' ;. At present. there is a splendid railway'.service.:. Goods shipped at Auckland station, before s■' p.m. reach.. Te Kuiti at' 9 a.m. the following morning.