SOVIET TRIP

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXII, Issue 11346, 16 February 1934, Page 4

SOVIET TRIP

CAST) OF CONDUCTOR GIRARD. In a letter to The Sydney Sun, the secretary of the Girard Reinstatement Committee (Mr J. Warburton) refers to the case of Conductor Girard), formerly of Dowling-street depot, who attended the Soviet Union Congress as a delegate of Sydney tramwaymen, and who was refused reinstatement on his return. “When the ballot to elect a delegate was completed, Girard immediately notified the department that he required leave, sent in his application, and had an interview 1 with the chief traffic manager. This was about two weeks before he was due to leave," the letter'states. “No reply was received, despite repeated requests by the delegate Finally, it was ascertained that the Tramway Staff Board, on which the chief traffic manager had a seat, had recommended to the Transport Trust that leave be granted. “Despite this, the Minister for Transport over-ruled the recommendation, and Girard was not notified until 5 p.m. on the Friday before the Tuesday of his departure, that the application had been refused. “In view of the fact that 2083 men on the job had voted in the ballot, 'the delegate considered that his first duty was to the men who had elected him, and provided the necessary finance. So he paid in the £1 change reserve cashbag, etc., with a notification to the department, that he would be away longer than the stipulated two days during which employees are allowed to retain this departmental property. “At no time did he send in a written resignation or notify them orally that he would be resigning from the service." The Transport Commissioner states that as Girard vacated his position in the service without permission, he was regarded as having resigned. There is no question of reinstatement, and if he wished to rejoin the service he would have to apply for employment.