A HARD CASE.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9338, 12 February 1896, Page 2

A HARD CASE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —Allow mc to bring before my fellow working men the following facts, and to ask them, through you, a straight question. , A man, how over sixty years of age, came down to New Zealand to join Holmes and Richardson's gang of workmen at the making of the Lyttelton-Christohurch tunuel, and was afterwards employed by them up to tho time when the railways were taken over by tho Provincial CoiT-cit, when he was taken over as a permanent hand and has been employed in different capacities from then until last year, when he was compelled, owing to ill-health, to resign. Duriug the time he was so employed ho lost his only son through an accident on the railway, and subsequently lost a leg himself whilst iv the execution of his duties. He has for the past twenty years had charge of a distinct depaitmciit in the service, and always hud men under him. Yet now in his old age, with bad health, and having no member of his family on whom ho can rely for assistance, he is told by the Government that he has no claim for loss of employment as ho was rated below the rank of a foreman, notwithstanding his always having men under him aud managing his own department. I might also state that after the loss of his limb he continued to perform the same services at one-half hia original woges sooner than he thrown out to swell tho ranks of the unemployed. Now, will any railway employee or working man vote for. the nominee of a Government who thus treat an old aod f.ithful servant and let au old comrade and fellow workman; shift for a means of livelihood in some other sphere of life! I canuot think they will, but will vote for the man of true antisocialistic principles and the supporter of a •.arty who have always treated their men with equal fairness and justnes..^lf any of my fellow-workmen douh'i the accuracy of the above facts let them ask Mr Jno. Joyce, M.H.R., the working man's professed friend, if such a case has not beeu brought under his notice within the past twelve months. —Yours, Sec, Workman.