VIEWS OF CORRESPONDENTS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18058, 28 April 1924, Page 9

VIEWS OF CORRESPONDENTS.

TO TEE EDIXOS OF "THB TSS3S.' Sir,—The thanks of the community are due to you for your splendid, com-inon-sense leaders on the strike question, which have recently appeared in "The Press," particularly those contained in your issue of Wednesday, 23rd inst. The "Facts for Workers" must be an eye-opener to the public generally, the majority of whom have had no 'idea whatever of the wages received by the railway strikers and the lovelv comfortable conditions they have been' working unders, Still they aro a discontented lot. It is a pity the community has not been enlightened on this subject ere this. It is not surprising to find the Red Fed agitators squealing about "Government propaganda," when facts such as these are exposed. In Mr J. K. Archer's letter to you, ho states, "Personally, I am opposed to strikes and have from within the Labour movement done my utmost to discourage them." The way ho is championing the cause of the Strikers does not confirm this statement, and from the part he is playing in the present crisis anybody would imagine that ho, is a red-hot Red Fed. It will -be interesting to see how he replies to "Henry H. Holland," or the letter from "Idle Through Strike."' It is a well-known fact that in addition to the high wages, etc., etc., that the railway guards and porters receive, they must derive a very handsome sum in the course of a year with the "tips" they get. Why, I have heard of some of them making as much as £4 or £5 at Christmas time alone in "tips," and I have even seen porters on the railway platforms pass women, well laden with parcels and two or three children at their heels, without attempting to help them, and then go up to a "gent" close by and take a couple of small handbags from him and politely escort him to a seat in the train, evidently with 'the expectation of getting "a tip." This is a common occurrence all along the lines, on railway platforms. And these are some of the railway employees the Red Fed agitators would have us believe are not making "a living wage." Well, if they cannot live on what they are making, they must either be putting too much, in the bank or squandering it.—Yours, etc., ONE OF THB COMMUNITY.

10 Tttß EDITOB Of "THB PRZBS." Sir,-r-l notice in your columns this morning that it is estimated that about 11,000 or 12,000 railway men of the Second Division are taking part in the present strike. If this figure is correct, it would appear to a layman that the Selwiee is shockingly overmanned. Would it be possible for you to state exactly how many men are employed or. the iState railways, and.the number of men employed per milo of opened railway, with a similar comparison for some Australian railways? If my assumption, that the' New Zealand railways are over-manned, is correct, the present is a good opportunity to reduce .the staff. The saving thus' effected should go some distance towards improving the pay of the remaining staff, if improvement is necessary, or towards maKing the railways pay. Unfortunately, it appears that the importance of a State Department is mensured by the number of hands rfc employs. In conclusion, one is pleased to hear that the present strike is to he a model one. Perhaps 1 this will set thft fashion in law-breaMng and we shall hear of model burglaries, model street brawls and so on.—Xeurs, etc.,

EYEWASH

[We have not the latest figures for the Australian railways.—Ed. "The Press."] TO THE EDITOR OP "THE KRESS."' Sir,—lt was with feelings of regret that I learned the A.S.R.S. had organised a strike, albeit, I was pleased that the Minister of Railways and the Prime Minister stuck to their guns in face of the proposed mob rule. It is manifest to anyone with anv sense of justice, that' someone must rule, but heaven forbid that the railways should ever be run with such statesmen as Holland - flnd Co.' 'This.present 6trjke is organised solely by tne Labour Party, who are using the railway service as pawns to "giuTj political nrestige in New Zealand, and it behoves every railwayman to prevent them. In fact, were it not for the extremist mob at the present juncture, there would bo no strike; tho loyal men .are dragged into the maelstorm against their best wishes. I consider "myself that tho Mini&Ser met them fairly and squarely, and attempted to do hisbbestt t but it was all prearranged by t!ie Alliance of Labour that the strike las inevitable, so as to glorify their liresident, Joe M«ck. To my mind theiA supplication for increased pay was agreed to in a sportsmanlike manner by tho Minister, if only they would work 40 minutes per day longer. To an outsider this 40 minutes may appear over the odds, but in railway working it is practically nil. If space .would ftllow, I'.could show you now the! 44-bburs cost in incidental expenses tuid ihoii.sti.udß. and thousands of pounds; particularly this so in the Locomotive Running"Department. I would appeal as a railwayman to railwaymen to be loyal to their j employers, their executive has given them "the cue that they will not be molested if they return. Lot's see how they can keep their word. We who are still working would wolcome them back. That would be the beginning of the end, and the strike would soon be over. After all the men are not losing much even if the Government impose the 48-hour week, and they would get recompensed for 'the extra' four hours per week. To speak candidly, I Relieve the Massey Government have treated the railwaymen better than any previous Government, and I am absolutely certain no Labour Party could even attempt to do so much.— Yours, etc., RAILWAYMAN. TO THE EDITOB 07 "THB PBISS " Sir, —Here are a few facts which may interest strikers: The strongest, and perhaps the most autocratic trade union that ever existed was the Australian - watersiders. Where are they to-day? Killed by their own weapon—the strike.

The Australian shearers have suffer ed the same fate.

The New South Wales rail and tram men lost their strike, and many have not 'had a decent wage since. The Sydney Bakers' Union was wiped out of existence, and hundreds of its members have had to take up another calling. The Melbourne police lost their strike and their fat jobs. . Will history repeat itself in New Zealand?— Yours, etc., WAGGA WAGGA. tO THE EBIIOa OJf "THB PEESB." Sir, —Can you kindly state whether, during the past session, or two of Parliament, the Labour members have brought up in a detailed and emphatic manner the subject of railwaymen's grievances? To bring up labour grievances is, I take it, very near the work of these members, and if ttonr references to xailwayrnen have Dee merely casual there wiH good ground for justifying the stnte. I am, etc., - ENQUIRER. 1

TO THS EDITOR Ot "THZ RUBBS." a result of the railway strike, those who last week purchased workers' weekly tickets "for use between Christchurch and intermediate , stations and Lyttelton appear to have a legitimate claim against the BnIWV Department. In : stances these tickets, which cot Js 3d , wouM have been available until Saturday the 26tl Lst., but N the suspension of the Lain service has prevented the • ?l til tickets since Tuesday. ConUSe ,-ntlv it seem* i reasonable to sugB VS thlt when the service is resumed fhf Department should adjust the matter ?y aHowtag the partly-used-tickets , I „Lt mls 6d. This would be no t0 count. as ie v C'old ?fcke? would, of course, necessitatepayment of 2s 3d an cash, as be wis* *? hBVO thi f. <l ues : «; tion settled before the resumption «f i,,?, Jhe fain service, and the Department ; ■£: iight therefore give some indication i: of its views on the subject.—Yours, , , etc- ' • - 8^ « '