THE RAILWAYS UNDER LABOUR

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22496, 2 September 1938, Page 7

THE RAILWAYS UNDER LABOUR

TO THE EDITOR OF THIS PRESS. Sir. —I have just tuned in to the House of Representatives and listened to a speech delivered.by Colonel largest, Nationalist M.P. In his speech he very severely criticised the Government, especially the Minister for Railways, for the depreciation of net revenue earned on the railways. Net! revenue has been reduced because the present Government was faced with the problem of restoring rolling stock to a fit condition. Then wage cuts have been restored, all this being a contributing factor towards the reduction of net earnings. As a former member of the locomotive department, I well remember how the pooling system was introduced, which meant that engine crews were booked on any locomotive the department scheduled to run the train. This abolished the system whereby each crew worked on the one locomotive, under which system each driver and fireman took a pride in his engine, and it was to their advantage personally to keep their engines in a good state of repair. Each vied with the other to have the best engine. Under the pooling system introduced by the last Government the men naturally resented the change, and the interest displayed under the “steady’ engine system considerably waned. The locomotives slipped into a bad slate of repair in consequence of the change. The fitting staff was unable to cope with the repairs necessary, owing to staffs being reduced in numbers. It was quite common to wait for an engine to come off a train and, witli assistance from shed employees, that engine was hurriedly got ready immediately to run an. important passenger train, and undue mental strain was placed on the crew through the knowledge that their engine was prepared in a shorter time than that provided for in regulations. Actually, the men were asked to co-operate with the department and run a train under abnormal conditions because the railways were understaffed and the locomotives were virtually falling to pieces. Only locomotive men working under the conditions determined by the last Government have a knowledge of the deplorable state of rolling stock at tnai time.lf the net profit of the railways under the last Government was increased, it was at the expense of the employees and a greatly depreciated condition of rolling stock. The lessi the present Opposition has to say about the railways the b.etter for themselves. —Yours, etc., READER. Oaro, August 30, 1938.