RAILWAY SERVANT'S COMPLAINT

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 314, 29 September 1908, Page 5

RAILWAY SERVANT'S COMPLAINT

- "A CAPTAIN DREYFUS IN NEW : ZEALAND." (HI TELEGRArit. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Auckland, September 28. A leaflet has been issued by Mr, W. Crombie, stationmaster at Auckland, addressed: to "The members of the House of Representatives and the general public of Now Zealand," and headed, "A Captain Dreyfus in New Zealand," setting forth particulars :of an act of injustice which ■ho alleges lias been done to him by the Railway. Department in connection with his reduction from- tho position of District Traffic Manager, Greymouth, in 1902. Mi. Crombie saws:—. "As I am leaving the railway service in the course of a week or two after the long terra ,of thirty-one years, I ask you to kindly peruse the accompanying correspondence in connection with my disratement from the posjtion of District Traffic Manager at Greymouth in 1902. The correspondence speaks for itself, and shows how an old and faithful servant can bo treated in this much vaunted 'God's own country. Strange as it may appear to honest people, I was reduced and, sent to Auckland at a reduction in ..salary of no less than £55 per annum and a free house valued at £40 per annum, and that after two inquiries had been held without any charge of neglect of duty in any shape or form being made against me, and I was not even asked to give any evidonco at the first inquiry, being informed by tho gontlemen who held it that it was not necessary for me to attend, and although asked to give evidence at the second inquiry, I was not present to hear tho evidence given by tho other witnesses, and I have not up till now been supplied with a copy of tho ovidence given at either inquiry. To give you ari idea how serious the unjust reduction has been to me, I have lost in salary alone upwards of £500, and when I retire on superannuation my allowance will be at least £46 per annum less than I would have received had I not been disrated." The correspondence referred to shows that Mr. Crombie appealed, but in vain, to Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. T. Ronaj-no (General Manager), and Mr. Hall-Jones for reconsideration of his case with a view to his reinstatement in his position of District Traffic Manager,