WHO IS MASTER?

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1316, 20 December 1911, Page 6

WHO IS MASTER?

f IS IT THE TRAiyi MEN? CASE OF INSPECTOR FULLER. ...REMOVAL ASKED. | , HOW THECOUNCIL FACED IT. i "That » letter he sent, to Mr. liich- ■ arilson requesting the immediate removal of Inspector Fuller from tho I Traffic Department on account of his i very questionable, methods M perj forming liis duty as an inspector. Tho foregoing is the text of a resolution which formed tho subject, matter of a letter which Was addressed to the City Electrical -Engineer. JSIr. Stuart Uicliardson), by tho secretary of tho Tramway Employees' Union (Mr. A. Sutherland), onDeccnibcr 1.1, and which occupied the attention of the City Council last evening during a sifting in Committee which lasted -for an hour and a half. : What Removal Would Mean. Reporting to the council on tho resolution, Mr.' Bichafdscm said: "The attitude laken up by the union towards-Inspector Fuller, is undoubtedly tho outcome-of tho decision given bust week bv the Appeal Hoard in connection with the case of Conductor Ai lute, ns no complaints from the union hovo been before received. In dealing with tho case the Appeal Board practically gavo its decision against the Department boforo tho evidence- of Tim latter was taken. 'A reference to tho press reports of December 5 will bear out this statement. . . . Although Inspector Fuller :s not gifted with a great amount of tact he has proved himself to be thoroughly conscientious, and the most, efficient member '• of our ticket, inspecting staff. In coses of ticket, irregularity detected by ( him .which appear to bo suspicious, he invariably puts the enso in tho best Jight for.any man whom he believes to Ik honest. From evidence received from various sources. I regret to say that there is undoubtedly a considerable amount of malpractico with regard to ticket sales, at present curried, on by certain .conductor*, who manage so' that' tho irtoguliirity is most difficult of do-' tection. If Inspector Fuller is removed from the ticket inspecting staff it will he impossible to get inspectors ,to carry nut their, duties efficiently and, indeed, J have, no hesitation in saying that; unless; the ticket-inspecting start' are supported by the committee, they might sis ye'U be "eliminated." The position of affairs .when the. council'resumed in' open meeting was that by a majority of one, it had been de-cided-to transfer-the ticket inspector to another position. On tho motion that this'business done in Committee be approved, Councillor Sliirfcliffo moved that the decision of tho council in Committee bo disagreed with. He did so, ho said, because ho. thought the decision proposed to inflict a. very great injustice on-a very efficient officer. His efficiency was borne out to the fullest extent by the written xcport of the- Tramways Engineer.- : Councillor Atkinson Speaks Very Strongly. 'Councillor Atkinson seconded the motiim. The occasion.' was a most serious one. If effect" was! given to tho committee's decision-a very grave injustice would be done to a. most excellent officer and a very great injury would bo done to the service! The report of tho engineer stated that Inspector Fuller' was not'gifted with a great'amount of tact but'lie-was a" most efficient member of the' ticket-inspecting'' stall". Notwithstanding this report tho Tramway Committee- and the council in Committee had decided practically that tho ticketinspecting staff was not to; be supported. A ~gra-v,e-r,,,,b10w. could--not > have been struck'at the efficiency of the service. Tot the council was p'reparcd to strike this blow, and to inflict a greater injustice on a. intr-t faithful officer on whom not the faintest-, suspicion rested. It was deplorable that the council should propose to carry this resolution on general grounds in pursuance of a threat or peremptory demand from (he union that the man should bo dismissed. The Mayor on Tact. The Mayor reminded the council that in Committee they had decided by a majority of one that the engineer he recommended to transfer Inspector Fuller to another position on account of his want of tact. The threat: from the union had nn weight with him (the Mnvor), but he thought that it was fair to" say that a huge amount of dissatisfaction existed in tho service on account of this officer's want.of tact. Councillor Fletcher's Attitude. Councillor Fletcher said -'that, he had voted with a. good deal of reluctance, for ho did not ;care; to, do-an injustice to ?"'n ma ,"" k'ut tho case'of Inspector Fuller had been before the Tramway f-ommitteo'before. ~' He'thought that i'f an, officer,,w,as/ aggressive: or overbearing in his treatment of the men or the pub--Jio he was .pot.doing, good to the service. There'was no question about In-f-pector FnUir's honesty, or his desiro to do his work well.. Councillor Hin'dinnrsh suggested that Inspector Fuller had proved himself unfit for his position, because he had approached "tho 'Mayor.' Councillor Fitzgerald on (he Inspector. Councillor' Fitzgerald said that undoubtedly -.the Tramway Committee had had complaints about the officious manner ih which Inspector Fuller had gone about his duties.' Tho men had said they were harassed by him. (Councillor Shirt-, r.lilfn: AVo hiivo no ' evidence of that.) 'And i they.said.'they were not.pro-pared to Hacrifice. their characters or ;lo 'place them in tho hands of this officer. They said that he had imulp ' charges against them and brought them beforo tho Appeal Court. . Councillor Atkinson: He lias not brought a single charge. Councillor Fitzgerald: TJo is responsible for .them. ... Councillor Atkinson: No. Onr legal adviser is responsible for them. Councillor Fitzgerald: But'ho is the man who originates (horn, and two out of four charges made by him havo been | proved to be groundless. Councillor Atkinson: Not proved. Councillor Fitzgerald: Have been found to bo groundless. The tramway men are i employees of the city, and they are entitled to protection. ■•■■■•• "Ashamed to be a Member of a Body that Will Crush a Man." Councillor Trevor said that it seemed to him that an embargo was to bo placed on straightforwardness and zost in a man trying to do his duty. He would not to surprised if, .at next, muding, a similar Jotter was received from the'union about another man who displayed ability in trying to detect anything wrong. The council were simply placing themselves in the hands .of the union. Not-a singlo' charge was brought against'this man except his want of tact, as it was called. He had reported men' where ha suspected irregularities, and now, because ho had Iwcn faithful to his trust in looking after the interests nf tho city, he was to' bo Lunled out of his position. "I am ashamed," said Councillor Trevor, "to be a mcnibei of a t.o'dy that will crush a man who is doing his duty. 1 am ashamed of it." Councillor Cameron Defends Inspector. Couucillnr Cameron thought that tho decision arrived at by the committee was doing an injustice to Inspector Fuller. If this man had been so long devoid of tact, what had' the Tramway Committee been doing. Ho appeared to have had '.his "want of tact" for years, and, until ilio union complained, nothing was done. If the motion were allowed to stand, tho * uferencn would go out to the public that ,liey had discharged Inspector Fuller, or transferred him to another Department bocnuso of these charges against him. Councillor Harbor thought tho decision ni the committee should be given effect to, but ho regretted that tho Tramway Committee, knowing tho facts, had not taken action sooner. Councillor MTiaren ' conbated tho suggestion that tho union had threatened the council with anything. How They Voted. On the amendment boing put to the meeting, the division was as follows:— Ayes: Councillors Shirleliife, Atkinson, Cameron. Godber. M'Kwuie. and Trow,

Noos: Tho Mayor, Councillors Barber, Fitzgerald, Fletcher, Iliiuttuai'slt, and Jt'Laren. Tho Mayor gave his enstiug vole against the amendment, which he therefore declared lost. Tho original motion was thou carried. Councillor ShirtdiA'e gavo notice In movo for the rescission of the motion. UNION'S ATTITUDE. OMINOUS HINTS TnkOAVN OUT. According to nn official of (he Tramways Union, with whom a .Dominion' reporter spoke Inst evening, their is going to be serious I rouble unless the City Council accedes to'the demand of the nien that Inspector Fuller shall be removed from his present: position and entrusted with duties which will not bring him into contact with the members of the union. The' matter was considered at a mass meeting of the. ■.liiion. held on Sunday week last. Tho proceedings wer'o animated and a considerable section of tho men favoured presenting /in ultimatum to the council. In the end calmer counsels prevailed, and it was decided that tho officials of the union should approach the. Tramways Committee of the City Council. ''■■•"■. The union official mentioned staled that, should the council return an unfavourable reply to the request of the union for Inspector Fuller's removal, further mass meetings of the. men .would be held this evening and to-inorrow morning. He added that the men were not going to allow it to be'said that they had less backbone than, tramwaymen in other centres. They were not going to be harassed liy officials. If an employee should fail to •prove a charge laid against his superior officer in the service, he would.be. instantly dismissed, and, in. their, view, the thing''should cut both ways.. The men intended to insist upon the acceptance of Dr. .M'Arthur's ruling in Auckland, oh the occasion of the late tramways strike, which was caused, in their opinion, by the action of an inspector. Dr. M'Arthur's recommendation to the Auckland Tramways Company and to the Government—it had been given effect to by the company—was. that an inspector found making a false report about anv employee in the service should -he instantly dismissed. The men contendedthat, in'common fairness, thesamo rule should bo adopted.in Wellington.