TIPPING NUISANCE IN SYDNEY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2996, 6 February 1917, Page 5

TIPPING NUISANCE IN SYDNEY

ABOLISHED'AT CENTRAL STATION. ' Travellers will learn wit-li joy that, after something like 50 years, an effort ; is .being made at the bvilney Central. Railway Station to abolish tipping-. About threo months ago Mr. Jesepli t)oig took charge of tho Central Sta-: tion Ho found that with • that part of. tho staff which was supposed to assisOi tho public tho help given. was. almost; nominal. It was a common sight to, see a porter Mowing in the wake ot sonic prosperous-looking person, carrying a 1 or a small brown paper parcel, wlulo a woman poorly clad, and, with threo or four children, stniggled from the train stopping place with, ft couple of trunks. Mr. Doig'.s first step was to call for reports from the leading porters. -These showed -that pel- cent, of the porters on duty around the station were nob work-, in" more than half their time. About tho same time tho dlscov^J a .? that there were many parts or the station needed cleaning, llio glass too over tho assembly platform bad not, been scrubbed smre the day on which the fvamcs wore lowered into positioii. and it is interesting to note that when thoy were cleaned up a saving ot iw' a week was effected. . Shortlv afterwards a complete reorganisation of tho duties of tho fitaff fook place 'Hie number of men on the, platforms were reduced by about two-, thirds, leaving even then more than sufficient.to carry out the work of heipinir passengers with luggage and answering inquiries. Thoso who were taken, oif this work wero formed into mop and bucket brigades, and an off en-; sive commenced on the dirt. Jlr. i>_oig holds the view that not only is-tipping a degrading custom, but that it is an •unfair one in every way. The who is given a tip is twice paid for the one service. His wages were fixed by. a board, which took into,-consideration; the matter of aratuities, and ill CTj 1 "- im increases did : so with a hi-'hor rate of pay' *; oul l le!> j doimr away of the crd. In addition to this it is unfair, it tends te produce a Condition of affairs under which the traveller who is able to afford nrituit-ies- will receive, attention at the cost of tho poorer class.