THE RAILWAY SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 29, 29 October 1918, Page 4

THE RAILWAY SERVICE

The Now Zealand railwayman arc ■at present agitating for an increase in wages and for an improvement of working conditions. Their grievances are set forth in a st-atement which we publish in another part of this issue. ' Several similar statements have appeared in our columns recently, and the men arc appealing for the moral support of members of Parliament and the general public, but so far only one side of the case has been published. The mattor will probably come up for consideration during the present session. There is evidently a good deal of dissatisfaction and unrest in the service, and discontent does not make for efficiency. The situation which has arisen should receive the early attention of the responsible authorities. The men arc entitled to a reply to their claims and representations, but the officials of their Association declare that they cannot even get a hearing. All their communications are ignored. The men's grievances have been very fully explained and argued, and the community would now like to know what answer the heads of the Department have to make. It is about time they'broke eilence. It is possible to be ioo reticent in these mattors. ' The smooth and efficient working of our railway system is of great importance to the general public, who are quite as much interested in the dispute as the railwaymen and the Department, and they entitled ' to the information necessary to enable them to form a right judgment regarding the demands of the service.. The policy of procrastination and drift can do no good, and may do a. great deal of harm.