ALLEGED INTERFERENCE.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 37, 12 August 1905, Page 5

ALLEGED INTERFERENCE.

THE NEW SOUTH WALES RAILWAYS. [press association.] SYDNEY, 11th August. Recently the Railway Commissioners declined a request by the Employees' Association that a reporter be allowed tit take a full note of proceedings befoio tlw Commissioners. I'lie latter contended that the notes now taken were sufficient. To-day a deputation of Labour members asked the Commissioners to reconsid*r their decision, Mr. Oliver replied that the Commissioners were doing all they could in the interests of the employees. The action of the Labour deputation amounted to political interference. There was no time in the history of the railways when there was greater need than now to take exception to political interference, which the Commissioners could not tolerate. The action of the New South Wales Railway Commissioners in stopping the issue of free railway passes to tramway employees when on their annual leave, caused great dissatisfaction .amonget tho men. The regulation providing for the recording of cautions and reprimands for minor offences has also been strongly condemned by the men, as they consider their treatment under the regulation veiy unfair. At a meeting of the Union held a few days ago, resolutions protesting against the abolition of free passes, and the regulation referred to, were adopted, and as a. lesulta deputation wnited on the Railway Commissioners on the 28th inst. At the outset of tho proceedings the attention of the Cc-mmiFsioners was drawn to a person who was taking notes. In reply to a question as to who the nototaker was, tho President of the Union said it was their Assistant Scoctary. He added that, the Union wan dis»uUsfied with the reports of previous interviews, ca the notes were not taken as fully as had been the practice of the department. Under these circumstances they could not go on with tho interview, unless allowed to have their own shorthand notes taken. The Commissioner politely but firmly pointed out that it was contrary to practice to allow unofficial bodies totnke notes regarding departmental proceedings. Those taken by tho department wero quite sufficient for the Commissioners, and should also be so for the Union. The representatives of tho Latter were not all satis-fled with this, and tho interview terminated abruptly.

Nominations for the vacancy on tho City Council caused by the death of Councillor Wiltshire are to close at noon on the 24th inst. ' The election, if rcfluix'ed, will take place on tho 31st hurt..