RAILWAY SERVANTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 62, 10 September 1910, Page 15

RAILWAY SERVANTS.

TO THE EDITOB. Sir, — In reply to "Tutanekai," I admit the Greymouth branch had a remit to conference suggesting that the delegates elect themselves on the executive. As against this, four branches, including two of over a thousand members each, had propositions for the remodelling of the council upon lines of departmental representation. The executive council also put similar propositions on tha order paper, in addition to which a ballot of the society had been taken, resulting in favour of a democratic scheme of representation. Why try to put the onus of the "blunder upon the poor little Greymouth branch? The conference did even worse, for it not only deliberately set aside the popular demand, but actually deleted a rule which provided for the departments being all equally represented on the council, and which had been followed out for years. When, therefore, the delegates had elected themselves to the executive council, the Upper Hutt branch of the society protested against, no member of the maintenance department having been elected. The reply of the delegates to the branch was thn'; they knew their business best, and declined to elect a representative of the platelayers. "Tutanekai" is entitled to his own opinion that a local advisory committee is superfluous to direct the general secretary in between the quarterly meetings of the council, but the locomotive men have made up their mind to support that society only which offers a full committee of level-headed men to deal with every question • and every grievance, for they have no time for the one-man show. It is of little import to us as to what the duties of the assist-ant-general secretary are, the fact remaining that during the general secretary's absence the work of the society is carried on by a little girl. What has caused most concern is this: the general secretary is paid the very comfortable salary of £6 3s per week, and it is felt that when the society found itself pre pared to give a further £1 per week to an assistant, the least that could have been 'done was to open the position to the child of a member of the society. There are plenty of railwaymen struggling to keep themselves and families alive in Wellington upon a wage, of £2 8s per week, and to whom that £i would have been a God-send. But then that old oav, 1 , "To him who hath, more shall bo given," finds its sponsors even in a trade union. The question of pay and service conditions, aa compared with bygone times, does not affect the question under review, as what >ye enjoy in that direction was secured to us years ago. Nor am I disposed to follow up the question of the merits or dements of past and present general secretaries. All that is necessary is to point out that prior to the present general secretary obtaining his position, he professed to be ou,r warm advocate for election of executive councillors by departments. We quite know and realise that he has since openly declared his approval of the scheme of conference delegates electing themselves to the council, and also that he has consistently and is persistently using his best endeavours to »lock the Enginemen's Society from bong recognised. "Tutanekai" has not

BRICK'S RTKiJiNEJIATOE can bo obtained at tho Pharmacies of E. Johir-ton, (Tuba street : W. S. Wallace, Wiilis-srraut ; C. A. Fletcher, and Dunbar Sloane, Latniiton-iniay ; S. Bredin, Constublcstrcet; C. A. "Williamson, I J ctonc, and at the D.1.C., where original photographs can also be seen.

put the case of the member alleged to nave been expelled from the society in its true light. The person m question dared to criticise an annual balancesheet issued to the members, and also expressed his opinion at tho branch meetings upon society matters in accordance with his constitutional rights. But you must not do this in the Amalgamated Society ! Consequently, one day the self-elected executive sent a communication to the branch, stating that it had reversed the decision Of the branch members in electing the gentleman 10 membership of the society. No charge was made, and no trial held. The branch demanded to know by what authority tho council had attempted to take from the branch members their right to admit to membership in accordance with the rules. The member concerned left the society, which enabled the branch and executive to settle their usual squabbles in their own fashion. And the loco, men have found, too, that the shortest cut to peace, quietness, and prosperity is to paddle their own canoe. — I am, etc., CRANK PIN. Wellington, Bth September, 1910.