RAILWAY SERVANTS' DIFFERENCES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 62, 10 September 1910, Page 3

RAILWAY SERVANTS' DIFFERENCES.

TO THE EDITOE. Sir, — Being on a visit to your city, I noticed a letter in this evening's issue of your paper, signed "Lynx." The writer seems to have the idea that it is only necessary to make an assertion and every one will believe it. For instance, how does be know that there are not 700 locomotive men in the A.S.R.S. ? I can tell him that there are considerably oyer 100 in the Auckland district alone, and many of the lads signed the petition to Parliament, morp as a joke than anything else, not realising the foolishness of their action. He says "that there would not have been half the friction had the A.S.R.S. been led by other than locomotive men." Here is an admission. Just fancy the A.S.R.S. being led by locomotive mou, and the opposition coming- hum locomotive men themselves. Surely, Sir, this is significant, and indicates the basis of tho whole trouble — viz., those who are unablo to gain the confidence of their fellows are jealous of those, who can, and even these, I understand, .have resigned their positions to give the "outs" a chance. Then he wants us to believe that we are worse off now than before the 10 per cent, reduction. It is quite evident that he knows nothing of tho conditions at, that time, or ho would be ashamed of the statement. I know that eleven to thirteen hours per day was a regular thing. ' In fact, since " that time I remember signing a requisition to tho Minister asking that tho hours bo reduced to ton, and overtime was an unknown quantity. The idea that it takes a locomotive man to represent locomotive men is a fallacy" long exploded. If not, why do we engage a solicitor to represent us when an accident occurs? And did not the present general socretary of the A.S.R.S. (a traffic man) represent the locomotive men in the Rotorua accident for ten days ? In conclusion, Sir, I sincerely hope the moinbcrs of Parliament will "save us from ourselves." — I am? etc., COMPOUND. Wellington, 6th September, 1910.