A DOMINEERING MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25, 29 July 1911, Page 9

A DOMINEERING MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS.

TO tHB EftlTOR. Sir,— Yesterday's deputation is another notch in favour of tho "Reform Party." The Miniates stated to the deputation, "tho position of tho Government is, that we owe a, duty to the- public." Why docs not the Honourable Minister start on the Government fairway service first? Tho Minister said, "instead of increasing their lares, if they treated their men a little better, and brushed tho cobwebs off tho )nai:a«cmont, they could reduce the fares 25 per cent." Again, I ,;ay, Mr. M'Ken* zie, stan on the l ail way iu\si. An article in your paper of 25th inst., "Alleged Sweating of itftilway Officers," ivhere the Honourable Minister declined to discuss charges that the department were causing officers to work excessively lon>i hours, thus endangering the lives and limbs of the travelling public. The i eduction in value of certain positions in the railway service, and failure to recovnpolite officers for Sunday work, is sufficient evidence that tho employees of tho Government are not happy in their respoctivc situations. It would _bo better for the Minister^ to clean up his o«h hearth bcfoi'e taunting the City Council with "cowebs," etc. Tht> Minister stated "every up-to-date, cab his an automatic step, and there wa3 nothing 10 piovoiit the trains having similar." This 11 not in accordance witli viov. s of tho i'ihgincer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department. An automatic step was introduced somo twelve months ago, and tho Public Works at that time said "any socotid-sui?p could not bo favourably worked on tho Wellington cars on account of tlio Paivow streets." Tho automatic, oi" second-step, was in operation in tho Sydney tramways some fo\v years ago, and it is said that tnovQ accidents occurred through it than any ofclioi' cause. In America the sixteen-inch step is the maximum height in street rail* way cai*Si"-I am, etc., NOT AN EXPERT. 27th July, 1911.