RESENTMENT FELT

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 4, 5 July 1938, Page 12

RESENTMENT FELT

RAILWAYMEN PROTEST

NO LACK OF DISCIPLINE

RECENT ACCIDENTS

Strong resentment is being expressed by branches of the Locomotive Engineers', Firemen's, and Cleaners' Association throughout the Dominion at the repeated attempts being made by politicians to make political capital out of recent unfortunate railway acci-

dents, stated the general secretary of the organisation (Mr. T. H. Stephen-

son) today. . *-vln a broadcast political address following upon recent unfortunate railway disasters, reference was made by the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. 'All Hamilton) to the record number of railway accidents, the inference being that this was due to the fact that a Labour Government-was in office," said Mr. Stephenson. "A few days ago, another member of Parliament returned to the subject, and is reported to liave asserted that there was an entire lack of discipline in the railway. "service and that has been one of the! Contributing factors to the recent accidents. -"Nothing could be further from the truth. As a matter of fact, our men who have been involved in these unfortunate .occurrences are men of long service, with unimpeachable records, and are among the Department's most efficient and reliable members. To suggest that they would be so.- influenced by politics in the discharge -of their duties as to risk their own lives as well as those of the travelling public is reprehensible and preposterous. SEVERITY OF PUNISHMENT. U"At this juncture it might be pointed out that within the past twelve months thS~ executive council of my organisation interviewed the General Manager of Railways regarding the severity of punishments inflicted upon members of the'locomotive running branch fo* involuntary failures. This fact alone disposes of any suggestion that there is a laxity "of discipline in the branch of the service which is usually involved in railway accidents. "It is interesting to note, too, that the greatest railway disasters in England since 1915 on main line and tube railways have taken place during the past twelve months. South Africa and New Zealand have had exactly similar experiences. The root.of the trouble so far as New Zealand is concerned is "placed at the door of the1 Government by its political opponents. To what - Would they attribute the greatest disasters in recent times in the other c6untri.es mentioned. Lack of discipline or Labour Governments? "The responsibilities of train-run-ning have certainly increased during recent years, but those responsibilities aije discharged untainted by political creeds. .Real safety for the individual and the travelling public is still vested iri'the human element, and the elimination or control of this aspect, plays such a large and important part, is quite 'beyond the power of Governments. ■ ' 'i'lt is to be regretted that the railw#y service is apparently being unfairly attacked for purely political purposes, and the suggestion that lack of "discipline is responsible for recent unfortunate happenings is quite unfounded." .