TRAMWAY EXPENDITURE: A STUDY IN CONTRASTS.

Evening Star, Issue 16994, 17 March 1919, Page 6

TRAMWAY EXPENDITURE: A STUDY IN CONTRASTS.

TO THE EDITOR. ■ Sir, —Two or three recent little har>. ings in tramway circles have set met ing, and I was making an inquiry or when Cr Bradley’s notice of motion can me to say something before I hadcoa4| pleted my inquiries. 4 The Tramways Committee say they are.in financial straits, and in a moment o '" panic raised fares—then dropped , the; r again, except in one instance! Well, thL‘ committee are recommending for the man - ager a half-year’s retiring allowance of £ r -. —I think that is the amount—equal, wi i-4 the recent month’s salary on leave, to ova a a fortnight for each year’s work. The nr. "4 ager asked for 12 months! Many of think his management has not been n .ujH cess, though how much he has beenh IB pcxed by an unprogressive oommittie. hjH to what extent be is being used as a scap’ goat and is recommended remunerate J for it. we do not know. ’ J Now for the contrast! Within the few months three men have sent in resignations to the manager—one about 40 years’ service, one with about and one Asrlth about 3D. And where I am not ready with exact details,’": but I want to gat the public thinking be- • fore tho fate of Cr Bradley’s notice ol motion is known. In any case, I think T-j am well within the mark when I say al t three have seen over 30 years’ serrief ’/ One had a bad leg. and asked if he c d a be given an inside job, and was told’.. 1 I fancy a humane management would s:av J found him one, though the doing of .'a might have pushed into open-air servio-J one more capable of taking it on. i 4 quired why the other two bad regime 4 and received the laconic answer “ Done !' 4 It strikes me this way : These three m 4 for the past 59 years or more have been T| danger of being submerged at any tim. J but have managed to keep afloat. But, have they had a reasonably happy life? On your soul, no, though they have been performing an essential service. Now, as at any time sickness or some other disaster might have made these men sink, so hard has it been to keep their heads above water, isn’t it these men what have struggled so long to keep up, and so refused to join the submerged tenth, especially as they have brought up families a credit to themselves —isn't it these men who should i get a fortnight’s pay for each year of service as a bonus on retiring? Tho £275 with interest accruing would have given these three men each a year’s allowance < * about £2 a week. Which would earn the (greater gratitude? The doctrine “unto 1 him who hath shall be given” has to go, iby the board. Take the manager on the one side and the men on the other; where has been the greater worry and anxiety as to what a day may bring forth? Who has been on the border line of want week by week—manager or men? tYhy should a. man essential, though in a humble capacity, be cast aside like an old boot, or he told that she should have been provident and have made provision for old age. when he has been honestly paying his i way and sacrificing himself for Ins family? I If, is not flic man who has always had a | good margin to come and go upon who I should receive special consideration on rcI tirin'” with a future before him. but the | man "who has bad a drab existence, and ) wards a peaceful evening to his life free from worry.—l am, etc., James Jeffery. 3 larch 16.