A RAILWAY TROUBLE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 December 1911, Page 3

A RAILWAY TROUBLE.

THE WHARF WORKS. SOME MEN SUSPENDED. , On October 31st a circular was sent to every leading hand in the workshops, the maintenance department, the goods sheds'and all engaged on the wharves throughout the Dominion, notifying them that on December 7th (polling day) -all work was to cease at noon on that day. This was duly conveyed to all engaged who made their arrangements accordingly. It was officially signed by the General Manager and everyone employed in these branches of the service' were presented with a copy of the circular which they retained. Only those engaged in running trains were employed that afternoon. There is a gang on the Greymouth' wharf employed in the reconstruction work, which necessitates the work being done when the tide suits and to do this, they constantly have to work at all hours to avoid working when the tide is at full. There are thirteen men thus employed and on occasions they go to work very early in the morning and then take a respite when the tide is at full and subsequently return to work as it recedes. On December 7th (polling day) in consequence of the receipt of the circular above referred to, these men went to work at 6 a.m. and as the part on which they are engaged is in front of Mawhera Quay, they protected the part that was open with proper barricades before leaving off at noon. But at 11.40 a.m. that day a verbal message arrived and was given to the foreman of the work, stating that the men must continue their work till. 1 p.m. This message the foreman conveyed to the men, who resented it and pleaded that they could not continue their work on account of the tide and, moreover, because they had already made everything safe. The foreman concurred, but said his orders were definite. Thereupon the gang declined to go on and insisted that they had complied with the circular and urged that as they had worked from early in the morning to gain the advantage of the tide, it was time to go to their homes and they left. Yesterday morning when they returned to work, as usual, they were told by the foreman that they were suspended for non-compliance with the order and no work was resumed at all. No reason was assigned for the stoppage of the work and the men are naturally aggrieved at the action of the Department in suspending them, , three being permanent railway employees. The men say that the regulations provide that verbal notices do not count as against written ones and the men engaged in the gang on the wharf feel that they were fully justified in ignoring it and they all left in a body.