SHORT STRIKE HOLDS UP CABLE CAR SERVICE

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1947, Page 9

SHORT STRIKE HOLDS UP CABLE CAR SERVICE

(P.A.) DUNEDIN, April 15. For about two hours and a half this afternoon the Mornington cable-car service was suspended through the action of gripmen and conductors, who disapproved of disciplinary action taken by the engineer-manager, Mr L. C. Greig, earlier in the day. The hold up in the service, which occurred about 2.45 p.m., and continued until 5.15 p.m., caused considerable inconvenience to hundreds of shoppers and those returning from work. In a statement the chairman of the Dunedin City Council’s transport committee, Mr McCrae, said the trouble arose after the suspension of a gripman by Mr Greig for allegedly ignoring instructions regarding compulsory stops on the line. “After an accident in February last, in which several passengers were injured,” Mr McCrae explained, “Mr Greig, in the interests of safety, gave instructions regarding certain compulsory stops. It had been brought under his notice, however, that all the men were not carrying out these instructions, and today one of the offenders was brought before him. Mr Greig suspended him for the day for his dereliction of duty, the man having frankly admitted the offence. “As a result of Mr Greig’s decision to suspend the offender for a day, which I consider a very light penally indeed, the meh took concerted action this afternoon, but I think it fair to emphasise that they 7 did this quite independently of the union. “To my mind their ‘ action was stupid and quite unwarranted,” Mr McCrae said, “and was tantamount, to suggesting that the engineer-manager had no right to institute compulsory stops.” It was reported that the men concerned resumed their duties after pressure upon them by 7 officials of the Tramways Union.