Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6534, 26 October 1882, Page 4

The other day we referred to the :\i; ■ ;, which the discipline and r:orah c: '•>! police force are undermined bv ou:;:Je ; r". lluences, and the interference of of the Legislature. It appears that the sa T .<- injurious practices are going en in the RiUway Department, and the Owgo Tiu.e3 recently devoted a leading article to showis? the abo3e3 arising out of this state of thic-» From time to time employes in the motive department of the railwavs have grievances, and recenlly the General Mi:.a~cr seat a circular to each ot the :i!v:ting him to state his grieving' and in response to that invitation a goodly number cf replies were seat. It appears, however, that there u an a=:>;:a. tion called the Engineers' aci F:r- xent Association, presided ovtr by, o: all the persona in the world, Mr. Broken, M.H.E., and it has stepped ia to f reveal tho legitimate mode of <iepar::cental i:.., :.rv, an>! requested it- postpocemeut till a'Ccam:?£ion of Enquiry could meet. i!r. Maj. well, in a letter to Mr. Bracken, -.vho hs; placed himself at the head of a body o: public employes, and mus: necesjar:ly be an advo c-.;e and a partisan, snys :—" The mtervesi tion in the v.-orking of the Kail way D=jrj;tment by per=ous who are respoc«:b!e neither for the effi'-'ienc3" and economy of the servi;* I nor the safety of the public could no: fail ;c be a grave evil, a:ul the liictatioc of a society which would make the eonvea. ience and interests of the pi:b!:e to that of the err-.pioyei wouM lc* fail to cause public dissatisfaction," ii r . Maxwell, in a memorandum laid l.efcrt a Parliamentary committee last session. :i£e<] the following strong language :—'• There are intijenc"', I regret to find, cosstact'v at work v. iiic'u striae at the of all crdtr ar.d ui=c;p;!ue. It is a notorious fact that I cannot now, a≤ chief olficer of the rail^rav;

order ibe removal of a drunken man, cr a ba-1 workman, or a loafer, without hivicz remonstrances from persons who are ever ready to condemn any shortcoming?, ye: s::i!, by t:»e coar-e they fvllGW with the employ**, do their best to make railway working txunsafe, and inefficient. It i= to influences of this kind that I attribute the present tone of a small section of tie employes." In his evidence before the cocmittee Mr. Maxwell shows how members ct Parliament interfere with depigments! ratters : —"I had three letters ai;O'Jt Bra.uey, whooi 1 had dismissed for inc.'i:.pe:ei:v. from Mr. FUh, Mr. Green, anu Mr. ilrackec, to wnich I replied. I did not write to Wil. son, bat he clearly had access tc cr.e •::' rr.r letters. I thiuk I am justified in sayirj that irresponsible persons are interfering with the liepirtineiii.'" Everybody will rtzemUr r/.» various mcmWrs of Parliament gushed over the railway platelayers lasz session, iij came between the Government and the railway employes to the detriment of discipline. If these railway employes had cot possessed votes, the interest in that body of men would speedily have died out, it indeed i: would ever have existed. The wonder :=, in the face of the secret political influences at work, th.it the General Manager of the Kailway Department is able to enforce discipline or secure efficiency at all in his branch ei the public sen-ice.