NORTH ISLAND TRUNK LINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11824, 29 November 1901, Page 5

NORTH ISLAND TRUNK LINE.

THE DISMISSAL OF THE MEN.

NO REPLY FROM THE MINISTER

FOR PUBLIC WORKS.

No reply has yet been received in Auckland from the Minister for Public Works as to the reason for the wholesale dismissal of workmen from the Main Trunk railway

line. As stated in our yesterday's issue, Mr. W. J. Napier telegraphed to Mr. HallJones on Wednesday, informing him that 80 of the discharged men had arrived in Auckland, and asking the reason for the dismissals, but up to last night he had not received any reply.

So far, in fact, Mr. Hall-Jones has not condescended to admit that there have been dismissals, except in cases where the conduct of the workmen has not been satisfactory, but as large numbers of the workmen arc now on the streets of Auckland, it is scarcely possible for the Government to hold longer to this position, and the next Ministerial statement on the subject is therefore awaited with keen interest.

Mr. G. Fowlds, M.H.R., telegraphed yesterday to several Southern xu.H.n-.'s, to ascertain' if there has been any curtailment of tho work on any of the Southern railways, but had not received the desired information lust night. Mr. Jackson Palmer, M.H.8., states that

the Main Trunk railway is not the only one on which works have been stopped, and that lately a considerable number of men, some of them married, were discharged from the Works on the PaeroaWailii railway, in his district. He telegraphed to the Hon. W. Hall-Jones on the subject, asking the reason why they had been dismissed. In reply the Minister stated that the reason was that the vote authorised for the work was being exceeded, and that therefore the hands had to be shortened. Mr. Palmer telegraphed back saying that this could not be so, because £20,000 had only just been voted for the work, and he failed to see where they were exceeding it. He asked further if this dismissal of men applied to works throughout the colony, as it was reported that it only applied to the North Island. The Minister replied that it applied equally throughout New Zealand.

A WELLINGTON OPINION. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN COSUESPUNDENT.] Wellington, Thursday. The Post states : The news from Auckland stating that between 700 and 800 men have been, or are to be, discharged from the North Island Main Trunk railway works is both unsatisfactory and disquiet-" ing, besides which it will press hardly on the men whose services are to be dispensed with, and tend to considerably glut the labour market. The news is all the more remarkable in view of the statements made by the Minister for Public Works on more than one occasion during the recent session of Parliament, as to the intentions of the Government in regard to the railway. The Public Works Statement is particularly emphatic on the sutrjeefc. Now, as soon as the session is over, and members have returned to their homes, the number of men at work on the line is reduced by close on 800 without any warning, and with no reason given for such a radical change of policy. It is significant also that a similar reduction has been made on the railway works between Gisborne and Karaka, in the Hon. J. Carroll's constituency, where it might have been supposed every effort Would have been made to have the railway carried on with all possiolo expedition. The reductions would appear to point to only one fact, viz., that the Colonial Treasurer does not know where to turn for funds with which to carry on the public works of the colony, and although the pressure must be very unwelcome, he has the consolation of having been able to hoodwink members all the session, and conceal the real state of the colony's finances until Parliament had prorogued and he was beyond the roach of criticism by the representatives of the people.

FEWER MEN EMPLOYED ON GISBORNE LINE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] borne, Thursday. Thq number of men employed on the local railway works ha;? been reduced this week, and a strong public protest is being forwarded to the Government.