RAILWAY GRIEVANCES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6451, 24 February 1908, Page 5

RAILWAY GRIEVANCES.

SOME INDIGNANT SPEECHES. “SENSATIONALISM AND INSL'LT.” “A FOAMING SEA OF TROUBLE.” At a meeeting of the Executive Council cf the Amalgamated Society oi Railway Servants held last Friday evening, a presentation of a handsome travelling bag was mado to Mr W. J. Edwards, who is about to retire from oilier- aftero eighteen yeans’ service as genoral secretary. Mr Walker, tho president, said that those who knew Ur Edwards best wore f.'i 1 1 ugly sorry to feel that they were about to lose his services. Those on the council knew very well that this was not tho result of want of energy or neglect of duty, but was the result of a ceaseless effort on the pari of tho ‘‘Railway Review,” under tho editorship of Mr Hornsby, to damn the council and all its officers in tho eyes of the members because objection had been taken to the policy of tho “Review” in assuming an attitude agaimt tho authorities of tho railway service, which the council knew and felt was entirely outside tho functions of the society and prejudicial to tho best interests of the same. It was a moral certainty that if tho society’s paper was to bo allowed to continue in its attitude of openly belittling and insulting tho General Manager m the of tho staff, that destruction of discipline and tho encouraging of disrespect must inevitably follow. The fact that a large number of tho older man of the service were retiring on superannuation, and that those con) i«g on wore younger mem with loss ex perienoo in life, was responsible for the eager support given to tho • view” in its policy of sensationalism and insult. Tho council had had reason to battle against this policy, but the power of the paper was such that it had effectively damned tho council in tho eyos of tho members, and the paper had openly advocated fho expulsion of Mr Edwards from his office Members had taken this ad vice, but in doing so the council was Of opinion that tho society had thereby lost the services of a very abloynaii. ana ono whose vast experience in tho working conditions of our rail wavs was of inestimable value to them. The cemed had made this presentation as an earnest of the confidence and respect that the governing body of the S °mr. T ilad n ,’ tl ’ x ‘ ir general secretary. Other members of tho council sposc * lO rec, Pient and expressed their regret at. the society's Mr Edwards, in returning thanks p WSr of tb r kkindlyn n dly act “ ,S r ! j ' t CoU ’ lC ' l ’ sald that in “any '.a h , fo . a nian bad to suffer for doing what he considered his duty to ° served - D™ y° aTS ago the society gave over its paper to Mr Hoi nsby with unrestricted, control, and Horn that vnno on the council had had to contend against a foaming sea of Hnthh, lna s - evor apoko more truthfully than their respected president when he stated that the attitude aken up by the “ Railway Review ” against Mr Ronayne and tho dopnrtmontal officers was destructive of disoi■J 1116 ' }} "'as more than that, it was shamefully unfair, undeserved, and scandalous, and the wretched farce was intensified-,tho more coming from the pen of a member of Parliament, who ought to set a better example. ' This was no mere supposition, for let any broad-minded man take the “Review” and read the editor’s open warfare and insulting references towards the General Manager, and he must ootno to no other conclusion but that discipline and respect must be destroyed. Tho railway was a service that the public dare not trifle with, tho issues were so great and the responsibilities so enormous. Who were tho best friends of tho railwaymen F Tho Executive Council, and its unfortunate small following wjjo could forese trouble between the railway management and the Amalgamated Society. Was this farce to be continued because of an unreasonable majority who were blindly following a wild leader? In the recent election for general secretary, Air Hornsby had declared that if the members returned Mr Edwards as general secretary he would refuse to edit their paper. The men had decided ' in favour of Air Hornsby, the same Air Hornsby who some timo ago _ in the “ Review,” when attacking Mr Ronayne, said: “ I despise the writings of the man as I despise the man himself.” It was clear which way tho wind was blowing. He (Mr Edwards) felt-it no disgrace to have been outvoted in tho secretaryship to make room, for tho person advocated hy Air Hornsby under such conditions. The vast concessions granted to the service, amounting to over half a million of money in the last -eighteen years, and the splendid manner in which each successive Alinistor for Railways had recognised the • society and done the best the colony could afford to meet its demands, together with tho very practical interest and assistance ever given by Air Ronayne, demanded a better treatment than a bullying and insulting demeanour at tho hands of the society’s paper, the " Railway Review,” under Mr Hornsby’s editorship. Tho council had pleaded with Air Hornsby to cease this attitude, but had received in roturti insult after insult, and branches had been openly invited to show an open antagonism towards tho council, an invitation which some had accepted and pursued with no credit to themselves. All that he (Air Edwards) could say was that time would show the men who their best friends were;. that sensationalism and bombast had no effective power to do good; and that if the society desired to (maintain the respect of the authorities and tho public, the sooner it legislated accordingly the better for the members.