TRAMWAYMEN AND THE WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9139, 3 September 1915, Page 3

TRAMWAYMEN AND THE WAR

MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ON MILITARY SERVICE. The general manager of the Wellington city tramways reported to the power, stations and tramways committee that up to the present date thirtyfour men wero on leave from the traffic department, nine from the car-shed, and four from other branches of the department, and that there wero thirteen ' additional enlistments. He reported also that the present contrihir tion of the council to make up their wages or salaries was £1650, and that, if all the men who have registered for service, were called up the annual amount of such payment by the council would be £2550.

On the presentation of the report to the council, the Mayor (Mr J. P. Luke) said that the report showed that the City Council had regard for the community of interest that should bo established among the citizens of New Zealand in regard to the war. The council had from the first decided that they would make up the service pay received by their employees away on military service to the wages or salaries they received from the council; and the report showed what they were now paying for the purpose, and what their future liability would be. The position was that many of their tramway employees were anxious to go to ti. front, and they were prepared to allow as many as they could possibly spare to go, even if they had to follow Glasgow's example, and employ women m place of the men. They must soo to it, however, that men taken on in place of those who had joined the expeditionary forces did not themselves volunteer within a few weeks, w ith the result that the council had to pay double for one man’s work. Councillor L. McKenzie asked if the committee was taking on any single men at the present time. He thought they ought to be careful about that. His Worship replied that that point was being carefully watched.