More Importations

NZ Truth, Issue 868, 15 July 1922, Page 1

More Importations

. While 710 objection was made a fewweeks ago when the Auckland City Council appointed a South Australian, Mr. Ford, as manager of the Auckland Tramways,. lt' is quite on the cards that m filling twoinore important positions In : the service 'with importations the Council will not be congratulated. Just why it is necessary to go outside the local members of the • service to fill a position^ is' not quite clear, but the Council has not only done so m appointing a manager, but has gone further, and we now learn that Mr. H.H. Morgan, and Mr; W. Maddigan, both of Adelaide, are to Join the Auckland service, Mr. Morgan as trafflo manager, aha Mr. Maddigan as roster and timetable clerk. "Truth" does not: question the 1 experience of either of these gentlemen m tramway matters, or their ability to fill the positions, but what this" paiper would -like to know is whether the local service employees were considered at all. Putting two and two together, "Truth" is afraid, seeing'that the" "hew "'-manager" is an Adelaide man, 'and I 'that right on his heels, follow; two..m ore from the . same City,, that the claims of the Auckland ignored". , It -would be interesting toknow;just.how_it'came about that the appointments were made, on ij-.rbos". rpcnrnmpnclations the decisions wejre' based, arid what'qualifications the men appointed possess? Andwhat has the Tramway. Officers! Union' to say about it? Had It\no objection to offer, or are .. its! /.members satisfied to be passe.d over without making a protest? Providing the 'tramway service m Auckland does not contain amongst its hundreds of members one man capable of filling the position of traffic manager or roster and time-table clerk, then "Truth" is satisfied that the Council has acted wisely', but this paper does not believe for a single moment that the position? nould not have been satisfactorily, filled by local men, and feels that the tramwaymen m the Northern city Have ; been treated rather shabbily. The practice — and it is a practice— of importing men whenever a good position is offering, is one that should be avoided, because- it. is unfair to those men who have for years .been loyal, to the service; arid: lo'qk forward to the day when the reward of, their loyalty and honesty will be promotion; An. emphatic ■: protest should be entered against this latest; injustice, and the citizens of Auckland should- also want to know "why ft -was necessary to appoint three Australians m the: space* of a few weeks to three important positions In the Auckland tramways service. -If no satisfactory answer is forthcoming then it would be but fitting for us to have an;;ini'ported Mayor and Councillors next etejetiori.