STRIKE OF THE RAILWAY EMPLOYES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 547, 1 February 1878, Page 2

STRIKE OF THE RAILWAY EMPLOYES.

TO THE EDITOK OF THE EVENING MAIL. Sir, —In your issue of yesterday there is a slight mistake in reference to the hours the railway employes are supposed to work, instead of 8 hours it ought to have been 9, for which we receive the large sum of 7s. Bd., amounting to L2 Gs. weekly. Now, in fairness to men, althey may not be in a position to wear a belltopper, white shirt, and polished boots, yet they may have a soul above I being trodden upon. As the old saying goes, "Tread upon a worm and it will turn." We ought, I think, in justice to the working class, to at least have had a hearing, but this privilege we were denied. Under such circumstances there is no alternative left me but to place before the public the treatment we have received at the hands of the Oamaru Railway Department. I had hoped some of the influential gentlemen connected with the Port would have taken up our cause ; but having failed to do so, I must endeavour in my own humble way to lay before the public the true state of affairs, and I may also state that every statement made in this letter can be verified by both Railway and also Harbour Board officials on the breakwater. We worked in unity and without complaint till past 7 p.m., very often, sometimes started at 4 a.m. ; and yet there was not a complaint, until I the overtime was stopped ; and 1 think by showing you the manner in which it was done, you will be able to form some idea what chance a railway employe has of getting any redress. On our pay coming due last month, we were called to the office, and our cheque presented to us for the month. We naturally said, " Where is the overtime '! '" the answer was "No overtime," without any explanation whatever. Of course we go <>n for nearly a fortnight again, working without knowing if we are to he:ir any more about it or not. Reports repeatedly came to the breakwater, sometimes that we would get paid, and sometimes that we would not; consequently we were at ;i loss what to do. We had not the chance of seeing anyone but our immediate superiors. 1 do not pretend to dictate, but [ think the public will bear me out in s-tying that what Mr. Smith ought to have done was to come down and tell us in plain words what he intended to do. We were quite willing to work for the railway with all due subjection, for nine hours, md overtime, if paid for ; but, alas, I am only a, working man, a stage too low to get an audience in the rooms of auoh men" of might, bur, our day may come yet, and the time may not be far off; at least, we hope we will have a change for the better.—l must now subscribe myself, An Ex-Empi,oye.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MVENINO MAIT,, Sir,—ln your leader of thp 90th ult. you charge me with a want of courtesy in not having thanked the hon, medical officers p| the Qamani Hospital in my quarterly report to tho Committee. Allow me to point out that my report is not upon the general conduct of the Hospital : —on which subject the House Committee report—hut to supply information with respect to the number of patients admitted, and the result of their treatment, which information is emhadied in the annual report of the Committee ' to the subscribers; and I maintain that it is the duty qf the Committee in that report to thank the honorary medical officers for their services, which I extremely regret was omitted.—l am, &c, A. J. Garland.