THE ATTITUDE OF THE MAYOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13856, 20 March 1907, Page 2

THE ATTITUDE OF THE MAYOR.

INSTRUCTIONS TO RE ISSUED TO MJX THE TI'vAJJS. In iho courfo of conversation with a TiniDs reporter last evening liis Worship the Mayor made the following statement with reference to the running cf the trams :—■ "As Mayor and Chief Magistrate of Greater Dunerlin and the representative o£ (ho people I fool ifiat I would be wanting in my duty ■ to ■ Ihe citizens and travelling public if I allowed the kw to be broken and, the people to ho inconvenienced by suspending' tramway traffic for the sake of giving tramway employees what they might liiivo got in another way and without inconveniencing (he general public. I intend, therefore, io Usuc instructions to the traffic manager that the tram services shall run as usual oii Good Friday. t regret that- I am compelled to take this step, but I feel convinced that after due reflection those who voted for the suspension will feel that I am Inking- (ho right course. The men in the corporation tramway service are well caved for; iliey get all the arbitration award allows. They can and do get holidays when asked for and arranged. Some of ihem have gone to fiotorita. Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Australia, and thnir billets have bx'n kept for (hem I ill their return. Slimy of the men appreciate their treatment, and their position. Efforts have l>een made to get the men to withdraw from'the position taken up and to accept n holiday on full pay instead at another time and in a milliner that would not inconvenience the public to any extent; and while- many of them, I believe, were (|iiiio willing to agree to (his, others were j determined not to. recede from the attitude i taken up. At the meeting of the council held to-day, al> which it was resolved by a. small majority to adhere to ihe former I'MT-UUioii to suspend the traflic, there j were only 12 out of )8 councillors present, owl as, the position has altered since the first resolution was rarried, by the receipt of legal advice (hat it would be illegal j to stop Ihe trains from running. I 'eel thai, (ho course I am taking is iho only legitimate one under the circumstances."' Ills Worship expressed the further . opinion that if there had been it full meolinp cf this council yestorda-y there would have been a majority in favour of rumiini! the trams.