THE PENINSULA BUS COMPANY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23463, 30 March 1938, Page 5

THE PENINSULA BUS COMPANY

ro THE EDITOR Sir, —Your correspondent “ Fair Deal,” writing in Monday’s issue, has drawn attention to the fact that the Peninsula Bus Company continues to employ as drivers men who are in steady employment in the Government service—one in the Railways Department and the other employed by the Education Board. Another driver is employed by a private employer in the city. That the practice followed by the company has continued for years is well known to patrons of the service, to whom it has been a source of surprise that it is allowed to continue under a Government which, before coming into power, was loud in its protests against men holding down two jobs, and strongly advocated the one man one job policy. The explanation contained in the footnote to the letter by “Fair Deal” is altogether too thin. The two men in the Government service are employed in trades which are in no way associated with bus driving Consequently the only driving they do is for the Peninsula Bus Company. I have known first-class drivers, residents on the Peninsula, men capable of handing any type of vehicle under any conditions, to whom the opportunity of earning a few extra shillings in addition to the amount they were getting ?n relief, would have been something in the nature of a Godsend. Under what category comes the drivers of whom mention has been made? Are they not permanent casuals? Would not the Motor Drivers’ Union permit the company to employ other drivers under the same conditions as these men? Things have certainly changed in the Government service when State employees can enter into competition with their fellows on the open labour market.—l am. etc., One Man, One Job.