GO-SLOW POLICY CONTINUES

Southland Times, Issue 24115, 2 May 1940, Page 8

GO-SLOW POLICY CONTINUES

Tramway Strike In Auckland PRIVATE CARS AND TAXIS POPULAR (United Press Association) ' AUCKLAND, May 1. The second day of the tramway goslow strike produced a general traffic situation quite as chaotic as that of Tuesday, any apparent improvement being due to the fact that a considerable body of those who would have been shoppers did not travel, and many people, having been forewarned, made other than tramway arrangements. Although some of the last trams of Tuesday hurried back to the depot to enable their crews to make a more expeditious home-going than they had given the public, the outgoing fleet of this morning resumed its leisurely way. While no doubt most of the men were in full co-operation with the makers of the go-slow tactics, .no motorman, however much he might desire to do his duty, could be a free man if on his route there was a single tram which slowed down. Throughout the day on every route the pace was cut seriously, perhaps by general action, perhaps by the action of a few trams. Thus it came about that as many as eight Onehunga trams could be seen in Queen street at the one time. It was noticeable that often two or three trams for the same distant terminus ran in sequence in the city. TAXIS AND PRIVATE CARS Incoming workers used taxis by groups and in scores of cases private motor-cars, some of which had had little running in recent days because of the petrol restrictions, gathered up waiting people. On the shorter routes many walked. On both days of the strike the normal fleet of trams was put into service; on neither day did the public receive more than 50 per cent, of the normal service. The earnings on Tuesday were 16 per cent, less than the average of the four previous Tuesdays. Because of the increased use of motorcars and the fact that shopping traffic was greatly reduced today the drop in earnings was higher. There was no approach today between the union and the board. There was a feeling throughout the city that a higher labour power than the union might attempt to take charge of that side of the dispute. However, there is no information on that subject. An interesting sidelight is that, according to a statement made by the manager of the Transport Board, Mr T. Ford, seven trams caught fire yesterday as a result of slow running and the control levers being allowed to remain too long on the resistance notches. In one case the fire brigade was called out.