TRAMWAY APPEAL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1163, 2 November 1917, Page 1 (Supplement)

TRAMWAY APPEAL.

UPHELD BY THE COURT. .4 J Press Association. I AUCKLAND, November 1. ? The hearing of the appeal of William " Alfred Rockland against his alleged I wrongful dismissal from the Auckland A Electric Tramway Company's service was concluded vester.lav. Mr Cuttcn S.M., presided, Mr Charles Rhodes, re- j? presenting the employers and Mr P. o Richardson the employee. The iud"- v ment was that the grounds given for r V the dismissal of appellant were utterly ]! untenable, and that Rockland acted in a a perfectly proper manner in making complaint about one Davey to the police. The grounds for dismissal were "that Rockland made a suggestion that Davey should be interviewed to secure against him a conviction for sedition. A «reat deal had been made of the suggestion g that in proposing some one should in- e terview Davey, Rockland laid a trap {] for him. It was the only possible course tl the police could take. To suggest that the man was worthy of dismissal be- " cause lie made a perfectly proper suggestion to the police was absurd. So ■; little did the letter of dismissal explain ii the grounds that Rockland was left V with the idea that there must have been L some other cause for his dismissal, and v Magistrate was inclined to take this \ view. The Magistrate had not the J ' slightest hesitation in saying there s ' wt-.ic no grounds whatever for Rockland's dismissal. There was nothing to p show that Rockland acted in other than V a proper manner. For these reasons hel* was of the opinion that the appeal L, should be allowed. Mr Richardson V agreed that the appeal should be up- " held. Mr Rhodes said lie was unable to' K agree with the majority, lie was con-It. vinced that the appellant was actuated B by feeling when he mad©- suggestions to Detective Sourley. lie could not see any evidence that gave support top Rockland's statement regarding the dis-jj. loyalty of Davey. He thought thni s general manager was justified in (lis-1 ■■barging Rockland from the service, and J that the anneal should l.n ,lkmk.,l ..