The Timaru Herald TUESDAY, JAN. 30, 1912. A THREATENED STRIKE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14660, 30 January 1912, Page 4

The Timaru Herald TUESDAY, JAN. 30, 1912. A THREATENED STRIKE.

The trouble with the "Wellington tramway men whose begin- ' mug was referred to in these columns a few weeks ago has reached a crucial point. The trouble arose because a ticket inspector, Fuller, reported a conductor on a charge of forgery, and another conductor on a charge 01 theft. The tramways manager, Mr Richardson, considered the evidence strong enough to -warrant him in punishing the men. They took their cases to the Apnea! Board, which as regards the charge of forgery found a verdict, practically, of not proven, and as regards the charge of theft gave the conductor the benefit of the doubt, but censured him for his conduct in the matter. The train- 1 way men thereupon demanded that Inspector Fuller should be transferred to another position, and the Council, by the casting vote of the Mayor, Mr "Wilford, passed a resolution to transfer (he inspector "on account of his want of tact-" This resolution was arrived at though the tramways manager reported that Fuller was the most efficient inspector in the Council's service, and that if he were removed it would be impossible to get inspectors to carry out iheir dunes efficiently-' The manager added that unless the iir-ket-iuspeeting staff were supported by the committee of the Council, iiiev might as well lie eliminated. No! ice to rescind the motion was :\i 011:0 triven by .; councillor, rml the next act ii< what had so far been a trivial

j «rcL-,a w-as a threat by tie tram* ! v >d> aea ic £'uiie, if tie iaspec~Z?J. "' c « no* removed si cace. i^ s .. --trsjit was withdrawc, ! P;--'-t a i-st of a diW'3 ag-aiast Fuller, ,f i *lfi:h some ---..-e of lis ;iL..^- : : j nature, and others duicd hack sis ! years apo, to a time preceding ir"--I pren.oi !un . The (•hars.-rs w«rf j intended to be heard 'before a special „i -iI, P Council, "'j l , IJ -, £ ' unirm refused to g,i on e-iwnh le.n;,] counsel at the inquiry as the Council had decided i:i:.t hum sides should be at li- : '-"-rly to do. At Thursday night's . n:eetni S vi the Council, the rej solution to remove the inspector | was rescinded, by ten votes io j lour, though the tramway men. Ii a.) repeated their threat to I strike. At a meeting of the irnni- ; }v;:y.¥ union held on Fridav niffht ! = : - w.;s decided by a nine-tenths i majority, to declare a tramway 1 Vir 2. KO ;n a fortnight's time. Tne attitude of the union was a.ti.ireiner inexcusable, as noI -i:i:;g- aas been seriously ur™-ed , ayainst Inspector Fuller except i -i tactless manner, which seems to ; auaiitted, and a mistaken j ,';uoi.-:: 1 2i;t in respect of two ; tji:>r:;os against conductors, 1 wi;r. ; :> tramways manager was r.;>pous:b!e f or ] K ivin~ punished, it is otsnous that if ihe tramways e:i:p.ovees are to be allowed io -:e-.ato want men shall and shall n*t be appointed to supervise ..:".r wr-rk. and if appointments • ■'" "-^ 'jc suspended for their unj-"' 1 ■"'"'-;>: complaints, it will be use- :>'-< I'.rtiK- tramways authorities U' ;T'r°; n '- inspectors at ail. The i 's.eiuiion of Labour has made "i:isie to add fuel to the materials }<->r a conflagration by issuing an manifesto, in which. the tramway men are incited to "stand solid apainst the tyranny nnd liiffh-handedness of the City Council." the "combined forces of-capitalism." and "a section c r that thoughtless and oft-times brutal body called the public." The Federation had less excuse for rushing into the fray, since ihe tramways union is not affiliated to its organisation, and the incident shows the dangerous eagerness of the "militant body ot organised workers in Xew Zealand." as it styles itself, to aggravate industrial trouble on the slightest pretest. There is every indication that the tramway men of Wellington, if they carry out their foolish resolution to strike will have practically the whole body of public opinion against them, and it is nardly possible that their revolt could be lobjt continued with that disadvantage-