MEN DISMISSED AT ADDINGTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19108, 28 June 1930, Page 9

MEN DISMISSED AT ADDINGTON.

LABOUR MEMBERS MAKE COMPLAINT IN HOUSE.

(Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, June 28. Recent dismissals from the Railway Department workshops were mentioned as the subject of a complaint by Labour members in the House this morning. Mr Fraser (Wellington Central) drew attention to a statement by Mr M. J. Savage (Auckland West) that it was the policy of the Government to dispense with as many men as possible and particularly mentioned the Railway Department. Mr Fraser asked whether it was a fact that men had been dismissed or were under notice of dismissal from the railway workshops. “ There is no intention of going in for any wholesale dismissals from the railway workshops,” declared the Hon W. A. Veitch, Minister of Railways. The general position, he said, was that during the transition stage when men were being transferred from the old workshops to the new and new machinery was being erected there was considerable delay and loss of service in effecting repairs to rolling stock. Those repairs had had to be deferred and the result was that last year the expenditure on repairs amounted to over £250,000 more than that in the previous twelve months. That expenditure had brought the rolling stock up to a fairly good condition of repair, though he would not say it was perfect. They had now reached the stage when they could not continue such heavy expenditures for effecting repairs. That was the reason why the unpleasant duty now devolved on him to reduce the number of men employed in the Addington workshops. “I assure the House,” said Mr Veitch, “ that it is not the policy of the Government to dispense with the services of men in the Railway Department, or any other department, when there is really useful work for them to do, but the stage has been reached when it is imperative that the services of some men must be dispensed with. We all regret it, but those are the facts that impose themselves on me at the present time. Mr E. 'J. Howard (Christchurch South) pointed out that there were forty men under notice at the Addington shops, their service ranging from six to fourteen years. He said that he would not be content with the Minister’s story. He suggested that the men were being sacked because of the appointment of the Railway Commission. “ They have got the wind' up and they are discharging men to make the position look good when the commission comes around,” he said. Mr Fraser said that he did not think the Railway Commission had anything to do with the matter. No one was taking the commission seriously. It was looked upon as the greatest transportation joke of years.