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Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXII, Issue 9627, 16 March 1910, Page 4

It is to be hoped the Railway Department will, ou this occasion, take really effective steps to put a stop to the abominable, barbarous custom of "ragging" which seems to be becoming a permanent feature of life among locomotive apprentices. From time to time charges of cruelty of this sort have been investigated in a more or

less perfunctory manner, aud straightway the incident has closed. The Wanganui case cannot be so lightly dismissed; and it is to be hoped it will be brought before a Magistrate, and that he will deal with it in such a prompt aud exemplary manner as will make it long remembered. These degrading iucideuts take place at uight, wheu cleaners are employed in the engine-shed uuder a night-fore-man. It should be a stauding instruction to night-foremou to iuimsd lately suspend any cleaner who proposjs or attempts to make auy assault of the sort upou a fellow-cleaver. The task of suppression is difficult, but not impossible, and wheu it is understood throughout the service that "ragging" involves immediate dismissal from the railway, youths will probably reflect bsforejoining in auy coutemptible aud cowardly attacks of the kind.