Our Illustrations

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVII, Issue 21, 24 November 1906, Page 37

Our Illustrations

THE TRAMWAYS DISPUTE IN AUCKLAND. The talk of the town last week was the sensational conclusion to the trouble which had been brewing between the tramway company and their employees over the dismissal of two conductors, Messrs. Beaston and Isaacson, who, it was alleged had been dismissed without being allowed to bring evidence in refutation of the charges brought against them —Beaston being charged with having written something offensive on a tram ear window, and Isaacson with insolence to a passenger. The union asked for their reinstatement, ami also they asked for a board of appeal to which cases should be referrer! before a man was dismissed. Mr. Hansen refused to entertain these proposals. Several meetings were held by the men, and much correspondence passer! between the union and the company, but without and definite result. On the 13tb instant the men decided that unless their demands were conceded they would refuse to teach any more learners. Next day a number of men did refuse, ami they were dismissed. This brought matters to a crisis, and there were rumours of a strike. From noon people were on the qui vive, and it was noised about that the men would come out at 3 p.iu. A large crowd gathered about the lower end of Queen-street, but nothing unusual occurred. Shortly before five p.iu., just when people were leaving business to go home, several cars were stopped at the bottom of Queen-street, and conductors and motormen left them standing. Cars begun to pile up rapidly, and soon there was a long queue of deserted trams in Queen-street, with more in Customsstreet East ami Customs-street West. To make matters worse, it began to rain, and very soon the street was thronged with would-be passengers. A few men stuck to their ears and continued to run them amid the hoots anil groans of some of the more excitable onlookers. There was a good deal of excitement, and amusing incidents were plentiful, but the crowds were remarkably orderly, and the police only found it necessary to arrest one man whore sympathies gut the better of his discretion. The nieu all gathered and reaffirmed their resolve to have the matters in dispute settled, ami a conference was arranged with Mr. Hansen, the men' asking (1) ThaX Conductor Beaston be reinstated; (2) That any man. accused of an offence involving dismissal shall in future have the right to. produce evidence in his favour if procurable. It was finally agrei>d that Beaston should, be allowed to resign instead of being disinisaotl, and all inipnlatioHs against his character were withdraw u. Thu second clause was agreed to, au*J it was aainomuwl that all the men dismissed that morning would lie put «n again. The men then went back to work, and traffic wan renuiucd at about 8 p.m.