Tram Conductors Resent Dishonesty Charges

Chronicle (Levin), 5 February 1948, Page 6

Tram Conductors Resent Dishonesty Charges

Prese Association)

(P2r

AUCKLAND, Feb. 4. Statenieivts made in the l'plice Coui w 011 Tuesdav during the hearing of a theft charge against a tram conductor, age9 19, were challenged by Mr. U J.; Gribble, manager of the Auckland Transport- Board, who saxd some ot them Avere inaccurate and misleading. Oriiiclsm was also expressed by the union. ' ,. ,, "The board 's svsteius ot accountmn for eonductors' cash are neither slack nor loose, " said Mr. Gnbble. out going into detail, it. ean be stateu that saies of tickets are balauiced against the cash daily. The board has knowledge of eonductors' sliortages a verv sliort time after they are incurred and takes adequate steps _ to recoyer Ihe amounts involved*. It is mevitable that eonductors havel sliortages from time to time but these can arise 111 the ordinary course ofv their work and must not be "taken to mean that eonductors are using the board 's money for then own nuritoses. I regard such inferen.ee

as completelv unjust and untair to tne vust majoritv of the board 's eonductors who are in a position of trust and -who would uot stoop to such a practice." Strong objection to dlie published statement that it was a common thiug for tramway eonductors to play poker with ihe Auckland Transport Board s tnonev, was expressed at a meeting of the Auckland branch of the New Zeuland Tramways Uuion. The executive stated that all eonductors and operators who liandled inoiiey wci e hold personally responsible for its saf-fi custodv and were required to pav auv cash siiortage on the following pay-dav. ' Considerable resentment has been ereatod bv suf-h a generalised statement wliich reflects disereditably on all workers conc.erned, " said the statement issued by tlie"' union. "If some few eonductors and others did indulge i^>.a game of poker, there is surely nothing unique about that. Statements refleeting on Ihe general honesty and integritv of tramway workers have very little factual basi's and are keenly resented by all the. workers coiicerned. ' '