AUCKLAND TRAMWAYS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 38, 8 November 1907, Page 5

AUCKLAND TRAMWAYS.

MORE TROUBLE BREWING'! : " DISMISSAL ; OF A CONDUCTOR. [Ny TELEGKiM'H. —OWN CORUESrOKDENTj . Auckland,.. Novembers?.. More trouble :is brewing in connection with tho Auckland tramways. : It is'said thereis grave disaffection, amongst the. men. because of the action on tho part of the company in connection with-tho dismissal of-au employee yesterday. ■■■•'■■ ,'••■

Tho facts are; that Arthur Holden, a conductor, was subpoenaed to give evidcuco.at the recont inquest on Benjamin Paul, who was killed by being crushed' beneath a tram in Ponsonby Road. Holden was, it is stated, an unwilling witness, ■'. but in the course of his evidence ho stated that he had. heard of a car being taken put of the barn and having to bo returned owing to tho emorgoney brake being defective. That "the" jury viewed this matter of efficient brakes, and rolling stock seriously is, evident from tho fact that besides expressing the opinion that the car brakes acted unsatisfactorily, they added the-following ndor-to their- vcr.-. diet: "That the lifersaving apparatus should have bettor attention, and the cradle should bo mado so that it can bo released without requiring the uso of a-jack, and that the Government be urged to' appoint -an>\inspector to examine the rolling stock of the Auckland Tramways Company." On Wednesday (the day succeeding that on which ho attended the inquest), Holden received notice that, he. was suspended. This morning he was told that the company had no further use for his services. The incident occurs at A time" when the men are in a niocd something akin,.to.suppressed resentment at having to knuckle under regarding the strap-hangers' by-law. There is widespread indignation amongst them at the peremptory'dismissal oflHolden; also they are embittered on behalf of another conductor, who is to come up to-morrow before tho Court charged with stealing-4d;-Your representative saw Mr. Arthur Rosser with tho view of ascertaining what tho Attitude of the tramways meii"is;.'and whether or no it was likely they would demand tho reinstatement of Holden. Ha stated that tho latter had been in the cqnipany's'employ_ for four years, and that he had not ■a. black mark against him. "Yet," said Mr. Rosser, "ho is practically discharged tho day after giving ovidenco unpalatable to the company. There is going to be. trouble in the Union. The men arc yery;sore about it November seems to be; a bad month for tho company," ho went on. "The I4th of, this month is the anniversary of last year's strike This man reckons ho has been dfsmisscd because of 'giving .'evidence." ■■>■■*■■*

Asked whether it was likely thatjtho men would adopt the samp., tactics, as. they did last year, and strike 'straight away, Mr. Rosser replied, "Oh, n0..i!,,'. If ~itr ' .is.Tdohe again it will be done properly. Thoro .will be no half measures. In the ;event' of- a strike we would this - time - give' a'week's notico, and keep within. thc;,law."

Ho then referred to the ease'of the conductor accused of the. theft of 4d.

"That man," ho said, "has done four years' service with the company. The men' aro very sore about his ease. As for Hol r . den, he was only giving hearsay;evidence', at the inquest, but ho believed it to bo the truth. Tliis may,bo the start; J,'don't, know. My view is always to keep within the law, but last year you know ..the : ni'on took charge."- ■■ ■; . •'

Mr. Rosser would not say whether any action at law was: intbiidcdv Ho concluded by stating that ho' was sending 'the particiilars of Hplden's case on ,to, thq;'Minister,' and it would probably' come up in.tliolhniso. Ho would put the matter 1 in the'fiah'ds'or' Mr.' T. W. Young, of-'Wellington. Holdon is 'a married "'.man.'"'' '•"'. ':' Seen to-night regarding Mr, JPoolds, statement in tho House to the. effect that matters here as between tho tramways company aiid its employees wore, approaching a crisis, Mr. J. G. Walklato. general manager of the company, asserted that ho knew of no crisis, nor anything approaching a ciisis: Ho 'consequently declined to say anything concerning the matter. •' ROLLING STOCK. (bt telegraph—press association.) .„ Auckland, November 7. -'<' At the meeting of the City ( Couticil tonight it was decided that the Council givenotice to tho Auckland Tramways Company in terms of the deed of delegation that th'o company had committed a breach of tho provisions of tho deed,-in .notlproviding sufficient rolling stock' for'the requirements of, traffic.