DINING-CAR EMPLOYEES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 407, 16 January 1909, Page 6

DINING-CAR EMPLOYEES.

Sir, —I' understand- that' the 'Government' has thought fit to' "take off"_ several or their railway ;dining-carsj and in' 'consequence thereof : a'number of cooks, waiters,'-arid r assistants have'been discharged.'' What "'makes ,the Government's action;- particularly. harsh is the fact,that the Government..niu'st have known its intention some flay 3 prior to ..the abandonment of these cars and of, the-ser-vices of the men thereon,; consequently, why were not these men notified in"! a fair and above-board mannor, and not summarily dismissed (as was the case) and paid a lower wago than' casuals, are entitled to? Kindly make inquiries into tliis matter, and give ventilation to the facts, wh.en elicited. —I -am, etc., . E. M. DES L ANDES. . [The Railway Department states'.-that', no. regular dining-cars have been;, taken off the lines. During the Christmas extratrains were run on the Auckland-Rotorua. and Auckland-Wellington lines, and to these trains dining-cars were attached. When the special trains were discontinued the' sorvices of the men temporarily , employed in those particular dining-cars, were no longer needed. The men were, the Department iurther states, given fully to understand, from 'the' first, that_ their engagement was for a specific object for a. short, time only.]