SOME PLAIN REMARKS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 811, 7 May 1910, Page 4

SOME PLAIN REMARKS.

on Ministerial promises: fair words unavailing. "Is a Ministerial promise a thing of solid value?" asks the "New...Zealand Railway Review." In reply it says:— "We do not think so. There was a, time when the A.S.R.S.-'. leaders considered. all need for agitation on any, particular matter at an end when they reoeived a - satisfactory assurance from "the Minister for Railways; but they have discovered that there is a hand behind, the Minister which pulls and twists the nominal head of-the New Zealand railways, so that what, is said to-day,-is, to-morrow negatived in practice. Fair words are not going to satisfy a powerful organisation which has ,seen too much whittling away of promises. These annoying and unpleasant exhibitions are continually cropping up, and will lead to serious consequences. ,

"The Minister made definite terms with the Executive Council that when, membors vr&re sent away from their home station they were to be> paid lodging allowance for the first sis weeks. Thus,, if a single man was away from his home 12 weeks, he would receive the allowance during the first half of that poriod. That was tiie bargain; but see how it works. An acting-driver in the South Island received. a" notice: 'Commencing tomorrow, you are temporarily transferred to to take up the duties in place of , on sick leave.' He went, and after 3 six weeks' interval, put in his claim for night allowance. But the Department found it convenient to keep the man many months in his new position, and.took up the attitude that this constituted a transfer, upon which no allowance could be made* But there is the official instruction, with the plain indication that it is a temporary .transfer owing to a case, oi sickness. And there is the Ministerial promise, but of what value is it?"