WORKERS' CARS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 820, 18 May 1910, Page 6

WORKERS' CARS.

HOW TO DEFINE THEM. A SORELY PUZZLED COUNCIL. Tho principal topic of discussion at the . adjourned meeting of the Karori Borough Council last evening was the vexed fjues- ; tion of the "workers' car." At a previous meeting the council had considered tha complaint of a Karori resident that his wife had been prevented from, boarding the 5 p.m. car, because it was scheduled* as a "workers' ear," but. in spite of that, the conductor had allowed ladies to board the ear at the next stop, a .short distance lower down. The outcome of the council's deliberations was a letter | to the city electrical engineer (Mr. Stuart i Richardson), asking for an explanation of the iwsih'on. In reply, thb engineer stated, in a letter read at the council meeting last evening, that a /'workers' car" was to bo defined as a car specially reserved for workers, and that ladies with children, and school children, were not allowed to travel in these cars. As to the complaiut of the Karori resident, mentioned by the council, the engineer stated that the conductor of the 5 p.m. car, on being interrogated, had denied the allegations made. The discussion which followed the reading of the engineer's letter showed that the councillors were not very well satisfied with the positiou as defined. The Mayor observed that the letter was all very well so far as it went, but the point was that after the conductor of the 5 p.m. ear had prevented a certain lady from boarding it, he had allowed other ladies to do so shortly after. Councillor Cathio complained that the city engineer had not given the council his definition of a "worker." The Mayor replied that that was a tyvwstwft devolved upon tho conductor to solve. , Councillor Wedde suggested that tho basis of differentiation would, in that event, be the condition of the " workers' clothes, a suggestion disposed of by the Mayor's remark that there were some who wore dirty-clothes, but never in all their lives had they done an honest day's work, while Councillor Cathie also pointed out that clothes did not, in this question at any .rate, settle the definition of "worker." Some well-dressed "workers" were getting princely salaries of from forty to fifty shillings a week. Councillor Raine contended that though the conductor might declare his car to be a "workers' car" he had no power to order other people off. It' these other people were prepared to ride in the "workers' car," that was their affair. Councillor Cathie: That's the position. ; The Mayor, again referring to the' engineer's letter, said that the conductor of the 5 p.m. car denied the charge made. Councillor Cathie: AVe prefer to take tha evidence of the passengers. > Councillor Raine said that on the city lines, ordinary cars followed the workers' cars, but the workers' car on the borough line had to do duty for both. Councillor Wedde suggested that tho city electrical engineer might be asked to issue instructions that no restrictions were to bo made. The. Mayor pointed out that the engineer had no option in the matter. He was bound by the Order-in-Council and the-by-law on the subject. It was agreed that, in the interval before the next meeting. of the I council tho 5 p.m. car might I be reported upon for a week, and further representations might then be made to the council. .The Mayor reiterated the fact that the Order-in-Council stood in the way. They had no option. "Heaven alone only knows why this privilege to workers was granted," he said. "It is absurd, and no one knows better , than .Mr. Richardson what.a farce it is. I have no doubt that the conductor did not turn any one off. What probably happened was that ho called out, as per his instructions: 'Workers' Car!' But there is no definition of a 'worker,' and 'so there we are."