RAILWAY GRIEVANCES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 978, 19 November 1910, Page 10

RAILWAY GRIEVANCES.

Sir, —"Tho first and most important duty of every member- of tho service is to provido for the safety of the public." llio above mlo is printed on every pago of tho Bule Book ns supplied by the ltailway Department. Yet on. tho AVcstport section, which is tlio best paying ono in tho Dominion, four men are given a length of eight- miles to maintain, so that the public can travel with safety. . Anyone acquainted with tho amount of wet weather on the Coast, and tho heavy traffic on tho Wostport line, can readily belicvo tho report that tho men are getting disheartened, as they find it impossiblo to keep ahead of the work. Now, if four men (two of whom are getting past hard work) can maintain the first length of eight miles with all tho donblo traffic running over it, why is it ncccssary to liavo four men on tho last length, with only two light L trains per day? Further, the railway

makes the revenue for tho Harbour Board, yet on the Capo Foulwind line, which is about soveu miles, there aro abojit thirteen men, but I do'not wish to imply that this number is required to maintain tho Wcstport lengths, nor yet do I blamo tho head office for this deplorablo stato, of sweating. Now to show you tho discriminating tactics pursued by tho officer responsible. . A portion of the lino was relaid about two years ago, and. the rails were just thrown down without being straightened, just as they came from tho ship. This pieco of line looks disgraceful, and as it is on tho - lengths where tho heavy- traffic is you can iinagino tho anxiety of the men who have to look, aftor tho safety of tho travelling, public. A leading hand on ono of tho. lengths was asked if ho would take promotion if it was offered to him. Mark the words: "If it was offered." Becauso this man could not seo his way clear to accept promotion at this .time, ho has been put back, and a junior man placed over him. Another man was advised that ho only had three holidays coming to him. . Not getting , any satisfaction, lio wrote to the district engineer, and found out that ho-had-twelve and a half days coming. I would advise the engineer to enquire more fully from tho men as to what is going on, as now- that ho. has been warned ho will have no excuse. —I am, ctc., - . DOLL. • West Coast, November 15, 1910.