THE OUTLOOK.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1352, 1 February 1912, Page 6

THE OUTLOOK.

NO SERVICE LIKELY THIS WEEK. VOLUNTEER CODUCTOHS. It was ascertained last evening that tho City Council has a stall' of 1C motorruen at. command to take tho places of its employees who havo gone out on strike. Volunteer conductors, it is believed, can bo obtained in any required number. Not all the motormen who aro available are certificated,, but all" are proficient; Tho council has no intention of taking such risks as would bo involved in putting on unskilful men to drive its cars. It. ia unlikely that any service at all will be inaugurated this week, and if a continuation of the ' striko compels the council to put on an emergency service next week, all due precautions will be observed.

THE COUNCIL. NO DECISION-AS YET. A special meeting of the City Council was convened last evening, and the sitting lasted t'oL- over two hours. All the members were present except the Mayor (Mr. T. M. AVifford), who is on his* way to England, and Councillor J. Trevor. The proceedings throughout were conducted in camera. The Acting-Mayor (Councillor J. Smith) was' approached after tho meeting, and asked whether ho had any statement to niake. "Only one item," he; replied. "No decision as yet. Iho Tramways Committee will meet'tomorrow morning." PRIME MINISTER CALLED IN. ME, HINDMABSH'S SUGGESTION. :On the authority of Mr.'A. 11. Hindniarsh, M.1 , ., a member of the City Council and of its Tramways Committee, the strike of the Wellington tramwaymen has already ccme under the immediate noticn of the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward).] Mr. Hindmarsh stated last evening that Tie 'approached the Prime Minister yesterday and' urged him to suggest to the Tramways Union that it should/invite Messrs. J. G. W. Aitken and T. Hislop, both ex-Mayors of Wellington, to act as mediators in tho present dispute. Mr. Hindmarsh stated further that Sir Joseph Ward adopted the suggestion, and wrote to Mr. D. Dalton (president of the Tramways Union), asking the latter to come and see him. Mr. Dalton accepted the invitation, hut arrived too late to see the Prime Minister. Mr. Hindmsrsli added thnt Mr. Dalton seemed to apprehend that Sir Joseph Ward wanted tlie Tramways Union to hand over the wholo matter to Messrs. Aitken and Hislop, and let them deal with it in the wpacitv of arbitrators This was not what,he (Mr. Hmdmarsn) had suggested at all. AVhat he had-'ig-gesteil was that tho two ex-Mayors saoiud act as mediators.

THE LICENSING OF DRIVERS. •Vmieftion of some interest at the momenis "What attitude will the Government take up in regard to the euiploynicnt of nncertineated inotonneii.' It is probable that the council will at once proceed to sound the Government on the subject. The Ttspresentßtivee of the tramwavraen seem to be confident that tho Government will , strictly enforce the law in reganMo the'liceufiiipr ■<■: motormoii, but according to information ob-tain-d γ^terday?;'i'roin what be a reliable source, this-view is lticorrccf The council bas at'its disposal the services of a' number of men who are competent to act as motormen, but are no certificated. The Government, our informant suggested, might very probably adopt the view that the public interest and convenience should be the paramount)considerations and decide under the abnormal conditions of .a strike, to relax the regulations governing the licensing ot niotormen. A HASTY MOVE. Some of those best qualified to express an opinion consider that the action of the, tramwavmen in striking without notice is exceedingly unwise. By so doing they have"become individually liable to a fino of X"5, instead of .£lO, tho latter amount bein" the maximum penalty for striking after U days' notice has been given. It is difficult, on the other hand, to see what tho meu have gained by striking without notice. This line of. action, though somewhat unexpected, was not entirely unforeseen, and it can hardly be said that the City Council has been taken by surprise. Tho view generally accepted is that the men wero afraid to give the legal notice lest the council should be enabled thereby to make very complete preparations to counteract a strike. On the, other hand, it is known that the council can already command tho services of about forty volunteer motormen. Conductors can easily bo obtained ill any desired number.

THE STRIKE PENALTY. An official who is fully versed in the labour laws of the Dominion stated yesterday thnt tho Labour Department would undoubtedly have proceeded against tho tramwaymen for striking even had thov resumed running at "1.30 p.m. yesterday, as they were at. first expected to "do. That prosecutions would follow, in tho actual circumstances, went without saying. STRENGTH OF THE STRIKERS. Tho number of tramwaymen who have gone, out on strike is about 380, made up approximately as. follows:— Motonnen 120 'Gouductnrs 130 Car-shed hands ' 00 Power-house hands 20 Overhead staff 20 Tho inspectors and dispatchers are staff men and have no.t joined the strike. The car-shed hands on strike include a number of fitters, but apart from these workers.all the engineers employed in the power-house and lighting: station are staff employees. LOYALTY OF THE OFFICE STAFF. It is interesting to know that in the faco of all tho divided opinion in the council and among the public about tho tramways management, that the head office staff remain loyal to their chiefs. Yesterday an impromptu informal i: ••. ing of the staff was held in the office, and tho members were unanimous in expressing their complete confidence in the heads of the department. It' is not likely that the loyalty of the office stalf will "bo tested seriously, but tho public and management may bo glad to know that it exists.