U.S.S. CO. & THE PUBLIC.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1968, 27 January 1914, Page 6

U.S.S. CO. & THE PUBLIC.

SIR J. MILLS'S REMARKS. CRY ABOUT "PASSINC IT ON." (By Telejra.pli.-Pre3S Association.) Auckland, January 26. Sir James Mills, interviewed 011 his way to Sydney and England, said tiio strike and the smallpox epidemic had caused an enormous shrinkage in passenger traffic between tho Dominion and Australia and tho Pacific Islands. Replying to criticism of tho Union Company in respect of matters preceding tho strike, and the statement that tho company had entered into an agreement with tho Federation of Labour, and that it did not seriously opposo thn demands mado by the employees, Sir James s*id that when demands wero made by tho employees tho company had to consider not only the company's own interests but thoso of tho public, as well as tho question of fairness to its employees. In tho recent dispute the issuo was not a question of wages. I'ublic sympathy was with the company to a largo extent. If tho strike had been caused by tho company resisting demands for increased wages, tho very peoplo who blamed the company for making concessions without showing fight would be tho first to accuse the company of selfishness and disregard of the interests of tho public. No doubt the company very often temporised to avoid a strike, not for fear of jeopardising its own interests, but because a strike would lead to loss to others.

As to "passing ifc_ on," Sir' James Mills said that, speaking from memory, tho company had only made 0110 increase in charges, which was two years ago, and then not half was "passed on" to tho public. Since then many increases had been forced upon tho comIt had to provide for additional manning and pay higher wages, and had to put up with less efficient service from the employees, but tho burden of all these thiwis the company had to bear. lie hardly liked to say what tho lato strike had cost the company. It had been very considerable, but so far tho company had not "passed it on."