DISLOYAL TRAMWAYMEN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2677, 25 January 1916, Page 9

DISLOYAL TRAMWAYMEN

AUTHORITIES MERELY 7,DEPLORE THE UTTERANCES."

Dr. Bnttan, of Papanui, has received the following letter, from Mr. Frank Thompson, General Manager of the Chnstchurch Tramways (says the 'Press") : —"Dear Sir, —With respect .to thg. complaint lodged by you of unpatriotic remarks of tramway .employees, -— and -~I have to say that the Board's Works and Traffic Committee,"while sharing in your detestation of such conduct, was unable to see its way clear to take any drastic steps in tho meantime. Tho matter will, however, be kept in mind.". The letter, which mentions the names of the employees referred to, 'was' the outcome of the following circumstances: —

One day Dr. Britt'an, while riding on a tramcar, remarked: "Motorman No. —, don't you wish you were at the front?"

"No," was the reply. "I would not fight for anyone." "What! If the Germans were to come here and you saw one .of them attempt, to murder or violate your wife you would not do anything for her?" "No, I wouldn't." "my?."

"I could easily get another wife." To another motorman- the doctor, fresh from reading of the Lusitania outrage, remarked: "What an awful thing this sinking of the 'Lusitania is, with all these neutrals aind innocent women and children drowned."

The motorman promptly retorted: .'"flic. Germans were perfectly justified in doing it. Everything is fair in love and war."

Dr. Brittan exclaimed: "Pull this car up, and let me off or you will be on the road before I am."

He was let off the car, and so indignant was he that he saw tho police, the tramway officers, and the Defence officers as to the undesirability of people ' with such . views, being in the service of the public of Christchurch when others of perhaps' much less harmful opinions were interned. None of _the officials could do anything for him beyond deploring the incidents. V

. T-he doctor, however,- felt that as a citizen he had no right to be- morally debarred from travelling on particular trams because he would not be carried by men holding such views at such a time, and lie wrote to tho Tramway Board, receiving the reply quoted above.