THE TROUBLE ON THE TRAMWAYS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 307, 16 September 1918, Page 6

THE TROUBLE ON THE TRAMWAYS

NO OVERTIME WORKED ON SATURDAY FEWER CARS FOR RUSH HOURS / ' o FOOTBALL CROWD INCONVENIENCED The tramway employees of the Wellington City Corporation carried out their threat not to work overtime on Saturday. This meant tho cutting out of some twenty cars during the midday rush hours—noon till 1.30 p.m.— during which timo on n Saturday the traffic is particularly heavy, as all places of business in the city close their doors at 1 p.m., leaving no excuso for shopping or window-gazing. Naturally, the .exclusion of tho extra rush-hour cars caused a good deal of crowding on the cars that wore running, and at times there gathered largo crowds at the Courtenay Place junction, which were worked off a little .slower than U6ual. Still, cars were seen to leave the Courtenay 'Place stop for Hataitai nt 12.30 p.m. without a full complement of passengers. The fewer Island Bay and Lyall Bay cars accumulated heavy loads. Later on, the public who wished to witness the final. cup match at the Athletic Park had no great to get out, but the "extras" were wanting to take them home at 4.45 p.m., with the result that a/ great many people, walked down to .Riddiford Street; in order to ride citywards on the returning Lyall Bay, Constable and Newtown cars. Others .valiantly decided to use "shanks' pony" to get home again. The assumption is that the men will continue their "passive obstruction" (there can he no compulsion on anyone to work overtime), to-day. None, as a rule, is worked during the forenoon period of the tramways day, though some are "called forward" at 5.30 a.m. —an hour before they go on their regular 'shift—by which trams the soldiers on week-end leave can catch the early train buck to camp. The men will not decline, to work these cars, as they dn not wish to inconvenience soldiers. The pinch will be felt in the mid-day piul 5 p.m. rushes. The ordinary tramwayman's (motormen and conductors) fortnight was made of 98 hours ordinary, and 16 hours overtime, which works out to a little over .an hour a day on the average. It docs not, however, come to that, as half of every man's, overtime is worked oil Sunday. No material alteration was, made in the - services yesterday. v The Mayor' (Mr. J. P. Luke) mado a point of being at the Courtenay Place stop between 12.30 p.m. and i p.m., and while he noticed some congestion for a time there did not appear to.be any very,serious inconvenience. A number of tramway., employees were assembled there, mostly youthful, who were evidently there to witness the confusion they imagined their action would cause the .public. Beyond an acceleration of the usual crowd of waiting passengers, there was nothing unusual for them to profit by.