A HARD CASE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2047, 6 April 1907, Page 1

A HARD CASE.

The Railway Review exposes the following ease of hardship in the railway service: A case of considerable hardship, with a show of hoartlessness added, has been brought under our liitice. For good and sufficient reasons we shall refrain from giving the names and places; hut the facts are known to quite a number of railway men, as well as to outsiders, and they speak for themselves. A railway employee broke down in health, and asked that he inlght ho given some light work in order to enable him to keep a home over his and his family’s heads. Apparently, the Management was perfectly willing to do something for the unfortunate man, and work of a kind was found for. him; but whoever had the carrying out of the orders of the Management failed to consider the man’s real trouble. What was -really necessary—and tills was pointed out particularly by a medical man —was that the railway man should he sent to. a part of the colony, where the climate was genial. He was sent, to a place where, out in all weathers at intervals, his complaint would he aggravated. When the man was ordered to the place where his new duties had to be taken up, he w;is, of course, compelled to leave his wife and family for a space. Necessarily, he had to make fresh arrangements for housing bis wife and bairns, and the additional trouble faced him of the serious illness of one of his little ones. The man applied lot' lodging allowance, and just here is where the heartlcssnoss becomes apparent. The reply .sent to the man was brief and brutal. He was told that he would not be paid any lodging allowance, and that if lie did not mo.ve fijs family to the new scene, of his labors, he must just put up with the consequences. With the host intentions in the world, the Management ordered that an easier class of work should be fquujj for the i\nforHjU<u-u man, hut the officer who had the arranging of the exchange made the position as hard for the poor fellow as it was possible. It really does scorn, that there are men in responsible positions who take a sheer delight in heaping disabilities on the heads of those least able to hear them,

The town council of Chi'udim, in Bohemia, is so solicitous for tilt* welfare of the citizens that it ; has asked them not to take off tlieir hats to ladies during the continuance ol the cold weather. The Vienna correspondent of,the London Daily, suvs thy. toy’ll hi cpvy.ryd with notices pointing out the danger of this courteous hut dangerous practice, and requesting all adult males to confine themselves to a drawing-room lanv or a military salute until ffyi spring lias come. Sohpollioys are exempt, ami must V'.aap’’ their, piasters still. AH’ who" avail t hemselves of the council's hint -ami benefit thereby are asked in the notice to subscribe a shilling a year to the new foi,pulling home.