RAILWAY EMPLOYES’ GRIEVANCES.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1819, 19 December 1879, Page 3

RAILWAY EMPLOYES’ GRIEVANCES.

In a recent debate in the House of Representatives Mr Richardson is reported to have spoken as follows : —While on the subject of the working of railways, there is one point that I should like to bring out. I am aware that for a very long time East a considerable amount of dissatisfaction as existed throughout the whole staff, ewing to the fact that the men employed on those lines are subject to very much the same thing that wa have seen, in the Public Petitions Committee, occurs in the Civil Service ; they are subject to a species of petty tyranny from their superiors in the department. Of course in the Civil Service there is what is called “redress by inquiry.” But, from what has oomo before the Public Petitions Committee this session and in previous sessions, I look upon that inquiry, just as I did when I was in the Government myself, as no inquiry at all; in fact, in a great many instances it tends to aggravate the difficulty, rather than alleviate it. With regard to the employes on the railways, their complaint is that they got no inquiry and no justice ; and they feel it as a great grievance. To such an extent is this the case—and I can speak with some knowledge on the subject—and so dissatisfied are they, that they do not do the work they ought to do. If some steps are not taken to bring about an alteration in this matter, I am sure the country will suffer very severely from it. If the Government are not aware of the -course that is adopted in the neighbouring colonies, and would apply to the Victorian Government, they would find that for many years past some sort of Board has been established, which has given great satisfaotion. I would beg of the Government to take steps in this direction, and I am sure it will be a great advantage and saving in the cost of working the railways.