MINISTER REBUKES RAILWAYMAN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 56, 22 March 1937, Page 5

MINISTER REBUKES RAILWAYMAN

— PresB Assooiation.)

Speech at Banquet "Not Discreet" REFERENCE TO DISPUTE

(Br Teiegraph

AUCKLAND, Last mgnt. A sharp rebuke to a speaker for his rcference to a dispute at the Otahuhu workshops was given by the Minister of Railways, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, at the banquet of the Otahuhu branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants on Saturday nighj;. Mr. Sullivan, who was replying to the^ toast of the Railway Department, said he knew nothing of the dispnto and the referenee was indiscreet and out of taste. When pi^posing the toast of the Department Mr. J. Elliott, workshops representative on the exeeutive couneil of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, referred to a disagreement among the boilermakers at the Otahuhu workshops and he asked that the men should take no precipitate action • before the Minister had a chance to consider the matter oh Monday. If they did so they migEt be sorry afterwards. "I do not think it was very discreet of Mr. Elliott to introduce a controversial matter of this nature,'.' Mr. Sullivan said. "I think it was out of tastt and out of order. I want it understood that I have authorised no statfcment that I would adjust a disagreement that I knew nothing about. " The Minister said there was a method provided for settling disputes and he hoped the men would take the proper course. "I have sufficient faith in the memhers of the Labour movement to believe that they will take this course," he added. 'Earlier in the evening he had made it perfectly clear that he wanted every question decided on the basis of fairness and justice and that he was not interested in the settling of disputes on any other bagiis. The Minister said if there was & dispute — and he knew nothing of it — he would take no precipitate action. The matter had to go through the proper channels before being dealt with hy him as Minister. He appealed for the co-operation of the men ' in this and any other matter. "I regret that a thing of this kind had been brought up at a social gathering where we are all happy," the Minister added. "It made it impossible for any officer of the department to re* ply to the toast and I had to do it myeelf." The Minister said he felt Mr. Elliott had spoken in all sincerity. If Mr. Elliott spoke franldy, however, he was to understand that the Minister would speak frankly also. In a statement at the conclusion of the banquet Mesters. L. D. McCallum and W. J. Cummins,® chairman and secretary respectively of the Otahuhu hraneh of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants gave an assnrance that the matter would he dealt wjth through the proper channels.