OBJECTIONABLE REGULATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1918, Page 1

OBJECTIONABLE REGULATIONS

TRAMWAYMEN DISCIPLINE

SYDNEY, .Jan. 25th

Surprise iiml hitter resentment were expressed by, the employees at the Hawthorn Tramway '1 rust (Melbourne) when a new regulation affecting discipline was announced. It appears that, for some time past, there has been a growing familiarity between the motormen and conductors and the higher officers of the service. It was not on common for the officers to he addressed by their Christian names. Apparently the position was considered subversive of discipline, for the following new regulations was produced : .“Motormen and conductors are hereby notified that the familiar manner at present existing between them and their superior offi--eers must discontinue. In future, on meeting a superior officer, , motormen and conductors must touch their caps in recognition. Should any motorman have occasion to speak to hi s superior officer, he must at all times he addressed accordingly to his rank.” Anyone who knows the Australians can imagine how this regulation was greeted. The motormen mid conductors simply talked red rebellion. Tin were not going to touch their caps to the Governor-General or the Prime Minister, and they were certainly not going to make any obeisance before their inspectors. “Touch our caps!” cried one man, “And for what reason? There is not another tramway service in Australia that requires anything of tlr sort. - T would sooner walk out ol the service than do anything of the kind, and that is the feeling of most of the employees.” The most of the men said, however, that there would be no objection to the observance of the last sentence of • the paragraph which offended.

A mass meeting of the employees was called for Sunday, and the storm threatened to break excitingly. The -echoes of- the trouble, however, reached the chairman of the trust, who was holiday-making at tile seaside, and he telegrnped urgently cancelling the new regulation. The trnniwaymen thereupon cancelled their meeting.

The manager of the Trust lias since explained elaborately that the whole trouble was due to a misunderstanding. The regulation was drafted by a wellmeaning but mistaken junior, and signed by him (the manager) in the midst of" a lot of papers, without being examnod It i s a lame explanation, but it sufficies. Democracy is once more justified in her children.