QUEENSLAND RAILWAYS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1920, Page 1

QUEENSLAND RAILWAYS

EFFECT OF EXTREME LABOUR CONTROL. SYDNEY, Sept. 29 Before the Labour Party secured control of the Queensland Government, the Queensland railways were well-adminis-tered and profitable. Within the lasi six years they haye developed a steadily increasing deficit, notwithstanding that passenger and freight rates have gone up out of all reason. This is said to be due to the fact that these railways are practically controlled by militant unions of railwaymen who do practically what they like. Apropos of Queensland railway management, the following two incidents are being retailed by Nationalist speakers in the present Queensland election campaign ;

A'train on an impoitant line, at 8 p.m., on a recent evening suddenly stopped, miles away from any station. The driver and’fireman got down with lanterns, and went into a paddock. First one passenger and then another went over into tho paddock to see what it was ajl about. The train crew explained that they wery looking for a patch of fine water-melons which they lmd seep as they passed that morning. They said that “they were afraid to leave tliem, for the next man along that way would get them.” The stationmaster at Cloncurry, a far ipland Queensland town, stnted that he repetly received a telegram from headquarters in Townsville, instructing him to employ a certain man on his staff. He telegraphed hack that he had no ’work for such a man. Hp got a further telegram, stating that the man had left for Cloncurry, and work of soriie kind would have to he provided for hini. The worried sfationmaster remembered that he had two carriages standing ip the yard; so, when the man. arrived, lie was put on to thoroughly clean out the Carriages. The man set to work and 4 us t them, and then evidently decided they, were clean enough. Next day, the statipninapter copld not find him ; but, happening to open the carriage door, he fqupd him full-length en the cushioned seat, reading a novel. The statiopmaster said: f‘Here, lad, have a heart. If you havep ? t gpt any work tP d,oi a least you plight make a pretence.?! The man replied: “Q)}» that’s your game—speeding up. I’ll fix you at the upiop roeetipg on Thursday night.” . - » These two tlijpgs are being spoken of as straws to show the way tlie wind blows in the Queensland Railway Department. But one of the Labour papers says they are “sipiply the lies of the capitalistic Dress.?’