RAILWAY DISMISSALS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 December 1931, Page 6

RAILWAY DISMISSALS

GENERAL MANAGER REPLIES. (By Telegraph —Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 17. The protest by the (H'utt branches of the Railway Tradesmen’s Association and the Wellington branch of the A.S.R.S., against <the dismissal of a number of men from the Hutt workshops, “has been referred to the General Manager, Mr IRoussell. “So far, we have not reduced any of the permanent men from the workshops,” he said. The: Railway Board is making every effort to comply with the spirit of the Government’s appeal to minimise dismissals, and is keeping the staff up to ,the fullest ’possible rank, consistent with the amount of money available to provide work for them. “The amoiint available for construction purposes is naturally governed by the annual appropriation, and we have ■reached the position when we simply must make reductions.. We have not got any money at the present time to employ the , number of men we would like to. Naturally there are fluctuations of work in any big workshop, and it is necessary to engage casual labour from tjme to time to cope with.'the peak periods. “Once the jobs, for which they have been engaged, have been completed, they cannot be profitably employed, and there is no option hut to dismiss them until there is an opportunity to reengage them.”