RAILWAYMEN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2236, 8 February 1921, Page 2

RAILWAYMEN.

A STRIKE THREATENED. Dunedin, Yesterday. Punishment imposed on a driver lias caused trouble among members of lhe locomotive branch of the Railway Service, and a strike is threatened. Tt was charged against the driver that he started a train from Pori Chalmers when the starting signal had not been given by semaphore in the station yard. It is urged that no question of endangering the public was involved in the starting olLthe train, and that, moreover, the guard of the train had given the starting whistle to the driver. As the result of an official inquiry, it is stated the stationmaster at Port Chalmers was severely reprimanded, the signalman and a Shunter each fined £l, and the guard exonerated. In the case of the driver, the decision of the Punishments Board was that he should be reduced for six months to the rank of fireman.

A special meeting yesterday of (he local branch of the Enginedrivers, Firemen uud Cleaners’ Association passed the following motion: "That, unless our executive gets Driver Barclay reinstated as driver, we intend in a body to cease work at midnight on Wednesday, as a pro-* test against the drastic punishment dealt out to this member,”

The general secretary of the E.F.C.A., the Minister of Railways, and the General Manager have been advised accordingly. Wellington, Feb. 0.

The bottl'd representing the Railway Department and the A.S.R.S., set up to consider the railway wages, lias concluded its sittings, but has not yet presented its report to the Prime Minister. The report will require to be submitted to Cabinet before a decision .is made.