STRANDED.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 29, 1 May 1924, Page 2

STRANDED.

BACK TO MATAMATA. By Sea, River and Road. Having had occasion to go to Auckland in the beginning of last week, a resident of Matamata took advantage of the speciai nig-ht express on Easter Monday to do so. On approaching the Matamata railway station at 7 o’clock in the evening of that day he found the station and surroundings plunged in darkness, although only a few minutes before the scheduled time for the departure of the usual evening train. A number of intending passengers and some spectators were standing in the Cimerian shade of the verandah, and these one . and all expressed the opinion that the threatened railway strike had begun. A few minutes after, however, the advent of light and the stationmaster showed that this was not the case. The train was merely running an hour late! Asked by the Matamata man what the chances were of getting through to Auckland by “ the eleven fifty nine, ’ still less of getting- back lateion in the week, the local railway officials did not seem to think that the men were “ going- out ” and comforted with this assurance, and in order to save any subsequent rush, he bought a return ticket to the northern city there and then.

OFF TO AUCKLAND. Arriving back at the station a few minutes before midnight he noticed signs of joyous activity around the huts temporarily placed alongside the plantation and occupied by a railway painting- gang. As he passed these, attempting to walk with easy grace while carrying- a large suit cdse, and a bundle of rugs in one hand and a bursting gladstone bag and his topcoat in the other, his passage was greeted, with pointed allusion and ironic cheers. “ What do you know ?” queried the traveller, with as much good humour as he could muster. “ That you won’t get very far with that gear, mate,” was the reply. However, rumours of strike having been so prevalent during the preceding ■days, the questioner took the answer as a timely (or untimely?) joke of the sort perpetrated by the boys who hailed the false advent of the wolf and he waited in the mid-night for the distant whistling express. His suspicions were not aroused until he reached Morrinsville, however, and having- an important letter for an addiessee in that town he handed it to a railway official to post locally rather than run the risk of forwarding the same through the Frankton Junction post office. It was only on reaching the latter place, with its semi-dark tw tv!” 1 a ” d ltS Cl ° Sed railwa y station, ; that the possiibiilty of a strike became an accomplished fact. Save the stationmaster and a- couple- of perambulating p or te rS) presumably acting as pickets, railway men were conspicuous by their absence. This was so at at every subsequent station en route, I m most cases the stationmaster being the only man seen on duty. Auckland was reached safely at six o’clock m the morning-, there then being omy two more trains to arrive: uffe usual

Wellington express expected in about an hour’s time and a special express from the Empire City which having left the capital before midnight, was anticipated to get in late in the afternoon. AROUND THE NORTHERN CITY. As might be expected, the one topic of conversation in Auckland was the strike, and one heard its pros and cons bandied freely in tram, theatre and tavern. That expression has to be used guardedly, for it seemed to the visitor that there were more cons than pros. Quite 90 per cent of the citizens of Auckland it seemed are out of sympathy with the strike, and he was rather impressed by the antipatj|etic opinions expressed by a large body of that class more or less accurately defined as “ workers.” Remarks such as “ On a good wicket,J “ privilege tickets,” “ superannuation,” fell on the ears in quite a number of quarters. On a tram proceeding towards Newmarket two of the proletariat were discussing the strike and as they got off the conveyance one was heard saying to the other: “ Free pass once a year.” “ For the missus and kids, too,” replied his friend. “ Yes,” chimed in the conductor, from the back of the car, “ and available in ’Orstralia as well.” That clinched in the argument, and two disgruntled proletarians were observed straightway steering a course for the “ Royal George.” The motor cars and busses lined up in front of the Chief Post Office and marked with notices such as “ Pukekohe 7s 6d;” “Helensville £l,” “ Hamilton 30s ” and Rotorua £3,” looked rather weird at first, but one soon got used to them, and with their complacent loads of passengers suggested that Rotorua was in the vicinity of Remuera, Hamilton adjacent to Dominion road, Helensville in Freeman’s Bay and Pukekohe at the Grafton Bridge. The question, as far as he was concerned, of course, was getting back and not a small portion of the two days spent in Auckland consisted of interviewing shipping companies, newspaper offices and drivers of motor cars. Eventually, weighing one consideration with another, the man from Matamata decided to proceed home by the Paeroa boat and thence to Matamata by motor car.