RAILWAY MEN'S GRIEVANCE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 61, 11 March 1916, Page 8

RAILWAY MEN'S GRIEVANCE.

_ The Minister of Railways 'apparently is happy in the belief that the workers in his department are merely bluffing when they talk of taking "drastic measures' to secure the redress of their grievances. Since he, told the men that it "depended upon the Minister of Finance" whether or not he could accede to their demand for higher wages he has vouchsaved them no further information concerning his intentions. The men are waiting patiently, but not inactively. They remember the trouble of 1890 when some of their number sacrificed certain benefits 'arising cut cf their employment and they are not going to repeat that mistake. Mr. Herries need haven o fear of a strike, a strike, that is, of the ordinary vulgar kind. But there is nothing in the conditions of their employment, except, of course, their moral obligation to the public, to prevent them retiring from the service and claiming the money they have, paid on account cf superannuation. How far the moral obligation binds a public servant to submit to unfair treatment and how long, are questions that are being eagerly discussed by the men just new and it is quite possible they may be .officially considered seme time soon. At the moment, the one thing certain is that the railway service is seething with discontent. If this continues to be justified by circumstances something very unpleasant may happen.