THE TRAMWAY TROUBLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1919, Page 4

THE TRAMWAY TROUBLE.

New Plymouth residents and visitors yesterday had an experience of the "Go Slow" tactics which have been in evidence elsewhere in the Dominion. Mlie men appear to have chosen the opening day of the Tavanaki show in order that as much inconvenience as possible would be caused to the public, but thereby they only succeeded in alienating sympathy. There is always a feeling amongst the majority of the people that grievances and hardships should be redressed in a legitimate way, but no one outside a mental institution could possibly countenance such a puerile method as dislocating ,the tram service by crawling along the route and taxing the patience of the passengers by prolonged stoppages. If the men are not satisfied with their pay and an increase is refused their legitimate course of action is clear. They can either go to the Arbitration Court or leave the service after giving due notice. To resort to the "go slow" weapon not only causes irritation, but by lessening the earning power of the trams may cause the ratepayers to be

burdened with a rate. Either the men should keep to the time-table or vacate their positions. To reduce the revenue is not the way to obtain increased pay. Practically the men are paid to run so many trips, and if they wilfully reduce the number of those trips, and thereby cause loss of revenue, would they consider it a fair thing to be docked of a proportion of their wages? Certainly not; but it would be fair to the employers to make the reduction. The men, having legitimate ways for settling disputes, are, to say the least, ill-advised in their present action,, which can only result in the council taking up a firm attitude, instead of a conciliatory one. The principle at stake is whether the employers or the employees shall rule. It is to be hoped that the employees will not persist in their irritating tactics, but will behave as sensible men, and, failing an agreement with the council, will apply to the court. Whatever merits their case possesses are being sacrificed by their present conduct, and they are jeopardising their future thereby. Two wrongs cannot make a right, so that the men are only standing in their own light by their present behaviour, and the sooner they come to a more sensible frame of mind the better will be their chance of sympathetic treatment.