RAILWAYMEN SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1919, Page 8

RAILWAYMEN SOLDIERS.

QUESTION OF REINSTATEMENT, (By Wire.—Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Monday. The rc-employraent in the railway service of men who had left tho service to go to the war, was the subject of several questions asked in the House of Ropre. r.entativcs to-night. ' The statement wis made that in many instances the Depart-' merit was refusing to take men. nacK. on Ihe ground that they were medically unfit for railway duties. Mr. C. W. Russell drew the attention; of,the Minister of Railways to a discWmoh that had taken place on the, subject at the meeting of the Christ-: flmrcU Repatriation Board on the >non- : employment of railwayman who' had been discharged' from . the forcos "fit." He said that it appeared to him that the Railway Department was sotting a very bad example to employers throughout the country by refusing to take the, men back into "the" Deportment in which they had been serving before they went;' to the war.

Mr. Massey said he would he glad if; notice were given of the question in the' regular way, as a general principle all the men employed in the railways had been taken back on their returi from. the war. Mr, Russell suggested that such men as were not considered to bo fit to do the more arduous of railway duties, should be found light employment in, the clerical brapch or elsewhere. Mr. Massey: What the lion, gentleman suggests is being done in a number of enses to mv own personal knowledge. Mr. W. 'H. Field asked whether the Government would compel private employers to take back their employees who left to go to the front to fight. Mr. Massey said that he feared that the Government hud no such power, but he hoped that every right-thinking emplover would be only too glad to tak« bad- the men who had gone to do theii duty in tho service of (he Krapire.

Mr. Wilford: Put their naraos in the paper, and you will bring them up to tile scratch.