THE RAILWAY EMPLOYES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2049, 22 May 1890, Page 3

THE RAILWAY EMPLOYES.

There is likely to be a split in the camp of the railway employes. A meeting of the Dunedin branch was held last Monday evening to consider the position of affairs as regards the dispute with the commissioners. From what we have read in the report in the Otago Daily Times we gather the following facts. Every district has a union of its own, but these have amalgamated, and the headquarters of the whole is at Christchurch; At Christchurch what is called “ the Executive” is. 1 his executive consists of some nine members besides honorary members, and thesejare entrusted with the general working of the society. They stand exactly in the same position to the society as the Government stands to the Parliament and the colony. This executive entered into correspondence with the commissioners and because the Dunedin branch was not consulted at every step all the fat is in the fire, and a schism has started. Mr Harris, secretary of the Dunedin branch, condemned the Executive roundly, the grounds being that bis letters were not answered. The explanation of Christchurch was that the general secretary was away, that the branch secretary was ill, and that was the reason. This, however, did not satisfy the Dunedin secretary and he lashed out at the Christchurch executive. The reason, he said, the executive will not consent to meet the Commissioners is “because they were afraid of becoming marked men, but the commissioners have given a pledge this would not happen (cries of Oh! oh! and laughter). For bis part he was prepared to respect the pledge. He took it that the Commissioners were gentlemen, and ought to be regarded

as such.” Mr Harris, no doubt, knew that this would be reported, and that the Commissioners would see it. It was a clever bit of toadying this. The upshot of the Dunedin meeting was, however, more or less favorable to the Executive. The Dunedin committee refused to. issue the ballot papers, and though their action was approved a motion was carried to issue them at once, only three being against it. A motion baching up the executive was withdrawn until further explanation was given. One thing this meeting teaches: the railway employes must dethrone Mr Harris, and send him down to the lowest rung of the ladder at once, else there will be disunion. The man whe could act as he acted, and speak as he spoke, at such a critical moment, is dangerous anywhere. He played directly into the hands of the Commissioners, and strengthened them more than a cartload of their own foolish circulars could do. It appears, too, that the executive have assumed a domineering attitude long before there was any necessity for it. The executive last Tuesday, in Christchurch, passed the following resolution—- “ That the Executive Committee deplore very much the action of the Dunedin Branch Committee, and the tone of the general meeting held on May 19, both of which have a strong tendency to indicatejthe absence of the true ring of loyalty to the cause for which the Society has been formed; That, in the opinion of the Executive, the fact of an overworked Acting Secretary omitting to answer a letter promptly does not warrant the branch Committee’s refusal to act on instructions received from the Executive. That the Executive Committee have every confidence that the present misunderstanding will be swept away like cobwebs when proper explanations are made; but that they would earnestly remind every member e£ the Society of the absolute necessity of I having confidence in the prudence and ability of their Executive, and show strict and unflinching obedience to all reasonable and lawful orders and instructions issued by them if they wish that body to bring the objects for which the Society has been formed to a successful issue.”