RAILWAY SERVANTS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2110, 11 October 1890, Page 4

RAILWAY SERVANTS.

[Otago Daily Times.] We believe that- most people will agree with us that the Bail way Commissioners have overstepped the mark in the dismissal of : Mr Newton and three other railway employes at Hillside at the present time. It will be difficult to make the public believe that work could not have been found for these men if the Commissioners had not been desirous of rooting out those who have taken a prominent, part in the Eailway Servants’ Union. We will go further, and say that the Commissioners would . have been thoroughly justified in keeping on a few men not fully employed rather than give grounds for the suspicion that they were pursuing a vindictive policy. The public have supported the Commissioners in the strong steps they,took to carry oh the business and” restore discipline, recognising that an emergency had arisen which required :to be strongly- dealt with. The far too precipitate dismissal of the Christchurch Executive was passed over with but slight comment for this ; reason. But the-lengths to which the Commissioners are going lend colour to the case made out against them by the (Labour Party, and appear to us far more calculated to ferment discontent than to root it out. The singling out of the president of the Dunedin branch of the Eailway Fervants’ Association for dismissal, even if in the ordinary course of events he was the right man to be dismissed, is just one of those things which a wise head of a department would not do at such a moment as this. We hope the Government will make representations to the Cemmissioners on the subject of these dismissals with the view at least of satisfying themselves - that . the requirements of the public service urgently demanded them. The step is one which is would bo difficult to retraee, but apart from the question of the justice <r injustice to the individuals concerned, it is greatly to be regretted in the general interest, as tending to intensify the class feeling which is unhappily already too rife in our midst.