TRAMWAY TROUBLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 August 1938, Page 6

TRAMWAY TROUBLE

POSITION IN WELLINGTON ADOPTION OF GO-SLOW ANTICIPATED. RUNNING TO REGULATION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Disorganisation of Wellington's tramway service is expected tomorrow morning. Dissatisfied with the way in which their demands have been met by the City Corporation, tramwaymen intend to conduct what, from the public’s point of view, is likely to amount to a “go slow” strike. Tramwaymen deny that a strike in any sense of the word, is contemplated. They intend, they say, to run the trams according to regulations, and to do this and keep to the timetable is understood to be impossible. The regulations, they say, require that .trams , should not travel at more than eight miles an hour through the city; they also require that trams should not go down a hill faster than they can go up. These and other regulations are broken by every tram every day. The dispute, it is stated, has arisen out of a number ■ of minor jna'tters. Tramwaymen want certain things done to the cars; they also object to one inspector. Two mass meetings of the men off duty were held yesterday, one in the morning in the tramway workshops, and one last night in the Trades Hall. The decision to take the action planned was made by a substantial majority, it is understood.

GREAT MISTAKE OPINION OF GENERAL MANAGER. 1 REGULATIONS AMENDED.' < (By Telegraph—Press Association.)' 1 WELLINGTON,' This Day. . “I’ve heard nothing about, it,” said' Mr M. Cable, general manager pf.'.ihe Wellington municipal tramways, .when isked last night if he had heard it suggested that the tramwaymen intended to adopt a “go-slow” policy. 21 think if they intend doing so, they’re making a great mistake,” he said. “If they’re banking on the old regulations concerning speed, they’ve probably overlooked that the regulations have been brought up-to-date since 1918. They were amended in about .1932. If the present regulations are carried out literally, the system will work as smoothly as usual.” Asked how the city corporation would meet a tramway strike, or go■low agreement among the tramwaymen, Mr Cables aid: “We couldn’t run any sort of emergency service. All the men competent to handle the trams are members of unions. If the men don’t care to drive the trams, or give the public an efficient service, people will just have to put up with it until they see reason.”