The Social Side

The welfare of all employees in the workshops (as part of the reorganisation scheme now nearing completion) is being adequately taken care of.

Just how far any industrial organisation can go in the matter of welfare work depends largely on the employees themselves.

The success of welfare work may be summed up in the motto “What is worth having must be worked for.” If you have to work for a thing it has a real value, and you look after it. Conversely, if you get a thing for nothing — if you don't have to put any personal effort or expense into its acquisition — it neither gets looked after nor is it valued.

So in regard to our welfare work. The Department is going a certain distance, and you—if you would reap the full harvest of benefits and pleasures—must do the rest. I do not think that any of our men who have seen the provisions made by the Department can say that the effort has been poorly done. Your part, if taken enthusiastically, should therefore be very pleasant.

I am anxious to see a success made of this social work, because it means more contentment in the service and it will give you that feeling that in spite of all this life's hardships there are some compensations worth while now.

The social halls built, and being built, are good looking buildings fitted with all modern facilities, including a fine stage. The Hillside social hall buildings especially, have been most favourably commented on. The dining room and kitchen section of the buildings has been arranged so as to permit of their being used as supper rooms after a dance or similar function. The workshops library is housed in another room (with a separate entrance), with the Apprentices’ Instruction Room adjoining it. There is also a smaller room where committee meetings may be held comfortably.

In providing the Hillside buildings with their facilities (which include a caretaker with quarters on the premises) the Department's immediate interest ceases. These premises are available for any social activities of employees, for lectures, meetings, practices,—for any legitimate purpose. The shops committee (with the Workshop Manager as chairman) only have to be consulted so that dates may be properly arranged. In centring the management of the Social Hall in the Shop Committee it is possible for concerted action to be taken when any objective is set out for. For instance—I don't suppose it will be long before the Hillside shops committee will decide to purchase a curtain for the stage. Now, how to get it. The committee would circularise the executive of the Library, Ambulance, Free Ambulance, Orchestra, and Band Committees, the Euchre, Cricket, Football, Hockey and Glee Clubs, and decide on a plan whereby each will raise so much money by entertainment or otherwise to achieve the objective aimed at. Nothing much can be accomplished without funds, and the above is one way to raise them.

Having a good place from which to work, each club, by co-operation with the others, may not only become independent, but it could create funds to further its own objective. An orchestra such as that at Hillside is a great asset to a workshops staff in such matters, rendering as it does invaluable assistance, and at the same time increasing the prestige of the Department.

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On Friday, 22nd June, the Hillside Social Hall building was officially opened by His Worship the Mayor of Dunedin (Mr. W. B. Taverner). Being present myself (from eight o'clock until half past one a.m.) I can say, as the country reporter finished off, “a pleasant time was had by all.’ It was an enthusiastic start off—about 600 employees, with their wives, daughters and friends and sweethearts being assembled in the social hall for the opening concert.

Vocal and instrumental talent of a high order was rendered and the Hillside Orchestra made a grand debut.

It played for the dancing and did it finely, receiving the commendation of everybody. They are a fine combination and I have no doubt their services will be in great demand.

After the opening concert a tour of inspection of the different rooms was made, during which time the floor of the Social Hall was cleared for dancing. The hall floor held eight sets of Lancers comfortably and there were nearly one hundred interested spectators around the room.

The chairman (Workshop Manager, Mr. C. J. Graham) and all associated with him in the arrangements are to be congratulated on their efforts. The results of the evening were full of promise for the future of the Hillside workshops staff.

Non-Stop Trains.

The inauguration of the daily Flying Scotsman non-stop express runs between London and Edinburgh on the London and North-Eastern Railway was challenged in anticipation by the L.M.S., who stole a march on their Eastern rival by running the Royal Scot non-stop and knocking minutes off the scheduled time without any preliminary advertisement (says the “Glasgow Herald”). The L.N.E. service began on Tuesday by saving 12 minutes on the northward journey and 2 1/2 minutes on the southward. This is understood to be a mere bagatelle to what could be done but for the agreement between the companies, which puts the minimum time between Glasgow (or Edinburgh) and London at 8 1/4 hours. Despite the keen rivalry between the companies, I am assured that there is to be no departure from that agreement, and that any return to the wild racing of 30 years ago is impossible. As a matter of fact, our trains all over seem to have settled down to a comparatively easy stride since then. But who wants to cover the 400 miles between Glasgow and London in less than 8 1/4 hours? Let them fly!

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