RAILWAY MEN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 741, 14 February 1910, Page 4

RAILWAY MEN.

A.S.R.S. CONFERENCE DELEGATE* ,; i ■.^..■..j^NTERTAINEp.;..,;; - \ \'; REFEEENCE TO NEW*SOUTH WALES V \ '■ : '.- ■■■;■.:■ 7 7;. ;ACT, v/-;,:',:^;..-■;;.-;'■'"' ; "Members, of tho Tliorndon >.branch .of ,',,. the Amalgamated Society of Eailway ■ Ser.'. ■:, -. . vants-oh Saturday evening.'' entertained V •;' the Dominion delegates who : are sitting' in ...'.•';. : . conference in Wellington. .'A social : ;,was:..'..'' ■ held in the.Foresters' Hall,- and upwards ;'■.■•!"■' of a' hundred .railway servants attended..' ' : ! ■; Mr. J. Israel, 7'-vice-chairman'7 of:, the : ■'■; '~ iorndon branch, .. :p.;-.,. M'Laren)Mil?;, Mr. T..Bonayne: (General V.-'".: ''■■ Manager for .Eailways),;:aiid. llr.vE. : -W.. - : .; :' clerk of :tiie;Kailwoy./Dc-;.; ' ; . partment) wore accorded-a hearty . weK ■■'.. '■;■: come to delegates. Apologies" were; 're- :}','■' coived from the Prime' , Minister ;ahd: : tbi./ ■.■ Minister for Eailways.' .. '■' ■'; ; :;;,';-; .. -'■'.'. ■■;■ .■■-.':.;",'V.Tho ; Delegates. 'V ; ,:> ; y : The delegates-were:-- Messrs. : W.' 'X f"I ■ Veitch,.president (Wanganui), G.'S.Frost ' > and D. Dwyer (Auckland); J. Foremaa■'■■•' and'T.'Carlyle (Waiiganui),..W.':.T::\vil-1 : .'. soh.and H. C. Lβ Grange (Palmerston . North), G. &• .Williams (Napier),-J.v " ' Chufchouse and M; Lee (Wellington), W. ■:.;'. WeUs and T. Eobertson (West Coast), E. •.•:.'-.,■ Cameron- and E. Hampton' (Canterbury)," :■ : ,'• E. J. Daslr'(Timaru), J. M*Nab (Oamani), T.'M'Tiguo \ind P. Gaines (Otago).. M. '-. Thomas and,J^.Walker.(lnvercargill).VV. , ..',.' i' y '- 'IReasonableness 'Precedes Refor^"';?■;■ - - The chairman, .in moving -the l , txjast of V. '■'-."■ .'The # Conference ' Delegate," said.:.; that a; y.:' those Who had.sat bn'tne/'Eailwaymen'*! ■• ■■■'.■'■ ■•■ Parliament"'were undoubtedly,-the cream;■'. "'■■'■ of the service, and;he 'consideredf^hatth*,"-;■'; officers in authority .'realised;, that;-they':'.,; : ' were';competent representatives ttVuphold :; ' ;';, i the interests of their fellow-workers..". .'■-■ V, Acknowledgment of tho toast was. made' «'■ by Messrs. J.. 'Mack',(gen- /.-:■:: eral, secretary), and T. ; Wilson (Pahnere- ■■.';■,j> ton North)V Mi". Veitch said that, in'hit''■, .-' ';'■: the men who had sat at the con- \ ference were loyal and : iarnest;unionist3,-\;. ;.V r and they'were prepared to do their, duhr ': :: "■■- for thesake of tlioir fellows.. (Applaosej, ; . ' Eailway, men; had always ; been Joyal w..-' ' ; the State that employed them. (Applause.)'-■ '; : ;',' Mr.-Wilson .considered,that tua.rfequeeis;.;..:: ■ that would' go "forward from\the 'confer-.'' T" ence would be more; favourably v dealt; : :_ with by. the: Department ttan ;previqua;:;■: ';; : requests had;been." He .had;no" complaint,':; '•:..■ to mak«, ! nor, did .he condemn anyone, 1 : but'' ' -.:■ they had occasipnally/been disappointed.' : .:-;. They.would ■ not say;.that they_. had beea."- ■; unfairly ..treated;; ; but;.; the ,',■ Department ',;■ •,:..: looked at the matters represented to.them ; ;! V from a different standpoint.: .-The ;tim»',•;•.. ■ was .at; hand'.when reform..'would be in- v-"- ■•■'. trodnced; as:.far'as■,the 'hcaririg of i comiA; , .; plaints was concerned;.: During;the past,:'; V. year the nien'.had: had'several interviewij . ~ with the. Minister, and' the' General;Man^..; \ .V ager,: and-.had. received ; "courteous": treat-., .. < ment. - .; They-: must:. recognise' that;if '■! re-:;;;.',7 form was,to be brought about;thej must , ! ,' '■■ ;be;reasonable in theirjTeijaeste.r;■■.; if'',.;7 ';; ■'■" v : 'Insanity of: Parliament^:;( ■ ;■ '.' Eeplying to/the toast of ."■; (proposed by-Mr; .M.:. Mr..; 4 Di.,V,f., 'M'l^ren,. M..P.; governing;, f. v 'of , 'a. country was" "a gani'e7worthikriowi^g■■ ''. ' : 7 about,";,for ■ Parliimeot '.ycM-j; ■'■ ;"■! : the: iireseryer of .the rights.of the'people. , '.-; 7. ■'*'■'A .delegate':7What;'abdut.:'Newi; South, l ;, ; i: '.Wales? 7-";; :: ." : :^?-;■■;■;;;..7 : '7'i:?K':77;'r ; : In:' some;-; oottntries,'.-. continued 7 Mr. 'y-- ...... : M'Laren, -the'people.were' crying, : :Out.foT.7, -}.v representative-^^government,; becauee■ they.V';.;V'.-. .^vere.'imder "autocrttHo sway.;? Some Par-' 7. ■;. liiunents forgot their 'fluties,'.. fprgot. that.f. ;.7. a Parliament *was nothing, more than the , - -, machinery; of';' the '-State,, 4 and'' be.: : , : . the"' , servitor of 'the people at all. times.:. ' The Government; , , that /proceeded:-,:; along I: . v : .. .strictly. coriseryatiye7lines eometimes' im- : :1 ;. ',-. posed pressurei oh .'servants: who occupied.;..' •;; subordinate.:positions;,': The■ railway set-.. .:■ vico . of:, the.. Dominion K v was ■ one.' to be. > ■/.,: 'proud.of,. and , .he... hoped'" the .'.time iwould : ;.:..-: never pome whea , 'cpmmercialism;7would^;,.'' so enter into State.services as toobscura '■» .the common lights of., hninanity.;': In: ; 7.; older.";countries'.tßey7j'saW;'private, enter-'- 1 \. .; . prisee,'.,j'.un''.' on:,: those '-'.lines, ..and' railway ,:' ;! ' : men -were 'required' tqViyork ./.tenv hours. a■_ 7 day,: the'lives; ;. ':.' of passenger's' iii. ; jeopardy". state 0f;. , .'- , . things' , had been , !shoyvijecently.,to; exist;;.?,. 7 in-connection': with, a. 1 ; State'Service. , vAl-,. ■though the public was:a hard-taskmaster, 7. :• it- did not;,ever' \viinV: to see its servicei . 7 :-•?. run : onUines.-vof.-; coininercialismj'whicfc .-..-:'.-- spelt inhumanity , and. unjust,: cruel,' ano 7 ;• • harsh' conditions. - Grievances. had been . '•... .talked:of,'but:their requests;ought to .be v\ regarded; more in; ] -Vie light : of rational; ..;.. proposals in the:interests"of the;men of . the •. service,".of: the;,' people,'; and "or • th« ;;' -..-. '.'■;, > : : ■' .• ;■'•'•-.;■ V ".'-v.':-; '.;■' •'■ •: ■ '■'■ Eeferriiig.;- , to'''theVproposal.:plac«d P 6"'7; ' fore: Parliament that two railway service;. : ■ organisitions : i;hould be recognised, ;Mr..: . '■ M. Lareu-;eaid' ;that ".Parliament .belKsyed :. ;;/;, .that-it l was:alw'ays easier:to-reason .with.7 ; onebody than with a number.'Doubtless,:- .7 those, who. ■;. of the'seoond 'society/would appreciate:be., :..;; : fore'long , .that'nnity, ' 'and not disruption,'.;;. > ; ; meant strengths - f ;;, '-. :; 7 '■':':.'-"Lw , ,. ~.; ■"'Tailiament "Sometimes•.::orgea; t .lM : ; .': . duties, , '. said : Mr.' MTLaren. ■■''I ;bdieT«K ;: that Parliament can. even perform mean* , • acts;" In-.my ,v :• taken- by the- Parliament: of Nevt: : South , .. Wales is- an, aot;;'pf'.political,',lttsanity--;; - (icud I:do not eay. 'tnat.ont:,,:.. / ''of bitterness". Isay'it for this important;-.. , , •reason, that, v when-any legislature.of. th«:.-.. '-British Empire'forgets the essential:pnn-, ■;/■■ ciples of 7British, justice, and .fair ; play.,-:v - then, if fails'in itsdutyanHan the reoMr. ..,-• : ,nition f of, the; high dignity, , that, should;. belong : to it/^ .(Applarae.) -£;; : . ;V : u-.t ; -,^; v ■■; :.'7;\ ■ ■■'-:'K' w'Other.Toasts.; '■i.\-',,r:\ y ;:-i^.- '.;■''; ; :'■ The' toast-oi";"The : .General f ,;': proposed.by'Mr.';G.vS.7Frost,iwas onthu-;:'-, , siaetically received. ;-7 ; •'•■' ■ ■'.. : ; '•'■ ■"-..'.' ■'" iw ; >,' 7; '•• In , the. course 7of a 7 happy, reply, ."Mr. :,,... Eonayne .related ■„' soino: ''..facts 'connected-;' ■;, with his early experiences itf ,the railway . : .- i, , service, ■ which."he : entered , in' 1876.:;,.1t 7.: .:; was/rather funny,";he7said.;;:7VVe.>eTe, ;■. ■ all called general managers in those daye.';- . : ■■.. (Laugh ter.).'. When. I , :' was'; made '.general, : \ "■; manager,:l.'got promotion; .becauEea.was •-;.; :. a: general, : manager:;when I was_ getting',, , .£250 ayear." , '. .Continuing,'Mr. 1 . Eonayne -..■, said that New' Zealand had reason''»■Dβ;':- , i,/ proud• of .its" railway. ; track, ■ and of ■'the+;. • signalling'and:-interlocking, fittings, , and •'. ,-■ other safety appliances: intooduced;duTinj:. ~ the past' ten,years.V The* railway, ■,staff.--,-- ; , could :bear comparison"• with .those con- ;; ,< nected7.with, the English or Australia*;-. ;■.,.. railways, and. he-'considered, that, in, tn« I . . iurni-ethe Dominion ought to .to able M;.. provide'-its' ownf-railway -. eiperts. .' (Ap.-5. P "I^ve;done ffievbest\ for ; th«;';:■:;; country,"' concluded- , Mr! Eonayne, '■■...-.. I have done tf little for the railway men."'. It is;not ; alway<s pbssible'to do-everyttang ■■ .'7 for -the society;ibut : we. do what;.we,can,j .-...-■,, The delegates are'notibashful.-.they, come'.;-.;. again.".. (Applause.) :? V'--" - : ; ?;' ~ 7:'. Other'toasts-.honoured'dunngthe : , ing-'", were: -'Hundred ■ Societies,'^ ■■:■,^The ./;:. 7' Thorndon Branch," and."Tho'Press..•;. ; -7:^ ,, 7 7 A varied musical programme: was eon.. . tributed to -bjr ■ Messrs. , -. Stuart .Browne, ;■ Landsdown,'. James,,;'; Blake, , ' '^AmbroM : ; 7.. Eosemead, Sims', Israel, , andHillson.-MTiH.; E. J.' , King at the piano. ;:.:;7.', \--