THR RAILWAY SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 744, 17 February 1910, Page 6

THR RAILWAY SERVICE.

'■ ;fSOTERANOTIATION VMATTERSi\; : '.; The'conferenfe of-the Amalgamated: Society ",of ' : Railway, Servants .'passed',: several resolutions .relating,V to 'superannuation,; and .■ compensation-' for • accidents^:'.'A strong. protest/was, , entered against l the continuation;:of: paying claims!for. com-' pensa'tioh'..td'. members of the;£rst. div.i-. sion'under the Government Railways Act, 1587,:' out; of, ■ the ; v Railway. >■ Superannuation fundi : .These,'olaim.s'.under .the.Act-.quoted should, it'.was- urged, ..be.-paiii out W. the Consolidated\Fund.', The. conference; was strongly'of '.the' opinion that.'the. funds should-. 1 nqf-be,.diverted-;to? apy''other, avenue from the.'espress.purpose.for which the '-fund. was:, established;-: ItVwas'.,rer' solved' that/Section ■ IC,.'sub-Section- :4, of the.; Railway'; .Superannuation- Fund;, Act be- amended, in the'direction' of- making provision for the .widows : ahd..children.;Qf superannuated- members : deceased,: \ and also'foi , ; the'rwidow -and children'.of i'deceased; ; memDersr:whov;have'been-retired medically,; unfit for,.! duty..-. ' At:' , present when'..members die ;vrhile enjoying- tho benefits :,.of | superannuation^" their'.'widows and cnildren are, deprived ofva'ny rbenefit. If the .deceased, mealier hasLnot".drawn •in , pension :the amountyhe.'paid, inycon■tributipns 'to' the' 'fund, .the, .widows, or heirs' receive: only" the '• difference: in. the actual .amount, of pension.paid; and the contributions: paid by the -member.into ■the'rfund.;■'••';-, 1 ' •'■■':[■ -:-x v.. ; -:;::..

■■■i'lt 'was also, resolved that ;the. benefits of the •Workers'. 'Compensation ;'for-vAc- ' cidents: Act'shair'not' in any way interfere .with' the benefits - provided' under the Government- Railways'.Superannuation Fund.- If the, member. dies : as Xresnltpf an accident: sustained iri;:the ■ execution': pf 'his' duly- his■ .widow sor heirs ,are:,.then. entitled to an amount; under the .Work:, efs',,Compensation. Act. , . Iri.,that case .they, are, entitled; only,,to ' of the actual amount, of the ■contributions, 'without 'interest,.paid into': the; 'fund'.by.-.the .deceased: member.. .This';sectjqri;.rif'the. Act applies' ohlyj'.to.'members. .of."tjip'second, dijisiqn. ,I,'he conference iyuhanim.oHslyiof the opinion-that the benefit.prdvided,' ip the superannuation \fiind "should not'tfo or'.restricted ;by.-.the'pro-visions of -any (Jther ;A'ct, seeing:, that .the members' affected:are;providing. ; the.- necessary, funds'to'enable:them 'unaer'thD conditions :laid: down. to enjoy ,tho, full -benefits' ,of ."same.' : ' -.■:'-, : ''V;.V' i;'\Jt\ .The, 'question , ; of; .v granting-: privilege tickets .'to i the-'widowed, mothers, of/ junior /members,', of'the service, who rare, acting' iu the V.position. of ..'housekeeper .-was >considercd. Owing' to,,the .member being a junior;'.the regulations , does .not apply. Conference is -'.unanimously of the. opinion that -. this, concessjpri be extended to juniors: who .'are ]) assisting in mothers. ..out-of their small wages.'. ■■'.'>■■ ; ■;■;/''■:..- It was,resolved to request the management -:.to grant' one■ -privilege .'ticket quarterly,;to, -superannuated , members arid their wives. , ;": c . , '■'••'.;'-."■"::.■■•' ;V|.:: ■•'...,

'"•Correspondence'.'-was- read.-from' Mr. Richard Bell,',M:P., and Secretary of,tho English Amalgamated Society of' Railway .Servants,'-.setting forthVthe/privileges extended {by ?the" various' railway companies to their superannuated T members;; which are. ,, very, liberal.' .An aknual'.free;'pass and privilege tickets-being;.granted.' This concession :'is--.also-'grahted- by, several-of 'the'..Australian -States. , -'.;:•.- .-. J ' ~'■

. It; was resolved-that the second menib?rs -should be - represented ■on . tho Sjuperannuatiori-'. Fund -Board -Jjiy- four :members,-.two! from eachj'island; -instead of'thrce..'as-at : 'present. . ■ .-,..-, . . ■ Conference also, resolved .to-ask for. the abolition of the 1 system of, leavo, rota.:; It has :been t the : .practice of: the.pepartmont to' annually compile.' a return' setting- forth' in order '.-the. , names of the members', in' each' district, .and the- month•' in:'-w.hich each member is entitled' to go 'oh' leave. This system, owing'to repeated . representations,, is now confined in,'its operation tov the, .Traffic, Department.,' Maiiy instances., were quoted , whcre-'niembers who.'accofding to .the leave list, wore entitled .to their leave in tho summer, have been unable .to receivo ■ same until -the winter. It was stated that, the intention of : f hi?. Department, was to .'postpone' each member's .leave for one month -each year so, as to-: allow every ,momber..,to havc : his leave in turn during tho summer months liut.it is impossible in.the Traffic Dopar'tment to dp. this, members' leave- behi"in many instances -lonpt deferretl, and further by deferring each.member's leave one.' mouth each year (even if■ the system was ,up r tp-date)j in thirteen years: each member under this-Viysteni -would lose one year's, leave altogether. - •■.-..-. ....... .■■•.,:.,