THE ARBITRATION ACT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 745, 18 February 1910, Page 8

THE ARBITRATION ACT.

QUESTION FOR' RAILWATMEN:

.The. Hon. J."A. Millar '(Minister for Railways) has-written as fpllows to the. conference: of deleg;a:tes of the Amalga-' mated Society of Railway Servants; under date-•February-U:— .'■'■

'. ."During .'.the.discussion upon the * Rail-: '.way , Estimates last sessipn of Parliament, : statements were ■■ ■ m ade: that ' the, railwaymen would prefer being under the Industrial Conciliation, : andv Arbitration Act. I'shall be! obliged if. you will: put the matter before: your-conference, the understanding being that the. Act should apply to .the. whole of the.Second/Division, and that. if. the men decide -to,.come under the' Arbitration' Act, the sanie conditions that R.pply.outside,the-service, bind-, ing: par-ties to any given award shall ■ ap-ply-likewise to tho. ..railwaymen; and that, the'J.Tailwaymen; shall be. on-exactly the same, footing and. pay, the same' rates; for railway travelling-as 'are'paid by ordinary members ' of the public. I shall :be ; glad.of'an expressiqn of opinion from -your conference, upon. this, question." When the'abpv'p letter was:read at. the conference yesterday, thp, opinion l was, ex-. piessedvthat it had .been sent/at'a' very.opportune time, from. the. Minister's iwint of view, and'it was suggested .th'at.'if the conference decided: to' reject the proposalthe :'fact' would.. bo' used by the . Minister when the.deputation from' the conference laid the result of its deliberations before him.:■ It was.proposed:'."That this. conference does not feel justified'in .express-: ing .an opinion on such ah important. pro : posal without,first-having'an expressionof opinion from: the members'of the society :as a"whole." • "After.-discussion ah': amen'dment-'waVKiiTied-'th'at.cbnsideration' of,the ; letter,'b'e..'deferred.'.; : • :'•: .'.■■•. ..'..:'