CASUAL RAILWAY HANDS.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2282, 16 October 1914, Page 8

CASUAL RAILWAY HANDS.

Sir, —I was pleased to notice your sub-leader in this morning's issue on the above subject, and moro particularly your comment "that on the face of it the petition is a reasonable one," and, further, "it must bo obvious to any fair-minded person who takes a common-senso view of tho matter, etc." This is oxactly what iiny society has been trying to pcrsuadtftfie Minister in charge of the Department for some time past, but without avail. Your inference tliat the matter had not previously been brought under his notice, and that it had been previously dealt with by Departmental officers, is, however, an erroneous one. However, the petition that you refer to only readies 0110 class of casual railway worker. There are other classes whoso pay and conditions arp anything but satisfactory. Tliemen I refer to are tho hour-to-liour casuals and dining-car men. The former are in receipt of Is. ljd. per hour, many of whom only earn £1. to 30s. por week, and even during hours when ruling rates outside which aie considerably higher than in the railway service are double. Wo have petitioned Parliament for an increase or lid. per hour. Many members 011 both 6ides of tlie House have spoken in its favour, and yet the Minister (not tho Department) lias declined our request, Dining-car men with years of service aro still casual, and at wages totally inadequate for a married man to live on. These men have served the Department and tlio public faithfully and well. Tho cars are hero to stop. Why'should they not bo put on the permanent staff, in esactly tho samo way as the Lake Wakatipu men and the chauffeurs at Hannier? To do so will not cost the Government a single farthing, yet our request on behalf of these men has also been declined.

I now ask you, Is it not obvious to any fair-minded person that these requests aro also fair and reasonable ? Thero are many aspects of the question that I could refer to, but as I have no desire to monopolise your space, I trust that now you have taken up your pen on behalf of the casual hands you will not put it down until the sentiments you have expressed are given effect to, and that all casuals, including the dining-car men, aro put on a better footing than they aro at tho present time. —I am, etc., M. J. MAOK. ' Wellington, October 14, 1914.