RAILWAYMEN'S WAGES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 155, 26 March 1919, Page 8

RAILWAYMEN'S WAGES

Sir-I wish to draw, attention to the unfair statement of. Hie Hon Minister of. "Railways in stating tha tho matte, of freight" charges depended uiw. ■ his ans'eAo raihvaymen. T* it right that, the just claims of the men 1)6 dragged in front of the public in such a inannci for after all is not wages a leg. .mate first claim upon revenues, especially in a Government concern on which 3 to 3* ner cent is a fair and reasonable rate on money invested, if not all excess, as the increased land value* and increased profits to tho producers genera ly continent to construction of railways a consideration? Therefore, let me ask. at whose, expense the increased peri.cr.t-. a«. shown in rc-cnt. railwnv statement ma obtained? Chiefly at Iho.oxpense o Hi- ' mid when they come forward with just demands such demands, are flouted in front of the .pub ic '» Mnn «'; Hon with increased freights. '■f t ., tn T "tinister.be frank and tell the public that they have been receiving too imieh.-ser-vice for which they ha.ve not. paid. Would it not be bettor to say at once that the free carriage pf-raHiorses lias gone for ever, the free carriage of show exhibits, no rebates to Chautauqua concern-, that, in all probability the wool kings might have to pay a small increase n-r bale for freight on wo A and the farmer to exnect an advance in carriage of Wter and ehee., ? . all of these being carried at a specially low rate, which cannot now bo classed as at all wutable or just, to other users of. (he. Hallways. The Minister has been throwing figures around the country to the effect thi>, to Front the railwaymen's demands means £] ,000.000 to .£1.500.000. - Tho actual figures are, with 15,000 men in the service it would cost m\m to give each individual ,£6O per annum increase, winch is more than they are likely to get. One is at a loss to understand how the Minister arrives at his fkure=. A little indication of how the .£OOO.OOO on prewar conditions could be met:—

1 per cent, profit of 3i per cent, (see percentage earned last three years) WOO 10 per cent. pi">-wnr rates 400,000 • Increased traffic and revenue ; mono ,£900,000 Again, a rough idea of ivhat a fow small increases would bring in :- Increase Id. per ticket and 10 per cent, on season tickets, pre-war. Til tcs •••• WW Increase 5». per truck on live stock (Id. per sheep) 50,000 Increase 2s. per ton, buffer and cheese, and 2sl per bale on wool (1-lOOth part Id. per lb.) 100,000 Increased traffic, excursion rates, elimination of free carriage, etc.... 150,000 - J ftm " et °" SQUARE DEAL.