RAILWAY EMPLOYEES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 305, 18 September 1920, Page 8

RAILWAY EMPLOYEES

AGE ON ENTERING THE ,

SERVICE

REINSTATEMENT OF RETURNED SOLDIERS

Mutters of interest to railway employees were mentioned by several mombers while the House was considering I the Eailwav estimates last night. Mi. Sidey (Dunedin South) wished to know whether the Minister of Bailways would I consider a proposal to raise from 84 to 40 the ago up to which men might bb ! engaged- as permanent servants of tho Department. He said tiiat many efficient men between the ago of 34 and 40 had entered the service. By reason of the present restriction, they would never bo anything more than casual employees. Mr. Massey said that probably there was only one objection to taking a man into tho service up to the ago of iO provided, of course, that the man wan physically sound. This objection lay in the effect that the change would havo upon tho arrangements for superannuation. A member: Give .the fund a bigger 6ubsidv from the State. Mr. Massey: I think honourable members should have some mercy upon the poor old State. Mr. Sidey suggested that some men who had loft the Department without leave in order to go to tho front were not being placed on the same footing uppn reinstatement as men who had obtained leave in order to go and fight. Mr. Massey said that if a soldior reinstated in the employ of the Department was doing tho same work as another man he should receive tho same rate of pay. Tho General Manager < could not think of an instance in which a returned soldier had not been reinstated. - Mr. Mitchell (Wellington South): "But the pay is different." Mr. Mitchell hnd told tho Minister a 6hort time before that returned soldiers employed as cross-ing-keepers were not getting tho fiame rate of pay as other crossing-keepers. Mr. Massey said ho would bo glad to look into the question.

FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT

"LEGISLATION WILL NOT GEOW TEEES."

"Legislation will not grow trees or increase- cur forests," said Mr. Masscy in tho House of Representatives last night when the Forestry Department's estimates were reached. "Wo can get along very well without legislation because we have authority to spend the money that may bo necessary. If legislation is required, wo will bring it down, but we do not need it on the financial side." Mr. Mnssey said that the Director of Forestry had not yet got into his stride. But ho had already prepared a- very vahui'blo report. The pity was that the forestry problem had not been taken in hand years ago, when there was plenty of timber in the country. But there was more timber in New Zealand to-day than people imagined, He mentioned the remaining kauri timbor forest and the Tongariro forest. The Forestry Department) and the Lands Department, he assured the House, wore not going to clash. They would work together in the public interest. . ' A general discussion coi forestry matters followed. Members were ag.-eod in supporting the policy of forest conservaI tion, but had many suggestions to make regarding their own districts. The site of" tho school of forestry had not yet boon selected, and no indication could vet bo given, said the Hon. D. E.. Guthrie. The school would bo placed in the place considered most suitable. Ho hoped that the Forestry Department would bo ablo to undertake the reclamation of sand dunes in various districts. The Department had been strengthened and equipped and was tackling its duties in an earnest and energetic manner. An effort was being rr.nde to prevent large companies getting control of big areas of forest land. Unfortunately such companies wore already in possession in some disMr' W. H. Field (Otairt eaid that in his district much land carrying good timber was being cleared and put down, in grass. Fine rimu trees were being cut down' by hundreds. Tho land was near the saddle between Waikanae and Upper Hutt, and he believed it ought to be conserved for forestry purposes. Mr. Field mentioned the waste of maire trees, which at present were put to no use at all. The timber of this troo wae extraordinarily hard, and there ought to be ft use for it. ' The vote was passed by uio Houso.