The Railway Servants

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 13, 15 July 1893, Page 2

The Railway Servants

A BREACH OF PRIVILEGE/ A proof slip containing tho following found its way the other nigbt, no s one knows how or tbrongh what I channel, into each member's private box. None of the officials of the House can say how they got thero ; \ they only know that a breaoh bf the • privilege has been committed* The document thus runs: — "The following resolutions have been carried unanimously by the Executive of the Amalgamated Society of . Railway Servants of New Zealand: Railway Employees' Insurance Bill : That the members of the House of Representatives be requested to advocate a ooo* ference of railwayman to discuss the Insurance Bill, and that as soon as £ possible after their arrival in Wel- * lington that they interview the Railway Commissioners and the Minister for Public Works upon the question. Conciliation and Arbitration Bill: Tliat the Executive strongly urge the passing of the Conciliation and Arbitration Bill, and that no Bill be deemed satisfactory unless railway men are included in its provisions. Government Railways Bill : Thatthe Executive urge Parliament to get the Government Railways Bill passed aB introduced last session, for the fallowing reasons :—( I) That it is contrary to all dramatic principles to Have the people's railways handed over to any number of private persons for irresponsible management ; (2) that the management of the railways by the present Commissioners in connection with their employees have been highly unsatisfactory for the following rea-; f sons.— •(!) That at present an em-' ployee has no means of appealing to an independent tribunal against any decision of the Commissioners; (2) that the system of patronage which obtains uuder the present management is worse than if the railways were under political control ; (8) that tbe rate of pay received by employees ' has been considerably lowered .luring tbe Commissioners' term of management by the introduction of. excessive boy labor ; (4) that promotion generally has not been according to merit or seniority ; (5) that the sole aim of the Commissioners has been to produce a surplus at the end of the year, and that they have accomplished that desire by neglecting necessary work - and by discharging a number of employees at a time when outside employment was almost unobtainable."