RAILWAY EMPLOYEES PAY

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 4 October 1901, Page 4

RAILWAY EMPLOYEES PAY

(ode paeliamentaty i spoetee.)

Wellington, This Day. Some thirty members of the House of whom Field was tho spokesman interviewed the Minister of Railwavs this morning in respect to tho promised superannuation and classification scheme for railway employee?. It was agreed unanimously that the employees worked longer hours and were more underpaid and had greater responsibilities than in any other Department in tho Government service, and they would be no serious opposition to the passage measures.

Ward said tho Government had the Suporanuation Bill drafted for the past twelvemonths. An actuarial expoit had boon called in and bad proposed a scheme, which was opposed to that suggested by Government, and involved much more money. Personally ho approved of his own scheme, and with the permission of his colleagues would have it circulated among members, and all grades of the railway service throughout tho Colony, during the recess for suggestions before its introduction next session. There would be no difficulty in passing tho Classification Bill, and he would have it distributed amongst members with a view to its early introduction, and passage this session.