MEETING OF RAILWAY EMPLOYES.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2037, 3 September 1880, Page 3

MEETING OF RAILWAY EMPLOYES.

A mass meeting of the railway employes on the Ohristchurch section was held last evening in Mr Fergusson's shed, adjoining the Kingston Hotel. There were a very large number of men present by half-past seven o'clook, the hour appointed for holding the meeting, which was conducted throughout in the most orderly manner. Proceedings were opened in the usual way, by tho appointment of a chairman, and that being done, the business before the meeting was immediately taken into consideration and dealt with as expeditiously as circumstances would permit. The Chairman read the correspondence which had taken place in reference to the proposed reduction of wages, consisting chiefly of telegrams between Ohristchurch and Dunedin, and with reference to the latter he recapitulated the information already circulated as to the suspension of the delegate, Mr Wilson, and one of the telegrams from Duncdin suggested the continuation of work by the men Ohristchurch till further advices. The Ohairman also made reference to articles that had appeared in the local press in relation to the crisis, and exprosßed a feeling of gratification, which he thought would be generally entertained, that the working men wore worthily repreaonted in the newspapers in this district. The chairman having placed such information as the above before his audience, proceeded to state what further steps had been taken by the committee appointed to act for those concerned. It appeared that a deputation had waited on Mr Buck and Mr Lowe as to the notices of the reductions to be made, and both these gentlemen wired to the Commissioner of Railways, from whom they each received a reply. To Mr Back Mr Conyers telegraphed as follows : —" You have already been informed that at present no 10 per cont. reduction of wages is contemplated ; that the consideration of tho question has been postponed, and that the men will have due notice before any reduction takes place. Tell the men I strongly recommend them, for their own sakes, not to think of striking." In reply to Mr Lowe, the following telegram was read —" You may inform the men that the idea of the 10 per cent, reduction has been abandoned. There must be some reduction, but none will be made until due notice has been given.—W. Contbbb." It was pointed oat that the telegrams just road did not appear to place tho meeting in a more satisfactory position than they were before, the only end they pointed to being delay. One speaker remarked that under present circumstances he saw no help for it but to carry out the resolution arrived at on Sunday, and " go out." It appeared that they were forcod to this position by tho Government, who had taken tho unwarrantable liberty of reducing their wages that is, deducting from the money which tho men hud ulready earned —without giving them any notics. He for one should bo extremely sorry to see a strike, but unless greater consideration were exhibited for their just demands ho could not see that there was any help for it. He suggested that unless somo definite reply wore received Lorn the Minister for Public Works on the day following the mon should at once cease work. At this stago it was pointed out that a meeting of railway employes was to bo held at Dunodin on the evening following, and that therefore it would be as well to postpone further action horo until Saturday at midday. The Chairman aleo explained that he, in view of tho telegrams from Dunodin and those from Mr Conyers to Messrs. Buck and Lowe, had telegraphed to the mon at Aahburton and other kindred stations to continue work for tho present. Another member of the meeting pointed out that it would be impolitic to appoint midday on Saturday to consider the question, as in the event of their having to "go out," that day would be spocially inconvenient for the public This viaw of the case appeared to commend itself to the meeting, and a resolution was then drafted to the effoct, " That unless some definite reply be received from

the Minister for Public Works, tho men will oeaae work on Saturday at midnight." A workman present considered that they had received a definite reply from the representatives of the Government, and he proposed to postpone the matter. A man, he remarked, was none the worse for wailing till to-morrow; they could lose nothing by showing the authorities the dignity of human nature and the dignity of labor. He advooated patiently waiting for the issue, and then let the Government impose upon them if they dared. [Laughter and applause.] An amendment was proposed that work be suspended from that night. The Chairman pointed out that to adopt the amendment would be to stultify the action he had taken in reference to branch stations.

The question was then put, the result being that the amendment was lost, and the original motion carried unanimously. At this stage a telegram was handed up to the chairman. The telegram (being a copy of one from tho Minister for Public Works to Mr Conyers) wa9 road as follows : —" The intention of the Government is and has always been that the wages of railway sorvants should be assimilated to those of men performing similar work outside. In pursuance of this policy a revised scale of wages was decided on upon your recommendation, and I expected that notice had before now been given of it. If this has not been done, you will now give such notice for one week from Saturday next. The uniform 10 per cent, reduction was not intended to apply to tho wages of railway men, which were to be adjusted on the principle above mentioned, but owing to the break down of the telegraph this adjustment could not be carried out at once. The 10 per cent, was therefore resorted to for the then current period, as a temporary measure, but as notice of the reduotion for that period was not given, it will not be insisted on. The revised scale of iwages will commence in one week from the 4th inst. You will caution men who aro disposed to strike that the Government can replace them without difficulty, and will undoubtedly do so. You can make the whole of this message known to the men. A copy has been sent to Mr Bnck for hiß information and guidance.— R. Oliver." The Chairman pointed out that this telegram reopened the whole question, and notwithstanding the resolution arrived at, it was absolutely necessary that they should reconsider their position. The mover of the original motion, which had been carried, notified that he would withoraw it in the face of the information just presented. The amendment to cease work at once thus became the substantive motion. An amendment was then moved—" That action be deferred until notioo of the revised scale of wages be made known." After some discussion, it was resolved to adopt the amendment for delay. A further resolution was then passed that the effect of the resolution be telegraphed to Mr Oliver (tho wires being kept open for that purpose) with the addition that great dissatisfaction must necessarily be felt till a definite reply was received. With regard to the suspension of Mr Wilson, an expression of sympathy was recorded.

The Chairman informed the meeting that the committee had a sum of £lO in hand, but it would be npcessary to collect further subscriptions to defray expenses. A delegate waß then appointed to proceed to Dunedin, to keep the Christchuroh employes apprised of tho state of affairs there.

Votes of thanks were accorded to the chairman, the committee, Mr Fergusson (for the use of the Hall), and the Press. This ooneluded the proceedings.