RAILWAY EMPLOYES MEETING.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2043, 10 September 1880, Page 3

RAILWAY EMPLOYES MEETING.

A meeting of railway employes was held in Ferguson's shed, First street, Sydenham, at eight o'clock last evening, to receive the report of the delegate sent to Dunedin, to finally decide on what action should be taken regarding the revised scale of wages. About 200 were present. The Chairman said that he regretted to see many of the committee and the majority of the railway hands conspicuous by their absence. Ho took it for granted that they were satisfied with the revised scale of wages, and so kept a way. He might mention that several of tho men had loft the railway service. The Delegate sent to Dunedin gave a resume of his action at Dunedin, mentioning amongst other matters that it was reported in that city that Mr Conyers had said if Invercargill and Dunedin would stick to him, he would work the railways in spite of Wilson and the Christchurch men. The permanent way men at Dunedin were frightened by the report that 500 men would be fetched to fill their places from Mullocky Gully. He supposed that the men, in estimating the value of their labor and going to the " satisfied" sido, considered that they were overpaid, and whon the split took place in the camp it became useless to strike. He concluded by hoping that the meeting would approve of his action. An expression of approval was carried unanimously. The Chairman said that, as regarded the recommendation of the committee re the new scale of wages, it was a good suggestion. He for one hoped to get 7s 6d a day instead of 6s. When the committee waited on Mr Smith, that gentleman said he would be willing enough to give lis a day. The Minister for Publio Works had telegraphed that he would make no promises, to the men till all agitation ceased. The names of defaulting committeemen were then read over.

The Chairman asked if they were all satisfied with the rate of wages. ["No, no."] He then asked what they intended doing. [Confusion.] A Voice—l beg to move that this agitation cease.

The Chairman said he wished the resolution had been moved at an earlier stage of the meeting—[A voice—" He's got the Conyer'e fever"] —and as the head and tail of the agitation had gone, and tho men were not prepared to fight for their just wages, the rest had better go too. Bafore putting the motion, he would call on the treasurer to read the statements of receipts and expenditure. The treasurer said the receipts were £23 169 ; expenditure, £l9 9s 2d, leaving a balance of £4 63 lOd, of which £2 4s lOd was disbursed to the delegates for expenses not presented before the meeting, and the balance to Mr Ferguson for the use of the shed. Mr Ferguson thanked the meeting for the sum voted. He was almost sorry he had given the use of his shop for the meetings. He thought that a good battlo would have been fought, but it had been a paltry one. On the Sunday all had agreed to turn out, but now the collapse had placed them in an undignified position. The Chairman then put the question—

"That all agitation cease." Two hands were held up for the motion, and five or six against. Considerable confusion ensued, and after a vote of thanks to the chairman and reporters, the meeting broke up.