WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 May 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(Our Special Correspondent)

THE RAILWAY STRIKE

A SETTLEMENT EXPECTED

WELLINGTON, April 30.

Mr Massey arrived here last night atfer a twelve hours’ journey from Napier in rough weather and over heavy roads and at orico got into communication with the representatives of the branches of the railway service involved in the strike. The interviews lasted for nearly two hours and at their conclusion both parties seemed to be well satisfied with the progress made towards a settlement of the trouble. Further negotiations are proceeding at the time of writing and thevo is a hopeful feeling throughout the city that an agreement will bo reached in time to allow the trains to resume running to-morrow or on Monday at latest. The gulf between the authorities and the men has been considerably narrowed by last night’s heart to heart talk and there should be no difficulty in spanning it without loss of prestige or dignity on either side today. RAILWAY ADM INISTR ATI ON. Mennwilile the public is hearing many allegations against the. management of the railways and many suggestions foi its improvement. The men, with a little leisure for airing their grievances, are not finding fault with the principle of State Control, which is an article of political faith with most of them, but they are loudly denouncing the travesty of State control they declare to exist in this country. It makes, they contend, for hopeless inefficiency and inevitable discontent. They want at the head of the Railway Department a highly trained, capable business man with absolute authority over the stalf, without the intervention of a Minister or of a General Manager created by the vicious system of promotion by seniority. Given this and an opportunity for every man in the service to make his way to the front they are satisfied harmony and efficiency would supplant the present deplorable conditions. ITS RESULTS. Whether this view is right or wrong is not a question for discussion here, but a letter received this week by a Wellington resident from a young New Zealander who has just been appointed chief engineer to the newest and biggest of the American liners, at a princely salary, obtains peculiar interest from what is happening here at the moment. “I often think,” this lucky young fellow writes, “of the time I spent in the New Zealand Railway workshops, with their red tape, their petty tyranny, their preference for brainless labour. The whole atmosphere of the service was stifling and dwarfing. No doubt if F, had remained in the service T should have been discharged for incompetency. As it was I was lucky enough to be delayed in my promotion and taking the huff put on inv coat and came away. Very improper, no doubt, but the Americans do not break the spirit of a man.” This, at any rate, suggests the system of management in vogue here does not appeal to a pushing man. THE COST OF LI VING.

Though the cost of living is not the sole cause of the trouble between the railway men and the Department, it has greatly aggravated the situation and lias finally brought an accumulation of grievances to a head. A case is being quoted of an engine driver with 25 years’ service and a very excellent record behind him, who after paying rent has only .03 10s a week oil which to maintain a wife arid six young children. An engine driver of this grade is, of course, by no means the worst paid man in the service, but with the necessaries of life costing some 40 per cent more than they did before the war even the most thrifty and capable housewife well may wonder how this family of eight manages to feed and clothe and educate and insure itself on ten shillings a day. The responsibilities of the husband and father are ns great, at least, as those of the master of a passenger steamer, and yet lie receives a labourer’s pay.