RAILWAY ENQUIRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1924, Page 3

RAILWAY ENQUIRY.

DEPARTMENT'S ARG UAIENT. [BY TELEGRAPH rER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON' Juno 17. At the sitting of tho Railway AVages Inquiry Board, to-day. Air Sterling, for the Department, cone-hided ltis remarks upon wages. He argued that I in tha present ease, there was not a question of cutting wages, but adjustment. in accordance with the fluctuation in the cost of living. ()n the question of hours. Air Sterling said that previously the men had received overtime payment for time worked in excess of the eight hours day. and also in excess of the 4J hours’ week, notwithstanding whether he had already received overtime for any one day. Tt did not necessarily mean a man had to work 41 hours on a flat rate before he received overtime. He did not think tho Department would he justified in incurring the extra expenditure of £2d0.000 a year out of the public purse in order to meet tbe demands of tbe Society. Tie challenged the railwayman to instance any other workers who had an eight-hour day, and a 44-ltoiir week in operation together. The trend of the hours in Australia, Britain, and other countries was also in the direction of a 48 hours’ week.

Air Sterling handed in a return showing that, although tho train mileage in relation to the number of men employed had decreased since 1014, by 3.10 per cent., wages and expenditure ha ' increased by ten per cent. Ho considered that train mileage was the best indication of the wofk performed in tho various branches of the Department.

FURTHER DISCUSSION. WELLINGTON. June 18. At yesterday’s sitting of the Arbitration Court dealing with the railway dispute, Mr Sterling on behalf of the Knilwnv Department produced a statement showing that while the train mileage which is always considered afair test of the work by the Department lmx decreased by 3.1 G per cent, since Bill, the wages expenditure hits increased by 8.12 per cent. Mr Connelly replying to the statements made by Mr Sterling, during the course of his address said the actual cost of the hours asked for by the men would lie £2IJ.OiX), not £2o(U)DO as stated by the Department. Dealing with the housing problem, he contend••<l that manv of the houses were quite inadequate for ordinary family comfort. Cheap rentals were thus somewhat discounted. ..eli rring to the question of incentive to work. Air Connelly submitted it was the duty of the Department to provide that.