RAILWAY TRANSPORT.
SOME INTERESTING FIGURES.
Interesting figures were Quoted by Mr R. W. McVilly (general manager of railways) in the course of a repiy to a deputation at Edievale (Otago). Mr McVilly stated that the Department’s rates were fixed at a time when wages were 6s 6d a day with a 60 hours’ week for traffic men and 48 hours for surfacemen. Since then the S prices of all materials used by the Railway Department had increased. Coal, which they used to get for about 15s per ton, now cost about £3 10s, and they had paid as much as The wages were now 13s 4d per day £7 for. it. Stores, and all other materials had increased proportionately, for a 44 hours week. Men working between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. were paid rate and a quarter. Overtime involved the payment of rate and a quarter, and for Sunday work double time was paid. If rates were based on the increase in wages and prices they should be at least double what they were before. The department had aimed at keeping the rate of intere at per cent., and looking at the development side, the.v had aimed at economy, keeping the charged down and yet giving the conveniences ami the best service possible. They had now reached the point when they could not go under the old order of v/ things. They had pretty well kot to-'*"? the limit, but the public still wanted services in excess of the business requirements. These facts should be considered by the people who were so ready to blame the department for the state of affairs existing at pres • ent. Mr McVilly went ojn to say that he knew of cases where the department had been treated most unfairly by the public. He knew of men who sent their produce to market by motor lorry, and who took advantage of the railways to get large quantities of lime conveyed free. That was not fair to the department, which must consider things from a financial point of view to a certain extent. Unfortunately the position in the South Jsland as a whole was very nnsatisfactory.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HPGAZ19240225.2.13
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Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4666, 25 February 1924, Page 2
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361RAILWAY TRANSPORT. Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4666, 25 February 1924, Page 2
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