THREATENED STRIKE OF RAILWAY EMPLOYES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 2 September 1880, Page 2

THREATENED STRIKE OF RAILWAY EMPLOYES.

(by telegraph.)

(per press association.) Christchurch, September 1. To-day Mr. Back, traffic manager,posted up at the railway station the following telegrams received by him from the Commissioner : " The Hon, the Minister has decided that a Reduction of 10 per cent, shall be made from all salaries, wages, etc., from Aug. Ist. Will you please give instructions to have the pay sheets made out from July 25th to 31st without deductions, and from August Ist to 31st with the 10 per cent off. The amount dy,® from Augnst Ist to 21st must be sUwvn, also the amount and tb,e balance. It would be as well ife you notified to the various that the deduction of 10 pw cent. i$ made on the wages from A\\gust Ist to 21st, because there ha* ippjfc ©sen sufficient time to property adjust the- for the various classes, but" tipcat the scale of pay will be on before the next pay day. ' Also explain to the men that they are not singular in this 10 per cent, deduction, it [having been strictly enforced fof every Government employee, JjMease take this as instruction. W. Conyers. Dated Dunlin, August 27, 1880." "The Hp#, the Minister, has decided thatj aa notipe has not been the deductionVof 10, per cen,i. shall be deferred in the case o| stages men, but the deduction n\v\ss b% mA.de from all salaries, salary has been paid in any casg \l»s. i@j per cent. m,ust be w(. Cofyers,, Dated August 27, 18.80," The rates images i,n the several departments connected' with the OhristohurQh Railway &tatjo,fl appear to have been (for some time past} as follows Engineer's Department—Turners an( j fitters, 10s to Us j machinists, &to9s ; laborers, 7s. Blacksmith's Department—Forgemen, 10s to lis i improvers, 9s ; strikers, §s. Loco- , motive Running Department—Drivers, 10s to 13s j stokers, 7s to 9s : cleaners, 5s to 7a. Carriage Shop—Builders, 10s to lis j painters, 9s to lis; laborers,' 7s. .Waggon Shops—Builders, 10s to laborers. 7s. Permanent Way ment—Surfacemen, ballast Ifcands, and platelayers, 7s to Bs| gangers, 8s to 9s« Way and Department—12s; signal fitter, 12s ; other hands, jOs j to }ls 7s. Traffic Dep^rtnvent—guards', 8s to 10s; porters, IJs to 8s; shunters, 8s to 9a \ signalmen, 8s 6d to 9s 6d. The following quotations fairly represent % fail" average of rates of pay oqtude and fitters, 9s to Us ; machinists, 9s to lis; laborers, 7s; forgemen, 9s to lis; strikers, 7 s to Ss. 1 At a meeting of railway delegates held to-night, the attesdanoe Deing large, the following resolutions were agreed to : " should the notices of reduction in the Permanent Way and Works Departments not be cancelled by the expiration of the notice given, we, one (vud all, eease work on Thursday night, and that we telegraph to all at a distance to i the above eQeot. v That a mass meeting ■ be at 7..3Q to-morrow, Thursday ! evening, in Mr. 3j\ Ferguson's shed* ' corner of Colombo, and Start aiseeta,! Sydenham* II