THE PUTARURU PRESS, THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1924. THE RAILWAY STRIKE.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 28, 24 April 1924, Page 2

THE PUTARURU PRESS,

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1924. THE RAILWAY STRIKE.

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THE final steps leading to the strike pame with a startling suddenness, that would almost indicate that hotheadedness and impetuosity had outweighed sane and cool deliberation in the counsels of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. It appeared as if the negotiations proceeding between the Society and the Government would lead to a peaceful termination. The view expressed at the end of last week by Mr. M. J. Mack, the secretary of the Society, that “ if, unfortunately, the worst should take place, the parties must come together sooner or later to effect a settlement and it seems to me infinitely better that they should come together now,” were sentiments with which all sensible men would be in accord, and were calculated to arouse optimism. But within a few short hours the action of the Society directly negatived the admirable views of Mr. Mack and the “ strike was on.” The onus of the action, the responsibility of interference with one of the main arteries of the commercial prosperity of the Dominion must rest upon the Society. Without entering at all upon the merits or worth of the claims in dispute between the parties, the fact is patent that the recent actions of the Society has tended to thwart satisfactory conclusions to any negotiations. The attitude of the Society before the Board and its action in breaking off negotiations because the chairman, the arbiter between the parties, refused to give his decision on the claim for the increase in wages without taking into consideration the other points of *lll6 case, frustrated the purpose of the Board. The negotiations with the Government suffered almost a similar fate. If the impression gains ground that the Society did not desire its claims to be fully enquired into and adjudicated upon by an independent tribunal the Society has only itself to blame. Actions speak louder than words. To precipitate a strike, to interfere with the great transport service of the Dominion, and to cause loss to the many people dependent on the service of the railways is to take an extremely serious step. To do so and refuse to submit its full claims to the investigation of a wages board, or some other tribunal, must alienate from the Society the sympathy and support of the bulk of the community. The action of the Society carries with it the serious danger of a conflagration, and the spread of a strike to other sections of the community. It is not a time for harsh words, but of wise counsel, not for the expression of feeling, but of restraint of passion. In the meantime the public must suffer. They will have to put up with inconvenience and discomfort. There must be a disruption of business and of the transportion of produce. There must be financial loss to the community. But it must be borne, for to have given way to the mandates of the Society would have meant the control of the railways by the Society, not by the owners—the public. Of the real points at issue the majority of the public are in ignorance. To pass an opinion without an intimate acquaintance with all the facts, details and particular circumstances would be unsafe. The principal reason assigned is that the men are underpaid. It is more than probable that in some instances such is the case. But the basis of all wages is service rendered, and if value is not returned, no matter what the cause may be, then the wage paid, large or small, is excessive from an economic point and points to inefficient management or organisation. If six men are employed to do the work that four can accomplish then an economic waste or extravagance is taking place, and the time value is not being received for the wages paid. It may not be the fault of the men; the sole responsibility may rest with the management but the economic waste remains. An eight-hour day or a forty-four-hour week is a day of eight hours or a week of fortyfour hours and not a basis for computing pay. The public, as the great third party, does not desire to be unfair to the men in its employ, ft cannot afford to be, for to be unjust must react against itself. To judge on individual cases is to risk an assumption. A. single instance cannot be accepted as being applicable to all cases, any more than a general principle or average is invariably equitable or satisfactory in every individual case. Direct action may bring about an apparent victory, but In cooler moments it may be realised that the price paid may Tie too high. A settlement of the dispute

there must be. Mutual agreement may effect a temporary compromise. But will it go far enough? Mr. Acland, the chairman of the board set up to deal with the matter, in his report to the Minister believes that considerable economies can be effected, with much greater efficiency and resultant improvement in finance, which would enable higher wages to be paid for better service. Though the department demands better service and the staff may be anxious to give it, both are prevented by the present system from bringing about such a result, and appear to be “ frozen in ” by the existing conditions. ' This would appear to sum up the true cause of the trouble, and without attention to which any arrangement must provide only a brief spell of peace. Reorganisation seems to be the crux of the position. Years of political control have enmeshed the department in a net of customs, habits, regulations and other ties which have

hampered and impaired the freedom of action essential for efficiency. The “ political railways ” of past years have cast upon the country a financial burden of payment for interest. It is not the fault of the A.S.R.S. but it ftnust affect them, nor can they avoid their share of the financial responsibility. To keep on adding to freights and fares to meet increased wages must not only react on all sections of the community but must prove a continuous task to which there is no finality. Economically such a course of action is unsound. There is a distinct limit to which freights and fares can be advanced. The motor vehicle of all classes is a keen competitor with the railways. No business can pay beyond Rs means. The railways are a business of the people of the Dominion. The public are dissatisfied because they think the passenger and freight rates are too high. A section of the railway employees are dissatisfied because they say their wages are too low. The management are dissatisfied because the railways were not returning an adequate return upon the money invested. All of the contacts of a properly-managed undertaking ought to be satisfied. If the public as users, the Government as trustees for the public owners, and the employees are dissatisfied and do not find themselves better off through the railways then it would seem as something were wrong with the manner in which the undertaking is carried out. If the public, the management and the employees are the victims of a bad system then the obvious thing is to effect a change. And this gets back to the comment of Mr. Acland. A “ thawing-out ” process appears to be an essential to a return to a satisfactory basis for all parties concerned.