THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8923, 17 September 1907, Page 2

THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

Opinion in Otago

Per Press Association,

Dunedin, September 16,

Inquiries made by a. Times reporter show that there is a good deal of discontent among Otago railway servants in regard to working conditions. The chief of tho grievances are in connection with the smallness of pay, slowness of promotion, inadequate leave of absence and non payment of overtime. In the first division tho men complain that promotion in the railway service is less rapid than in tho Postal Department, while they hold that the responsibility is "renter. It is claimed that a stationmaster in charge of a combined railway station aud post office has received smaller remuneration than the postmaster lias received in the post office alone when tho two departments were separate. In regard to the eight hours day the men recognise the difliculty iu reducing the hours at some stations, but thov consider in view of the increased train services aud concessions to tho public they have not received the pay that they should got. The second division lias, it is said, been granted concessions to the extent of .£BO,OOO, and the first division consider they should got similar concessions. Resignations on this section havo not been numerous, but it is held that boys entering tho service now aro got so good as formerly.