THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 98, 2 May 1913, Page 6

THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

I V • Uu iv, - I reform. ' ■ ■{Per Press Association.] ; r :„ . j. . Dunedin, May 1. ‘'The current number of the Raihyav ~ Advocate contains a short account'of the'proceedings 'of ' the Conference ■which took place on Monday between the Hon. W. H. Herries, Minister of -Bmlways, ■‘and the whole of the local Members of the executive committee of the first division of the service. ■ ? Young, the President, asked the Minister if he would place railway Offic6ig" on the same footing as other branches of the public service as regards leave, Sunday duty, payment for overtime and travelling allowances. Jtfr Herries replied that the amended regulations were in course of preparation, and that they would be modelled as far as possible on those recently gazetted under the Public Service Act. The Minister further stated that when the compilation of the regulations was completed th 6 ■executives of the three railway societies would be given an opportunity of pqrtising them, and if necessary he granted a further'conference with himself regarding them. In reply to Mi* Young’s question concerning schedule of pay to be provided under the'proposed new Act, the Min: istci said that it would certainly be an improvement upon the present schedule, and he would try to have it brought into line with the public service schedule. With regard to the request re D 3 tags, Mr Herries informed the deputation that the correspondence On the matter was being referred to responsible officers to report, with instructions to’ obtain the opinion of the Crown Law officers. A definite reply would be furnished as , early as posisble. Consideration of matters under the heading of reconstitution of the Appeal Board, delay in hearing appeals, and positions for those reduced in status was promised. With reference to the classification of certificated officers of the Lake Wakatipu service, Mr Herries pointed out that the matter had been adjudicated so far as D 3 for'l9l2 was concerned, and the alteration required in tho Act to finally settle this long-standing trouble would be made this session. The Minister took particular notice of the statements and suggestions for the formation of the Board to deal wiili the matter of pro-' motion in service and staff piatters generally, and asked to bo supplied with further details concerning the proposals'.