“NOT UNREASONABLE.”

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 57, 7 March 1916, Page 2

“NOT UNREASONABLE.”

THE ENGINE-MEN’S DEMANDS

PREMIER’S REPLY TO DEPUTA TION.

“MEN IN AN UGLY MOOD.”

Two deputations of railwaymen have recently waited upon the Prime Minister with re quest for a war increase of a shilling a day. One was from the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, and the second represented the Enginemen, Firemen and Cleaners’ Association.

The general public has learned a good deal about the A.S.R.S. deputation as a result of the controversy which followed it. Now I am able to take frcm the Locomotive Association’s official journal some details of their Grand Council’s interview with the Right Hon. :W. F. Massey. According to the headings of the interview, the delegates told the Prime Minister that the men were in '.an ugly mood owing to soaring prices “and won’t be fooled.”

The deputation stated that the question of a shilling a day war bonus had become most pressing and urgent in view of the frame of mind in which the employees had got into, caused, says th e official reoerd, principally by the increases in the prices of the commodities of life. “The Premier,” continues the report, “listened patiently to all they had to say, and in replying stated that the demand was not unreasonable, and he would go further and say that their request had his sympathy. After explaining what the Government had done to keep down the cost of living the Prime Minister came back to the request. “He said that he thought the request of a war bonus was a sensible proposition. Neither himself nor Mr. Merries could commit the Government to anything in the way of expenditure, but he would refer the matter to the Government, and what was granted would apply to all railwaymen. In fact he said that there would need tc be an all round increase fer Government employees with the exception of the higher paid members of the clerical branches.

The deputation reminded the Prime M'nister that the Ward Government once granted an extra payment to railwaymen without waiting for Parlia-

mpnt to raitfy it. The Premier, in reply, said that such action was illegal, and the allowance had to be ratified when Parliament met.

The Secretary then said that the urgency of thi s bonus would warrant the Government granting the request as the men were in no mood to wait for etiquette in such a matter.

The Premier said the question would come up at the first meeting of Cabinet, which would take place within two weeks, and the question of making it retrospective would also, be considered when the claim was under consideration. - In conclusion ho said that he appreciated the loyalty of th e locomotive men. A TEST OF LOYALTY. The secretary interjected that an army fought on its stomach, and our loyalty depended on our stomach being fed too. The, Premier said “That was the test.”

In reply, the secretary said that an eighteen months’ test had been applied to railwaymen, and the Government should recognise that the limit had been reached when the stomach began revolting against the sentimental part.

The Locomotive Association’s journal, in commenting upon the report of the interview, credits the Prime Minister with making an honest attempt to deal with a critical situation. It points out that the country has prospered beyond all expectation.

. “There i s no need for the caution

which was exercised when the war commenced. The banks are holding large sums of money derived from the sale of New Zealand products. Why, then, asks the trade union journal, should the workers not participate in this prosperity? Why should they be in semi-starvation? There is,” adds the Journal, “absolutely no reason in our opinion.”