ENGINE-DRIVERS PAY.

Taihape Daily Times, 8 October 1919, Page 5

ENGINE-DRIVERS PAY.

-Commenting on the report in the last issue of the New Zealand Locomotive Engineers’ Journal that the Government is advertising in England for eenginedrivers !for our xra.i)lways_. «'t.h‘-e Napier Telegraph says: This, to us, { appears a remarkable statement from two points -of ‘view. One: is due to the reflection that fair conditions here i'i.S to wages, et.c., should be sufiicient to relieve the Governnient from any diflieulty as to obtaining drivers in this country. The second is that experienced enginedrivers in Englandreeeive ‘up to £1 5/ per day and that as here tlieoflicial wage foridrivers up to 30 or more years”service to their credit, is only 13/6 per day, ithe Government mushbe extremely sanguine if it hopes to"‘substantially- increase its engine'driving staff from England. Here, how-

eVver,Tthere is something more to be said on tfie question of wages. Although the oflicial wage ‘is here 13/6 per day, the actual wage is set out by the

journxalwe have quoted from as 16/6. ‘This means, we presume, that the oflicialvwage here has been added to by

war bonus additions. The same will

apply as to England. Hence if the figurec quoted are reliable, the actual com,*_‘-arison is between £1 5/ per day in Evgmnd and 16/6 here. But; going 1:: ck to pre-mar ‘times in England. since when the cost of living has increased 115 per cent the presr-nt «mg.» in England is equal to only 12/ per day. in 1913. On the other hand, the cost of living here has increased during the same period by from 33 -to 40 per cent. Taking the lower figure, 16/6 per day new is equal only to 12/ in 1913. Hence the actual comparison, taking intone-

count the lowered puichasing power of the sovereign in Both eountries, is be- . tween 2:. top wage of 12/ per day in :England and a top Wagein New Zea.l:md of 12/ per day. Under these conditions, we imagine that tlie Government is not likely to obtain many_——or ally'——enginedriv-ers from England fior work on the New Ze.a.land(g'eilWays.