TO-DAY’S PROCEEDINGS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 482, 21 June 1890, Page 5

TO-DAY’S PROCEEDINGS.

The Railway Conference wa3 resumed this morning, continuing the hours of labour question. Mr Maxwell pub several instances before the delegates, and asked how they would be treated. Mr Hoban replied that the cases cited were exceptions, and tho Executive were alive to the fact that mutual concessions would have bo bo made on the labour question. The Executive were arguing on the broad principles. The example of an engine driver who was away from home 13J hours per day, but of that term was “ standing ” six hours, was taken. Mr Owen said the Society did not wish anything unreasonable, bub what they proposed to do was this : —After the man’s 48 hours for the week were finished pay him overtime for the six hours required to make the four clear days ; then have him relieved by another man, or in other words institute a “ three leg service.” Mr Hoban in reply to Mr McKerrow said emphatically, that the Executive desired the driver always to be paid for the time he is “ booked off.”

On “ the hooking off ” question Mr Hoban said the Executive had abundance of evidence, which, if made public, would make even the Commissioners blush. In many cases the man was booked “standing” when, as a matter of fact, he was engaged chaining the engine, shunting, etc. The next subject touched on was the piece system. Mr Hoban pointed out many injustices arising from the system. Mr McKerrow said he carefully looked over the pay-sheets for the bank and found the men on piece made more than those engaged on wage. Mr Winter admitted that some men made more than the ordinary wage, but it was obtained at a sacrifice of the others. The men unanimously agreed that the system was as bad, as it was an infallible means of reducing the price of labour. Wherever the system had been introduced the wages had come down, and the Executive asked that it be abolished altogether. The system was bristling with incongruities, and he quoted many instancs where the piece man received higher wages than the day man, although the latter did harder work.

Mr McKerrow admitted there was a great deal of truth in what Mr Winter said, but if the system was done away with there might be a tendency on the part of the men to drop down to the “ Government stroke. ’ At present only about one-eighth of the labour was piece. Mr Elvines referred bo a case of the Addington workshops, in which the piece system was bad from beginning to end. At one o’clock another adjournment took place.