Railway Service

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 196, 17 February 1914, Page 5

Railway Service

J VAOIXF. DK.VKKS' UNION. J liK'/IEU COAL REQUIHSp. I Hy Telegraph—Press Association. I Climkhurch, Last Xigkt. The conference of the New Zealand Locomotive Engine Dri/ers, Firemen and Cleaners' Association was resumed to-day. The report supplied stait«d that tin; Grand Council had considered the present system of compulsory retirement from the superannuation futul 1 upon retiring from the service was a distinct hardship, inasmuch as it deleted benefits and amounted to nunishment of members concerned. The Council held that the insurance fund should he gov- ! erned by commercial principles, and that a contributor once admitted should have the option of continuing his contributions until his policy expired. At present members retiring at their own option or by direction, only received the actual money they had paid in, minus interest. It was a matter of speculation whether the fund would benefit the contributor, for at the last moment, after forty yewrs' service, misadventure might denrivc a member from participation in its benefits. The Council required a more equitable control and a definite benefit clause, independent 'f the vagaries of the service a member was engaged oh. The Council was di«satisied with the pr ent medical examination for departmental reouirements. and held that the member interested should have the choice of doctor, so a.< to be in line with the present practice of the Department in nominating the medical officers they required. It was understood that they hud to pay for all certificates, which were required to detect a malingerer, but in contravention of the wording of the Act, the Department asked the employee to carry a double burden of expense. In view of the recent Aisgill disaster being attributed to the use of inferior coal unduly harassing the engine crew in the more important matter of attending to public safety, and the fact that there was improve r:*nt urgently needed in the standard of coal supplied to the New Zealand Government Railways, the Council were making special representations to the Department to remove the trouble, and so arcrt looming danger. The Council urged that for public safety there must be adequate boiler-power, with suitable coal. The practice of supplying coke in substitution for coal, at Frankton in particular, was causing extreme anxiety to the men. Alterations to the constitution and rules were considered, and an address was delivered by Hiss Mitcncl), of the Social Democratic Party.