RAILWAYMEN'S WAGES.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 February 1916, Page 2

RAILWAYMEN'S WAGES.

A COMPLICATED QUESTION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Yesterday. The Hon. Mr. Herries, discussing the demands of the railway employees for increased pay, said the Government lully recognised its duty to employees and had no desire to prevent a legitimate rise in wages if it was clearly shown that such is necessary. To give a war bonus of a shilling a day .to railway servants would cost £204,000. This involved a financial question of great importance. It would be unfair for him to give any promise which would affect the financial operations of the coming year without his colleagues being consulted. He presumed it was proposed to provide the money for increased pay by some sort of taxation or by a further increase in railway rates. Other railway employees besides those making the present demands would have to be considered. The question of an increase to Government employees outside the Railway Department had not arisen. The Cabinet would carefully consider the merits of the. case put before it with the earnest desire to do justice to its employees compatible with justice to the taxpayers of the Dominion,