RAILWAY BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 November 1919, Page 5

RAILWAY BILL.

AMENDMENTS DEFEATED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Nov. 1. In the House, after the -telegraph office closed, discussion on the Railway Bill was carried dn by Messrs. Mander, Buddo, Dickie, Young and Poland. At 2.20, : Mr. Massey in reply said the Bill \vas basced on the arrangement made with railway servants in March last, and there was not a figure in the schedules of which they did not approve. Members interrupted: They had not seen the whole of the schedules. Mr. Massey retorted that they had seen all the schedules in which they were interested. He said there was only one officer who could retire at once. Of the six officers who were being promoted, three could not retire on the maximum for„ five years, one for four year, and one for three years, so that the effect' could not be 'serious. To give the men a bonus of Is a day it would cost £280,000 per annum. No bonus could rest with the Railway Department. If it was given to one branch of the public service it must be given to all. He quoted figures whicli showed that the average earnings of the men were greater than the schedule rates, because of the liettei conditions brought about by the Minister oi Sailways in April last-

On the subject of housing he announced that the Department was arranging io erect 450 houses for employees, 70 of which were to be at Frank-ton. He compared the pavmenta in the Australian States with New Zealand payments, and. in answer to an interjection, he said ho did not believe tny member of the railway staff should be asked to work for a wage on which ho was not able to pay his way, but the Government was doing its best to meet tjie position in very exceptional circumstances. He moved the second reading, which was agreed to, and at 2.55, the House went into committee on the Bill.

On clause 2, Mr. Holland moved an amendment that the decision of the Railways Appeal Board be final. The Premier said he was unable -to accept the amendment, while the board was constituted as at present. Sir Joseph Ward suggested that the power of exercising the veto might be delegated to a judge of the Supreme Court.

Mr. Holland replied that the power might as well be given to the Minister of Labor to veto the - decisions of the Arbitration Court as to maintain the present system of railway veto. On a division, the amendment was lost by 36 votes to 17.

The remaining clauses passed unamended.

Mr. Young moved a new clause by which members of the first division would be promoted on special merit and ability, but the Premier declared he could not accept the amendment, and Mr. Young did not press it.