THE RAILWAY TROUBLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 April 1920, Page 5

THE RAILWAY TROUBLE.

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER,

_£J»esent pay to continue. By. Telegraph.—Press Association. ,_ Wellington, April 22. ~ he Prims Minister, in his letter to ..'? A.S.R.S., in reply to the reproscntans made at the recent interview re|?rding remuneration, says: "The matter has been carefully considered and Pi is proposed by the Government to •rake the course indicated by Mr. Jtntice Stringer. The present scale of remuneration, based on the recent report of Mr. Justice Stringer, and commencing on January 1, will continue in operation until Jun'o 1. A new commission will then be constituted to inquire whether there is any increase in the cost of living and report what bonus, if any, should be granted in respect of that increase in addition to the present remuneration. "The report of that commission will take effect from June 1, and remain in operation for six months certain thereafter. The scale of wages will be subject to review by the new commission with reference to the then cost of living, and so on from time to timo as the Government may determine, until ami unless Parliament otherwise provides. "The commission proposed will consist of two stipendiary magistrates assisted by an advisory assessor nominated by the three societies representing the railway staffs and an assessor nominated by the department. The societies' assessors must be members of the railway service." ' Letters of (similar purport have been sent to the other two railway organisations. Details of the other requests will he a matter for departmental arrangement. ' A DISPUTE PILED.' ' INCREASE OP PAY WANTED. Wellington, Lnst Night. Mr. Mack, secretary of the A.S.R.S., when asked his opinion on the reply by Mr. Massey, as Minister for Railways, said the Government was merely trifling with the whole position. The men had been going from tho service and were still going. The service was' in a deplorable condition. He did not know how the men would take the reply. "The j storm," he said, "might hurst at any time. The A.SR.S. has filed with the Minister of Railways notice of a dispute with the management of the service under the Labor Disputes Investigation Act, and the intention is to demand an investigation of the dispute by a committee of representatives of the two parties to the dispute. In their demands the A.S.R.S. are asking for an all round increase in pay of 2s Cd per day. TROUBLE NOT REMOVED. BUT THE OUTLOOK BRIGHTER. (By Telegraph .—Own Correspondent) Wellington, Last Night. The action of the executive of the A.S.R.S. in filing a dispute under the Labor Disputes Investigation Act does not remove the danger of immediate trouble in the railway service, but materially reduces it. Two factors are uncertain. Firet, the willingness of the members of the A.S.R.S. to wait for the hearing of the dispute, and, secondly, the attitude of the loco men. If the loco men should *top work the A.S.R.S. members certainly would follow them. The temper of the nulwaymcn generally makes the situation particularly difficult. Mr. Massey's reply takes the recom. mentations of Mr. Justice Stringer ns the basis on which the new commission is to work. The Railwayman's Executives expres 3 firm determination not to accept this basis, since they consider that the January rates are inadequate, and so cannot properly be used in calculating July rates.

The executives of both the A.S.R.S. mid the loco association are in a position to act without further consultation with members of their organisations, but the influence of the executives will be used in the direction of restraining the men pending the procedure provided by the Act.