RAILWAY WORKERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 October 1922, Page 5

RAILWAY WORKERS.

. CLASSIFICATION AND PAY. PROVISION FOR SMALL “CUT.” By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The second reading of the Government Railway Amendment. Bill was moved in the House to-day by the Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. H. Guthrie). The Minister explained that it vyas designed to give effect in the classification of the Wages Board’s decisions, and also to provide for the re-classification of railway employees, and to fix a distance as a basis on which passenger fares and freights shall be made. The Bill also provided a penalty up to £5O for misdescription of goods offered for carriage on the railway. This was desired in order to prevent abuse of the concessions now granted in the carriage of manure and lime for the use of farmers. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui), while agreeing that the Bill conferred a certain benefits, hoped other railwaymen’s organisations besides the E.F.C.A. would have an opportunity of being heard by the Railways Committee before the Bill was passed. He feared the re-classification proposal, however, was loaded with possibilities of reductions in the increments of pay to men. The Minister replied that the Bill would not affect increments in any way. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) desired that the Minister should produce the existing agreement between the E.F.C.A. and the Government, so that the House could see for itself whether the Bill carried into effect tha provisions of the agreement. Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labor Party) concurred in this suggestion, and pointed out that the schedule to the Bill showed a slight reduction in wages. The Minister interjected that this wis due to the “cut.” Mr. Holland said there had been an understanding that no reduction would be made in loco, men’s pay, and now they found this Bill providing for a “cut.” He considered the Government would find this aspect of the matter difficult to explain. Mr. H. Atmore (Nelson) supported the demand for the production of the agre?ment between the* Government and the E.F.C.A. The Minister said the adjustments proposed in the Bill applied only to the E.F.C.A., and did not affect the A.S.R.S. or the Officers’ Institute at all. Mr. Guthrie said the officers said they did not like the proposals, but in the financial circumstances of the country they would not stand in the Government’s way. The A.S.R.S. complained that some of their ranks had not been paid as well as they should have been and refused to consider the matter at all. The E.F.C.A. met the Government fairly and expressed willingness to accept a “cut” in wages and forego certain privileges. An agreement embodying these things was entered into between the general manager and the E.F.C.A. He refuted the suggestion that there was anything discreditable in the relations between the Government and anvone connected with the E.F.C.A. The Bill was read a second time.