THE RAILWAY DISPUTE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2048, 20 May 1890, Page 2

THE RAILWAY DISPUTE.

Mr W. J. Edwards has addressed another letter to the Commissioners challenging them to prove the statements made in their published memorandum, which will be found in the back page of this issue. He challenges them to quote an instance in which overtime has been paid. He contradicts the Commissioners in every particular and challenges them to produce proof of their assertions. No instance ia known of time and half having been paid for Sunday work. Boy cleaners are being worked for 16 hours a day in the locomotive departand firing up engines, without knowing the signals, and shunters had been obliged to refuse to work with them owing to danger to life arising out of their incapacity. Traffic men were not allowed full time for overtime, and guards had been kept for the last five years as " acting " guards, so as to avoid having to give them full pay. For the sake of keeping down their they have been styled "acting'' guards. Firemen and drivers had been kept in a similar W position. Piecework had cut down wages in the work shops. The Commissioners fixed the price so low that men were able to make 3s 6d per day. Had the rules quoted by the Commissioners been adhered to the railway men would never have complained, but the rules had been ignored by the Commissioners and hence the trouble.