RAILWAY CLASSIFICATION BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8987, 23 November 1907, Page 5

RAILWAY CLASSIFICATION BILL.

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. 1!Y TELEGEAriI—WESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, Friday. When the Railway Classification Bill was in committee in the House of Representatives to-night the Premier said members of the service vvoujd receive their increments as provided by the bill on April Ist, 1908. He explained that in Ihe eighth grade of subdivision two of the first division, the minimum pay had betn raised from £235 to £240 per annun - , and the maximum from £250 t> £255; the tenth grade had also been amended by substituting for t>"> eight increments of £lO, four of £ls and two of £lO. Thus a cadet couki reach £2OO per annum in twelve ytars. Ha went on to say that the additional amount involved by the alterations in increments was £13,600. Guards had been separated from signalmen, shunters and storemen, as in the original schedule. The number of first-class guards had been increased to 50 per cent., an 4 rates of pay of class one were lis tid to lis per day, the increments being o.ie 6f Is and one of 6d per day. Similar rates applied to first-class s'gnalmen, storemen and shunters, the maximum number of first-class not to exceed one-third of the total number in both grades. The Premier added that the total alterations made, including the allowance in last year's estimates about £60,000, involved an amount between £135,000 and £140,000. Replying to a question the Premier strted that the officers had taken exception to the bill on incomplete information. He added that if members of the service could telegraph their unconsidered representations all over the country there would be a tremendous reaction some day. Mr Massey said some juniors in Wellington had wired to their colleagues all over the country urging that they should wire to members of the House that they were satisfied with the schedule of the bill; and he contended that members of the service had a perfect right to make representations to members of the House. The Premier said he recognised that members of the service had a right to place their cases before members of the House, but maintained that incorrect information had been sent out from Wellington, and he objected to this procedure. He exonerated the heads of departments from participation in this agitation. He went on to say that what had made him hesitate with the bill was the organised dissatisfaction that had been exhibited. He had meditated not dropping the. idea of increasing the wages in the railway service, but of asking the House to place the whole railway service under the Arbitration Court. Mr R. B. Ross, > Pahiatua, contended that the officers who had telegraphed to Uie House were conversant with the proposals of the bill, as it had been teleeraphel all over the country and published in the newspapers. They had every right therefore to place their grievances before members. The bill was read a third time and passed.