RAILWAY REGULATIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10132, 31 October 1910, Page 5

RAILWAY REGULATIONS.

HOW THE WORKERS ARE

TREATED

In reply to Mr Hogg, who asked whether it was true that the married men on railway ballasting and relieving gangs had been reduced in number since the night allowance of a shilling a day had been taken away from the single man, the Minister of Railways, on Wednesday, said he was not aware of it. The invariable practice was to give preference in respect of employment to married* men. Mr Hogg remarked that the reply he received was just what he anticipated, because he did not think that if any abuse occurred the Minister would be made aware of it. What he really wished to get at was why the night allow ance that the single man had received for years was abolished two years ago. The regulation:; that wee gazetted and printed, and which he had seen, provided that the men—both single and married—working on ballasting and relaying gangs, away from headquarters were to have a shilling per clay for night allowance. A couple of months ago an order was I issued that in the case of single men this would be discontinued. This was a breach of the regulations, and the men were naturalyl dissatisfied. They had appealed to the General-Man-ager and District Engineer on the subject, but they could get no satisfaction. He asked for no concession or favour on behalf of the men, but when a regulation affecting payment for their labour was broken, he considered they were entitled to an explanation. The Minister of Railways, having left the house during the half hour that members had at their disposal for following up their questions with five-minute speeches, Mr ~-ogg received no reply to his representations.