COMMISSIONERS AND RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2786, 22 May 1890, Page 2

COMMISSIONERS AND RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.

[BY TULKGUAI'K —I'RESS ASSOCIATION'.] WELLINGTON, Last Night. Mit MiLi.AH, Secretary of the Maritime Council, received the following , letter from the Railway Commissioners last week :—■ " I have the honour, by direction of the Railway Commissioners, to inform you that they have given the matter careful consideration, and are willing to pay as from the lSth June next the ordinary rate per hour for casual labour employed at ports, such rates not to exceed Is 3d per hour for general cargo, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. With regard to your further suggestions that none but members of the Union should be engaged, I am directed to say that the Commissioners will give preference to Union men, but will not guarantee utilising them exclusively, and they reserve the right to use other hands if necessary.— E. G. PiLCHEU, Secretary." Tho Railway Commissioners deny the statement of Mr Edwards, secretary to the Railway Employees Society Executive, published on Saturday, that a guard was dismissed because the bottom of a rotten butter-box fell out when he was carrying it, end state that the man was discharged more than a year ago because he had misrepresented matters when he was called upon for an oxplauation. Tlio Commissioners add that the statement that men are being discharged in all directions is also incorrect. Chkistchuuoh, Last Night. The result of the ballot of the Tiinaru branch of the Railway Employees Society on the question whether extreme measures shall be resorted to, if necessary, was :■— Ayes, 14(>; noes, 3.