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1909. NEW ZEALAND.

RAILWAYS COMMITTEE (REPORT OF) ON THE PETITIONS OF E. W. HENDERSON AND OTHERS, AND SEVENTY-FOUR SIMILAR PETITIONS; TOGETHER WITH THE MINUTES OF EVIDENCE. (Mr. HOGAN, Chairman.)

Report brought up on the 14th December, 1909, and ordered to be printed. ORDER OP REFERENCE. Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Friday, the Bth Day op October, 1909. Ordered, " That a Committee be appointed, consisting of ten members, to examine and report upon questions relating to the railways ; with power to call for persons and papers ; three to be a quorum : the Committee to consist of Mr. Arnold, Mr. Brown, Mr. Buick, Mr. Clark, Mr. Craigie, Mr. Hine, Mr. Hogan, Mr. Rhodes, Mr. Ross, and the mover."—(Hon. Mr. Millak). EEPOET. Rbpobt on the Petition of E. W. Hendekson and Others (also seventy-four similar Petitions containing 722 Signatures of Engine-drivers, Firemen, and Cleaners), praying that Official Recognition be granted to them as a Separate Organization from those of other Branches of the Railway Service. I am directed to report, — 1. That in the opinion of this Committee the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants has represented the engine-drivers, firemen, and cleaners equally as well as the other sections of the Railway service. 2. That due prominence has always been given to the requirements of the engine-drivers, firemen, and cleaners when the Railway Department has been approached by the delegates of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. 3. That by internal reorganization of the society the petitioners could always get direct representation on the executive of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. 4. That as the Railway Department is a State Department it is desirable that one representative body should place the requirements of the men before the Department, the Minister, and Parliament. 5. That, having gone exhaustively into the evidence and given the fullest consideration to the prayer "f the petitioners, this Committee has no recommendation to make. 14th December, 1909. J. T. Hogan, Chairman.

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