D.—2b

1924. NEW ZEALAND.

RATES OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF WORK OF RAILWAY EMPLOYEES AS REPRESENTED BY THE AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF RAILWAY SERVANTS (REPORTS OF BOARD OF INQUIRY INTO).

Lidid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

REPORT I. Sir,— Wellington, 23rd August, 1924. In pursuance of the notice of appointment and order of reference directed to us, dated the 13th day of June, 1924, whereby we were appointed and authorized to inquire into and report to you whether in our opinion any, and, if so, what, alterations should be made in the rates of pay and/or the conditions of work in operation in respect of members of the Second Division of the staff of the Government Railways Department (other than employees of the Locomotive Running Branch), having due regard to the public interest and the maintenance of the Government Railways as a business concern paying a reasonable interest on the capital cost thereof, we have the honour to report as follows : — The Board commenced its sittings at the Supreme Court House at Wellington on the 16th June, 1924, and hoard evidence and argument on behalf of the Department and the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. Mr. H. H. Sterling appeared for the Department, and Mr. M. Connelly appeared for the Society. The Board continued its sittings until the 25th June, 1924, and from that date until the 14th July, and from the 16th to the 23rd instant, it deliberated in committee on the several matters submitted for consideration. The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants presented seventy-one claims, and the Department presented six claims, for the consideration of the Board. The seventy-seven claims have been disposed of as follows : — Claim 5 (A.S.R.S.): That leading line-erectors be classified and receive the same rale of pay as leading signal-erectors. The departmental advocate intimated that there was no objection to this claim being granted when the classification was being reviewed. The Board recommends accordingly. Claim 7 (A.S.R.S.) : That on all statutory holidays tablet-porters be paid from first booking on duty till finally booking off. The Board cannot make a recommendation in regard to the claim as it stands, but recommends that tablet-porters shall not be booked off duty for any period of less than one hour on statutory holidays. Claim 9 (A.S.R.S.) : That all casual quarrymen and ballast-pit employees be paid for wet weather, a d treated in all respects in the same way as surfacemen. The Board recommends that where these men travel to and from their work by ballast or other train, and no work is done on any day by reason of wet weather, such men shall be paid travellingtime (including waiting-time between the outgoing and returning trains) to and from their place of work on such day ; and that where work has been commenced on any day, and is suspended on account of wet weather, the men, if ordered to stand by, shall be paid for the time they are standing by ; but so that, in any case, they shall not be entitled to receive more than a day's wages for any day. Claim 14 (A.S.R.S.): That all overtime rates be computed on the schedule rate of pay. The Board recommends that all overtime rates be computed on the classified hourly, daily, or weekly rates of pay, as the case may be.

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