D.—2b

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Branch), having duo 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, the undersigned, have the honour to report as follows : — Claim 1 (A.S.R.S.): That the forly-four-hour week hitherto existing in the Railway service be reinstated without any reduction in the present weekly rates of pay. Claim 1 (Department): Regulation 107: The words " and employees in the Traffic Branch (other than night-watchmen J" to be deleted. This means the abolition of " night rate" to this extent. Workshops and Works Staffs. —With one dissentient (Mr. Mason) we recommend that Locomotive, Signalling, and Maintenance workshops employees and works men be given the choice of two alternatives : — (a.) A forty-four-hour week, with overtime at rate and a half for all time worked in excess of eight hours on each of the first five days of the week and four hours on Saturday. The hourly rates of wages to remain as at present, and a guarantee to be given of forty-four hours' pay weekly. (b.) A forty-eight-hour week, with overtime at rate and a half for all timo worked in excess of eight hours and threequarters on each of the first five days of the week and four hours and a quarter on Saturday. The hourly rates of wages to remain as at present, and a guarantee to be given of forty-eight hours' pay weekly. We recommend that a secret ballot of the men concerned (excluding apprentices and juniors) be taken at as early a date as possible. It is recommended that the ballot be taken under the supervision of the Department of Labour. In these two alternatives we recommend a substantial increase in the overtime rates, and recommend the taking of a ballot, for the following reasons : — (a.) The claim as formulated asks for a forty-four-hour week, with forty-eight hours' pay. As the majority of the Board cannot recommend an increase in the rates of pay, which is necessarily involved in the claim, it is thought that the men concerned ought to be given an opportunity of saying whether they are still in favour of a forty-four-hours week. (b.) A forty-four-hour week is generally established in New Zealand for tradesmen and their assistants, and, though we recognize that Railway conditions differ widely from those obtaining outside the service, we do not desire, in the circumstances, to depart from the principle, unless the men agree. Maintenance (Permanent-way). —We recommend that line and relaying gangs work fortyeight hours per week at the present rates of wages. Overtime at rate and a half to be paid for all time worked in excess of eight hours on any day, except where, in accordance with the present practice, longer hours are worked during the earlier part of the week in order to finish the week's work sooner. Members of line gangs to commence and cease work at the appointed time, and to be paid for travelling-time, at the ordinary schedule rate, for the distances for which they now receive a time allowance, and to be given one day off per month. Traffic and Stores Staffs. —We recommend as follows :— (a.) Traffic staff— excluding employees covered by paragraphs (b) and (c) —and Stores staff to work forty-eight hours per week, with overtime rates for all time worked in excess of forty-eight hours in. any week or ten hours on any day. Overtime to be paid for at rate and a half, and any time paid for as overtime over the day not to be taken into account in computing overtime over the week. No night rates to be payable. (b.) Tablet porters to work forty-eight and fifty-six hours as at present, with overtime payment at rate and a half for all time worked in excess of these hours. No night rates to be payable. (c.) Crossing-keepers, bridge-keepers, night-watchmen, female waiting-room attendants, and messengers to work same hours as at present, with overtime payment at rate and a half for all time worked in excess of these hours. No night rates to be payable. Claim 3 (A.S.R.S.) : That all way and works men be paid travelling-lime going to and returning from their work at week-ends. Wo cannot make a recommendation in the terms of the claim, but recommend that the following proviso be added to clause 21. of the recommendation dated the 23rd June, 1.920, of a former Board of Inquiry : " Provided also that, subject to the above restrictions, such employees shall, wherever possible, be allowed to leave the work on Friday evenings, if the week's work has been completed, in order to visit their homes for the week-end." It is understood that the Department will instruct its respective foremen and leading hands to exercise a reasonable discretion in fixing the hours of work, so as to enable employees to obtain the full benefit of this provision. Claim 8 (A.S.R.S.) : That gangers and surfacemen in the Maintenance Department be paid from trollystand to trolly-stand. We recommend that all the employees in each gang be required to start work at the same time at the place where work is to be commenced for the day, and that they all cease work at the same time, the starting and ceasing times being those fixed for the ordinary day's work ; and that, in lieu