STATEMENT BY MR MASSEY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XL, Issue 9288, 24 April 1920, Page 7

STATEMENT BY MR MASSEY.

(Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, April 23

The Prime Minister, explaining the Government's oirer to the/railwaymen, saj's, by way of explanation with regard to the official letter forwarded from the Government to the railway societies:—l may point out that we commence with a basic wage for married men, not in any way incapacitated, of £iB7 16s per annum. .-That is 12b a day. To that has to be added payment at tlie rate of £15 per annum ror married men in terms oi iVlr Justice Stringer's recommendations. To this the Government has added a payment of £7 10s per annum for single men, both taking effect on January 1 last. The proposal now is that Mr Justice Stringer's ' recommendation should continue until June 1, instead of being reviewed again in September as recommended by him.

'Mr Massey continued that, in making his recommendation,' Mr Justice Stringer took into consideration the increase in the cost of living'up to the date the board commenced its sittings. Although his report was dated February 20, he recommended that it take effect from January 1. All the railwaymen have had payment made as from this latter date. The board which the Government proposes to set up will take into consideration the increasing cost of living from the beginning of this year until June, and readjust the bonus accordingly by whatever the cost of living had increased during the period mentioned. The men will get the benefit of it. The review of the cost of living, and the consequent readjustment of the bonus, • is intended to taice place every six months. "It is desirable," continued Mr Massey, "that I .should point . out that since March, 1914, married men in the railway service have received, by v.ay of bonus to compensate for the i'lcreased cost of living four payments of Is per day. Single men have also .j----ceived payments for the same purpose. I have already made it perfectly clear that the question of the conditions of work will be considered, but, while the Government has no serious objection to this being dealt with by the. suggested tribunal, we think it better that such matters should be considered as between representatives of the men and the General Manager. The Government is anxious to do what is right between the State and those in its employ, and will continue to act up to this principle." ,