RAILWAY WAGES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 251, 19 October 1912, Page 10

RAILWAY WAGES.

GOVERNMENT'S AMENDING BILL. <By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. The Government Railways Amendment BUI, which deals with increment 'to the wages and salaries of railway employees, was brought down by Governors message this evening. Mr. Russell asked the Minister of Railrways what provisions the bill contained for remedying the undoubted grievances of the first division. While other sections of the service generally had received increases, nwthing whatever had been done for the first division, declared the member for Avon.

"The honourable member for Avon is not quite correct in what he says," replied the Hon. Mr. Herries. ''As a matter of fact a considerable increase is proposed in regard to the first division." The Minister went on to explain that the ninth grade, which now stood at £210 to £2JO. would, under the bill, receive from £215 tp £245. The eighth grade, which now- stood at £2-10 to ' .-Cilo. would run from £255 to £275. The seventh prade, now to £300. rnse from £285 to £315. and the sixth grade would have a minimum of £330. instead of £31"). so thiit there would he a considerable increase so fnr as the list division ■was concerned. What he proposed to do ■when the bill cot back to the House, added the Minister, was to move its second reading prn fonca, and then refer it to the Committee. Tn reply to a question. Mr. Hemes said that the first provision included would amonnt in between .CT.OOfI ami £fi.ODO for the pn.st year, and run up to £30,000. Replvinj? \o Mr. Russell, he slid it was proposed that t'ii , salaries of the {TPneral mannirers should not rxa&A €3.000. He ■would cndc.'ivonr tn bring rloTvn a classification list, next week. The bill provides that on April 31st. 19L". the fnllowin? increases in salary shall t.ikn efT^cf:—General mnna-rer, not to exceed £3.000 (present, maximum £1.250): chinf fieri-. mnxirnnm €000 f£700): chief accountant. £750 (£700); comptroller of =torp<s. £(550 ( £525); a-nd other first division snlnrics as indicated hv th° statement. Second divi-ion increases: A large number of jrriules in the second division ■wfil rpceivp incren.s"=. flip most nnnortiint: hdns ns folk)tvq:— Tlip mnyimurn for first Crude pinrrls is incrensnd l.v M to 11/0. and porters 0/ O'nstpnd of S/) : junior porfprs. !>/C< Tn : nimnm. brane'i: TycadiTi? frfidcsmcn. α-rade I, increaspd to 13/0 n dnv : rrradp 2, maximum inpreaspc hy I. <tn 1 -2/G: other leadintr minds, by 1/, fn U/: Icndin-r tnd»=.mr-n. ••tb-plaw 2. ;ninimiim 'ncrein.scd by fid, mnTimnm b'- 1/, tn 11 /fi rlnilv: subSTodo 2. i>v M. to 10/; junior trndesmen, increaswi l.v 1/. to n/ rlnilv: annrpnticna. first Tea- I. second yenr 2/fi. third year :>/. four'!; vp-ir 4/. fiflh venr 5/fi. ' A new plori -nf called "spnior" Is create, ivifh a minimum of 14/, jvnd a nut-cirr-iiTn of 15/. dnilv. nnrl th« m.iTfimnm of the firsf ? r-ule drivers i= increased by tf. i-o l.vr.. nnd fir™™ tv 1/. to 10/R The makes provision tot Mip i-mcintr of Hip minimum pay to !)/ :.«. rt.-cirlcd by thn Ward Government, and RirpanT , in operation.