RAILWAYMEN'S PAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 24, 28 January 1921, Page 5

RAILWAYMEN'S PAY.

CLAIM FOR A BONUS. fSpecial to ■ Star WELLINGTON, this day. The railway of las: year was '. .settled on the basis of a full inquiry into working conditions and the ciatai for increased wages by a Board n-un-sentative of the employer- and employees, with a chairman mutually agreed upon. In that case, the principal body of railwaymen accepted as the . president. Mr. Bullock, a well known 1 shipping manager, who died before Parliament made the agreement in regard ro w-tps a statutory matter. The

to wages a statutory rr.aiiei. -~c, cost of living has continued to increase. and the amended Classification Act was scarcely passed before the m~ii <l__ned another bonus lo compensate for the | reduced purchasing power of the ti j note. To meet this claim the parties a-reed to the same procedure a- in the strike negotiations, and the P.oard now -itting in Wellington is similarly constituted, though Mr. George Elliot, of Auckland, is now the chairman. Its ! proceeding? are in camera, by mutual j arrreement. as the whole question is one j of wages, and this can be .better argued i out frankly in private, when the Rail- ; way Department can deal more fully j with its financial position. When it last adjusted wages the cost of living increase was assessed at t!2 per cent over ore-war prices. To-day it is admittedly at least in per cent higher, and if the j Board makes an award fully covering ) the further increase, another -100,00. I vill be required from the railways to | make up the revenue. It is anticipated that the last quarter of the linancial ' year will -"now the real effect of the revision of fares and freights, as the most important changes were made in respect j of the Dominion.- primary products, j which are mostly handled during that period. Thus it may turn out that the railwayman will be able to get a ter- I porary increase a= a cost of living bonus I without recourse to another turn of the tariff screw. j i DECISION NOT YET REACHED. (By Tele-rrap-.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Wages Board appointed by the Government to go into the claim. s of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Scr vants for increased wa-es dating from June, sat to-day. The proceedings were • r.ot open to the Press. At the termination it was stated that the meeting had adjourned before any decision was arrived at. Thr Board will meet again to-morrow.